Many, many things to talk about this week, but I only have a minute since I have to leave for Boston in 6 hours. This article on CNN about the Muslims protest over the launch of Playboy in Jakarta is a telling tale of the deep value conflict between the our different perspectives. Many of the hardliners, such as those from the Islamic Defenders Front, are still protesting and threatening violence even after the magazine debuted with much tamer content than is displayed in the local tabloids and other magazines daily.
As reported by CNN
group spokesman Tubagus Muhamad Sidik. [said] “Even if it had no pictures of women in it, we would still protest it because of the name.”
Trouble is this is the same problem that we have between our use of different names for the power/being in whom we faithfully believe – for the entity that proves there is meaning and purpose in this life, a reason for being and a reason for all things. The belief that someone is in control, it is of course the word I believe in who is in control. For you disobeying the one I give this name to, you will be punished – I will punish you. We fight over the many different names we have for the same idea, in this case, the blind faith in a higher power we call God, Muhammed, Jesus, Abraham, Yahweh or even within new age circles, “The Light”.
I obviously disagree with people who take to violence in light of calling the same thing a different name, but at least he is honest, which means there is just the sliver of hope that we can learn to get along with one another not only in spite of our differences, but because of them. We really need to get past that sort of reaction to the things we dont have in common and see that the people around us are all people – the ones in the ivory towers and the ones in the streets. Respect of our fellow man and a love for them just ‘because’ they are people, regardless of their beliefs, their looks or their station in life is the real shift we need to make to energize our society.
What we give to others, we get in return. Give a peaceful smile, share it with everyone. See what happens as the world lights up around you.
On a lighter note, this is very much similar to some of the disagreement around calling the new new, Web 2.0 and the meaning of Marketing going on over at Burning Bird, where I have more to add tomorrow…
