Our differences simply do not matter

Category: Life & Society, Nature & Science Views: 8572
8572

Sometimes, sadly, it takes terrible tragedies, great losses or awful pain for us to stop in our often hectic lives and think about our place in the world and the way we are headed. We are so busy with our daily routines that we rarely stop to consider the gift of life and our great fortune.

The tsunami that hit Asia on Dec. 26 is one of those huge incidents that force us to consider what we can and must do; and the emphasis here is very definitely on that little but so very important word "we". 

We have a collective responsibility, and that sense of obligation should influence and guide us all. For too long we have been focused on the things that make us different and we have, regrettably, allowed them to divide us. On days such as Dec. 26, 2004, differences simply do not matter. 

Vaclav Havel said in his book The Art of the Impossible, "Only people with a sense of responsibility for the world and to the world are truly responsible to and for themselves." In effect then by helping others we help ourselves and this help is not based on any conditions -- we must help all of our fellow human beings. 

However, there are people who will still prefer to see our differences as divisive. They would prefer not to associate with or be responsible for people of different races, religions, ideologies or even nations. But this is nonsense. The destruction and death that came with the tsunami was not discriminatory. It swept away all regardless of human categorizations. 

Nature does not pick and choose who it will strike. Human life has no categorization before nature; natural disasters, famine, disease and poverty can strike us all. And yet we have the power to do so much to limit the damage done by nature. 

Much discussion in our modern world revolves around the concept of globalization and whether it is a force for good or evil. Like so much in human affairs it depends on what we humans make of it; how we choose to use it. 

Again the tragedy of Dec. 26 highlights this. The disaster happened and the global community came together to offer aid and assistance. Because of our globalized world the victims of nature will not be left alone to suffer the continuing vagaries and randomness of nature. Help comes to them from all around the world. 

Certainly there will be those who say that the global community could do more and could have done more before the disaster struck, but no small amount of hindsight would be at work in such thinking. 

Surely what can and should emerge from globalization is a dignified appreciation of our diverse world and strategies for how we may be able to serve and protect it. Globalization does not have to spread distrust and prejudice only, but can help to achieve trust and justice for all. 

We live in a world that is full of diversity -- from biological to philosophical we have a great gift of diversity that should be valued and kept safe. In our biological/physical world diversity is plainly there before us to see and appreciate. Most people would see the need to preserve biological diversity as it is priori needed. 

But human diversity is also needed in all its forms. Diverse thoughts, systems of belief and races are all highly valuable. They are all part of the miracle of humanity and any loss should and must be painful. 

Diversity is in a real sense God's gift to us. God created difference and as we encounter difference we effectively encounter God. God may be seen in the face of a stranger who we encounter and maybe help. 

The very soul and beating heart of humanity is instilled in the blessed differences we have. It is our differences that make us human beings and it is our ability to learn about and respond to these differences that can and should make us humane; allowing us to achieve a humane society and a humane global community. 

Each human life has an ultimate dignity regardless of the differences that may be encountered in the affairs of humanity. Globalization offers us both threats and opportunities, but the humane appreciation and appreciation of difference can lead globalization toward positive ends. 

Globalization can be the method via which we promote the cause of universal justice and human rights, and this includes the right to dignity in life even when disaster strikes. 

Sometimes we are united with the challenges of survival. Dec. 26 laid such a challenge before so many thousands of people of Indonesia and many other countries. But no matter what country people are in or from, they all (we all) deserve the right to dignity. 

The response to Dec. 26 shows us how we can come together. Perhaps it is tragic that such an awful event has to happen to bring us together but we can and must learn from it. 

The writer is a senior researcher at the Cunningham Research Center in Manchester, UK.


  Category: Life & Society, Nature & Science
Views: 8572
 
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Older Comments:
YAHYA BERGUM FROM USA said:
No, Ginger Ambrosio, the 'evil' in that part of the world was allowing one's community to forget, within some countries in barely more than a hundred years, what a tsunami does. Or simply being too close to its source to do much of anything about it, other than hopefully looking forward to meeting one's Lord. (Also where you referring to the Lord of the Worlds perhaps?)

