Eradicating hate and bigotry

The best way to eradicate any form of hatred toward others is through

education and forums. Mosques, churches, synagogues and community

centers must make an exerted effort in providing such forums. Often,

our fears are based on the unknown, but once we are familiar with it,

we no longer fear it.

Imam Moustafa Al-Qazwini

Islamic Educational Center

of Orange County

Costa Mesa

When someone asked St. Augustine what the three most important

means to good religion are, he responded, “Humility, humility,

humility.” My response to this question is: education, education,

education. A seminal book in my own education, “The Nature of

Prejudice” by Gordon W. Allport, contends that the earlier different

people are brought together for education, the less prejudice they

will have about their differences. Religious groups try to educate

children from different racial and ethnic backgrounds together.

Beloveds from this parish church are meeting and becoming friends

with people from Temple Bat Yahm and the Islamic Education Center.

Interfaith community building has recently included protests against

violence.

Eighty Jews and Christians and Muslims gathered Sunday in Mission

Viejo to denounce bombings at synagogues in Turkey and mosques in

India and churches in Pakistan.

Hussam Aylouish, executive director of the Council on

American-Islamic Relations, said, “If we in Orange County can get

together and agree on basic human rights, maybe the rest of the world

can learn from us.”

Personally, people have said to me that this column serves to

educate, educate, educate.

In “The Merry Minuet,” the Kingston Trio reverse Dean Martin’s

happy theme and sing, in essence, “everybody hates somebody,

sometime.” A regrettable reality of human nature seems to be defining

one’s self over against, and sometimes as better than, others. To do

our best to keep prejudices (attitudes) from becoming discrimination

(actions), especially violently, religious communities and

individuals must witness constantly to the truth that the components

that make individuals different (male/female,

black/brown/yellow/white, Californian/Oklahoman/ Louisianan, etc.)

are infinitely less important than all the qualities we have in

common as children of God, as we each and all are. Emphasis is on the

Great Commandment of Leviticus 19:18 and Matthew 19:19 and 22:39, “Love your neighbor as yourself” (and, of course, “love yourself.”),

as always.

The Very Rev. Canon

Peter D. Haynes

St. Michael & All Angels

Episcopal Church

Corona del Mar

Two men were discussing religion.

One said, “Sometimes I wish I could ask God, ‘Why do you allow

prejudice, hate and division to exist on earth?”

“Why don’t you do so,” said the second man.

“Because,” replied the first, “I am afraid God will ask me the

same question.”

The question is not only global, but individual. It is asked in

the second person singular, directed to each human heart. If all

politics is local, then all questions about action are personal.

Everyone wants to change the world, but few want to change

themselves. People put forth their solutions to problems between

nations and peoples and societies while they harbor within themselves

negative feelings toward brothers and sisters and parents in their

own family, toward co-workers, against people in their community and

social circle. Truth to tell, we can do little to effect the minds

and hearts of fanatics, of anti-Semites, of bigots, of terrorists.

Those whose concept of divinity is that of a vengeful God will not be

swayed by our appeals to love, reason and self-interest. What we can

do, what we must do, is expunge prejudice and racism, feelings of

superiority, which marginalize those not of our persuasion, from our

own hearts and spirits.

A father wanted to teach his son geography. He came upon a picture

of earth with its countries and tore it into pieces. He handed the

pieces to his son and challenged him to put the page back together

with each country in its proper location. To his amazement, the boy

returned in a few moments with the page intact and restored to its

original form.

“How did you accomplish this so quickly,” asked the surprised

father. “It was simple,” answered the son, “there was a picture of a

human face on the back. I put the person together and the world was

restored.”

We are that person. When we restore ourselves to the wholeness of

love, brotherhood and respect for all, we will have taken a step

toward putting the world together.

Rabbi Mark Miller

Temple Bat Yahm

Newport Beach