Embracing the Other While Embracing Each Other

Embracing the Other was a way in seeing what ways to approach the world is seen and discussed through religious leaders in a riveting discussion and a less than par presentation. I’ll mainly talk about the discussion with the religious leaders because that way it won’t turn into incoherent rambling about misreading audiences and events; so my thoughts and ideas about the religious leaders’ discussion: *inaudible geeking out noises* te he… I’ll start off with the three leaders’ opening talks that in themselves were inspiring and gave me new opinions and views on the current world.

So, Rabbi Cantor began it off beautifully by asking a question that should be said when discussing religions that share a common godly figure under different names: How in God’s Name do you speak to one another? This question if not with “in God’s Name” in it is simple yet with it shines a light on what the modern world says and is doing around religions especially Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. As mentioned originally by Rabbi Cantor, most religions have stories about strangers appearing all dirtied or in not-the-best-condition and the chosen person, Abraham in Judaism case and the Samaritan in Christianity, right away going to help them not being dissuaded by their less than great action. This is often forgotten by people of faith of the modern day by pushing away due to something in their beliefs that say not to be nice or care for those who are different even thought they are of the same background whether faith, home city, or otherwises.

Rabbi Cantor also mentioned something that stuck with me; this was the fact that her own synagogue was on the same welcoming refugees and immigrants list as the Tree of Light synagogue which was unfortunately shot up during prayer. This shows that the world is not as big as some including myself would like to think it is; it is all connected with commonalities that tie it all together causing the effects afterward that locking up and guarding doors that is counter to what everyone believes and people to be more on edge. Yet as she and others brought up that if we are together good can happen and religion is good and in her words “not perverted into hate speech.”

The speech by Deacon Art Miller also brought up great points that must be remembered including reminding ourselves of prejudgement and bias along with much else. Something that he brought up was of minding our own truth and not being afraid of it. I thought of this by saying not to impose what you think on the surrounding world and knowing what of our mindsets are good, bad, and ugly and how to recognize this. He mentioned something that I agree with about white privilege. White privilege is not worrying about the what-ifs of a shooting, misspeak, or otherwise occurrence by the phrase “hope it’s not ---.” I also even though it sounds a little strange that I agree with them when they all said that it is better to have a shooter be white so that minorities don’t have to explain away and for that person.

I believe Imam Shaikh brought it up by saying that if an evil-doer is Muslim, those of the Muslim faith will have to almost defend them even if they know what they did is wrong. Back to Art Miller, he mentioned that much of the dreaded Thanksgiving moments can be discussed and happen if not an opinion based in racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, or otherwises hate. He says to state that it is not okay in any situation so that the hate does not go unnoticed. Finally is the talk given by Imam Safwan Shaikh which opened my eyes to the struggles and ideas of him along with the Islamic faith. He mentioned the story of the sunday school and asking of names the Muslim kids that been called. He mentioned how the kids mentioned “terrorist” and other hateful names that he said like any other word that word attacking him and not getting mad back.

He also mentioned the ideology of hate and how that leads to language. Shaikh mentioned how in languages one doesn’t know a word’s meaning until you know the opposite which is seen through how people including myself “other” something or someone as if not like you or me. Going onto the discussion with audiences and the three speakers, I find the role reversal of as he said it “dude in the ditch” mentality interesting in multiple layers.

It is brought up that when we think of the good samaritan situation we think of us as the one helping and the one brought up was what if we are the ones being helped by those who we do not think strongly of their beliefs. I find this important by the fact that help like most of life is give and take and not one-sided. Also I agree with them all that there is no middle ground on hate and hate speech. Overall, the tri-faith discussion was wonderful and worth attending for all the points I mentioned and a whole lot more but this basically sums it up.