As I watch the news over the past couple of days regarding the terrorist attacks in Paris, I continually keep thinking that if everyone embraced Buddhism this would not have happened.
Buddhism teaches the basic value of every living person and being. Buddhism teaches that if we make good causes we get good effects. Buddhism teaches that we are connected to the forces in nature and that we can positively experience that energy. If everyone accepted the fact that they were responsible for creating their own happiness and could impact the world for the better, this type of horror would not have happened. Unfortunately, I know that is not true.
People who have committed these crimes must have done so because they think they are on the side of right. Isn't that what drives most of us? I think everyone acts on beliefs that they hold as true and just. I am NOT advocating these beliefs or people. I do not understand how anyone can honestly think that taking lives or having such a singular view of anything is justified. I cannot comprehend how someone has allegiance to something that can hurt someone else. ..........what I really am wondering and asking is how do we find ways to influence these beliefs at the core rather than react to them as manifested?
How can a religion be a positive influence across the world and not a polarizing aspect? I think of how at one time as a young girl I was taught that anyone who was not Catholic would not go to heaven. I remember being taught that if you were not baptized a person's soul would end up in hell. I have witnessed someone telling someone Jewish that they needed to convert in order to be 'saved'. I walked away from a theater discussion recently where they were talking about "them" as Islam was discussed and someone in the audience made everyone into a generalized group of misguided individuals.
These biases or limited truths are prevalent throughout our world. I have them, you have them, they exist. As a Buddhist I work to understand and overcome them. As a Buddhist I am open to dialogue where we put our misunderstandings on the table and most importantly look at our sameness that connects us.
Past, present and future needs to come together and we need to understand how to honor and celebrate our oneness. We need solidarity and shared purpose of having world peace.
Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me..........we must chant for heartfelt change of core beliefs that divide us and pray for recognition and acceptance of core beliefs that join us.
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