So then might the sea have any potential whatsoever for, say, swallowing up the hapless folk in your part of the world perhaps? I should hope not. Because the sentence I pass might turn out to be on myself. No?
2006-01-25

DEINA FROM USA said:
This article presents a completely false view of Islam. Islamic "submission to Allah" offers the unbeliever three choices: to convert OR to accept dhimmitude OR to surrender his property, his wife and children and his head to the Muslim whose sword is at his throat demanding "submission" to Islam. You people must think the rest of the world are idiots. The most pathetic victim of Islam are the Muslims, especially Muslim women who must "please" the man (husband or master) with sex-always-on-demand - or accept beatings and even death (by stoning) thanks to his false accusations of "adultery" even if she has been viciously gang raped. offer wors
2006-01-24

GINGER AMBROSIO FROM AMERICA said:
I feel that blaming God, (El-Elyon) for this tragedy is not at all true. God has given man dominion over all the earth, the principalitites and powers that govern all the areas of the world rule over the earth insofar as they are given dominion over it by the people of the earth.
If a people is God-fearing and obedient to the One true God, then they will have greater safety than those who permit gambling, sex slavery, drugs, prejudices against other relegions, and injustices of many kinds.. God says that the earth will spew the ungodly out, or swallow them.

While this article touts "equality" and concern for the hurting, it is spoken by or for a people that does NOT practice what it preaches, but discriminates against everyone that is NOT MUSLIM. Christians, Jews, ANY faith other than one you belong to is according to your own teachings, is to be forced to submit to your faith or be killed.. Ihave read it in your own literature...

Trying to get around this fact by claiming that YOUR particular belief does not practice this only proves my point.. it is a fact that any faith other than the ONE TRUE God is out of Scriptural instruction. He who has the Son has life.
2005-12-15

CHARLES JACKS FROM USA said:
We can blame these tragedies on God if we wish for it is God that created the laws of physics. The key word here being "laws". But in doing so we ignore the very basic graciousness and mercy of them being laws. That we can come to understand them and work with them to develop our fields of knowledge generally called science and engineering -- the very things that make our lives possible at such levels of population density and agreeable shelter (warmth, safety, comfort). It is the loss of this shelter and other infrastructure that threatens the survival of those that lived through the initial release and dispersion of pent up energy that the earthquake and tsunami represent. The tsunami being the result of the momentum of displaced water, the displaced water being the result of the quick displacement of the earth's crust, the quick displacement being the result of the plates of the earths crust getting stuck instead of sliding past each other smoothly (if one would consider such titanic forces being dissipated by sliding "smooth" in any shape, form or fashion. If it were not for the shear mass of the crust in the areas (call them mountains if you wish even if they don't project above the surface) and their dampening (absorption of the vibrations caused by the stiction and crushing of rock) those areas would likely vibrate like a violin string). The characteristics of the crust material and the buildup of that material absorb the energy relatively effectively except for the cases in which the energy builds up beyond normal and is released in an earthquake of sensible (or catastrophic) proportions.
I am against the viewpoint of this article. See the viewpoint of the alternative.
2005-01-16

LIAKAT FROM SOUTH AFRICA said:
Very Good article. Excellent
2005-01-15

RALPH WITCHER JR. FROM USA said:
Globalization toward a positive end is good. Those of us that Love God pray to understand.
It is a shame that some people can give help with one hand and gun down people with the other hand.
We must pray to God to clean all hearts for the best of days to come. God is Great!!!!!!!
2005-01-15

KHAYSUDDIN ALI FROM USA said:
Brother Paul,
Asalaam Alaikum, I say Ameen to you Brother, for that is what we are, Brothers in humanity. Alhamdulilah!
2005-01-12

BILL FROM USA said:
Are the Jews and Christians "One" with Muslim?
2005-01-12

PAUL FROM UK said:
I've had the privilege of visiting and meeting the people of Sri Lanka, Sumatra, Ko Pi Pi & Phuket. Condolences and respect. My family and friends strive to make a difference in your time of need.


Taking time out I watched a documentary on BBC2 (Tribe 9:00pm GMT). The documentary was about a presenter who tried to live like and be, with the Suri people of Ethiopia. He experienced their amazing traditions and culture, however he concluded that the dominance of the gun is killing their ancient traditions and people.


I've seen many things but one of the most fundamental and intelligent statements I've heard was by the tribal elder who's parting fairwell was...


"We are One...

...We have two eyes, We have ten fingers, We have one stomach, We are One!"


Peace for All, for we are One.
2005-01-11