What can the Mideast learn from the phenomenon of Obama?
Imagine a Jerusalem throughout which centers of learning and interfaith dialogue are built.
By Carlo Strenger Tags: Jerusalem Barack Obama Middle East peace Israel newsTons of ink have been spilled and terabytes of cyberspace have been filled with the question whether Obama's Nobel Peace Prize is justified.
The centrist consensus is that the Nobel Committee's decision is based not on Obama's achievement, but on his promise. In fact the Nobel Committee has stated that few politicians have evoked so much hope for a unifying function, and Obama has reacted accordingly when he said that he sees the prize as a call for action rather than a recognition of what he has done so far.
Indeed; Obama at this point represents hope more than achievement. But hope has been a very scarce commodity in the Middle East, so this might be a moment to think big; to wonder what we could learn from the phenomenon and symbol called Obama.
His election has been a symbol of hope for many in the world, who didn't think they would live to see an African-American elected president of the US. This election symbolized that we may be capable of overcoming the bigotry and cruelty of the past and to move towards a Universalist vision in which all humans are indeed equal. Many commentators have pointed out that his Nobel Prize primarily an endorsement of Obama's stated goal to work for dialogue and cooperation in world diplomacy and his Universalist Outlook.
What vision for Israel and the Middle East could be derived from what Obama symbolizes? What could be hope that we can believe in this conflict-ridden area? Thinking big has not been a hallmark of Israeli politics during the last decades. And yet it may be time to ask whether we can envisage a future for Israel that is other than being a beleaguered Sparta.
Thinking big is to tackle the problems that seem the most intractable: Jerusalem, which has existed for more than three thousand years, and has been conquered and re-conquered dozens of time. It has become the symbol of all three Abrahamic religions, with catastrophic consequences. Blood has been shed by all three religions in their attempts to prove that Jerusalem is theirs and theirs only.
Jerusalem is the epicenter of the clash of faiths; it is the symbol for the impossibility to mediate between the beliefs that there is one prophet that has the final word about God's final message. It is the node where all apocalyptic visions converge; where the great reckoning, God's final wrath will lead to the point where humanity will finally convert to the one, true belief.
So far, we can be pretty sure only of one thing: the apocalypse may well be on the way. Nobody knows whether Jewish extremists will set it in motion through blowing up the Al Aqsa Mosque, or Muslims will do so, for example through a rocket strike on Tel Aviv from Tehran. Christians are not waiting far behind: there are enough believers in the literal truth of the Apocalypse who are yearning for the Great War to break out in the Middle East.
Is there a way out of this? Can we move beyond the question whose sovereignty will be imposed on the holy places of the three Abrahamic religions?
There is one way to turn Jerusalem from Israel's poorest city, divided by strife into a symbol for the unity of humankind. It is to realize, as many religious thinkers have recently, that behind the various faiths - including secular humanism - there is one human reality; that, in the end, we all desire human flourishing, even though we may have different ideals of the good life. It is to realize that the various prophets are united by the Principle of Compassion which has been at the center of all religious visions, whether monotheistic or other. It means to realize that the three monotheistic religions are not the world?s center, and that their fight for a small piece of land must not define our horizon.
It means to see, as German philosopher Karl Jaspers did, that during the Axial age (roughly 800 to 400 BCE), humankind underwent a transformation in which high civilizations ranging from China to Athens, from India to Israel realized that there is a reality that goes beyond this or that faith. From the Buddha through the Prophet Isaiahto the Greek Philosophers, the first stirrings of a Universalist spirit emerged.
Eminent historian of religion Karen Armstrong is trying to turn this unity of purpose behind the various religions into a lived reality through the Charter for Compassion, an initiative that is about to unveil a vision common to all religions. Her vision is supported by a variety of religious leaders, including Nobel-Prize winners like the Dalai Lama and Bishop Desmond Tutu.
No city on earth would be more suitable to become the center of dialogue for the world's religions than Jerusalem, because no single city has concentrated so much religious meaning in its history.
Imagine a Jerusalem throughout which centers of learning and interfaith dialogue are built; imagine a city the world seeks out not to conquer and rule, but to dialogue, to think and pray together. Imagine a city that is no longer the symbol of dogmatism and religious strife, but the symbol of humanity?s striving for harmony. Imagine how the Jerusalem thrives culturally, spiritually and economically; flooded with scholars and religious leaders from around the world.
Of course this would mean that the holy basin must not be under anybody's sovereignty. Only a body like the UN should be allowed to function as humanity?s plenipotentiary for the world's spiritual center. The very notion of sovereignty is inconsistent with the idea that there can be a unifying vision of compassion for humanity. Thus none of the religions or nations currently involved in the conflict would have to feel that it has lost in the archaic competition for territorial rule, but that all have gained in the process of turning Jerusalem into a center of peace.
Of course all this sounds like unrealistic dreaming. Let us not forget: Obama's presidency is not uncontested. In the US racism keeps raising its ugly head, and there are powerful forces at work that try to delegitimize Obama, with claims ranging from that he is not American-born through those that he is a Muslim to those who accuse him of socialism.
I also have no illusions that the fundamentalists of the three Abrahamic religions will cease claiming a monopoly on religious truth and on Jerusalem's holy sites; and, as usual, Jewish Bigots will attack Universalist visions like the one presented here as a symptom of anti-Zionism or self-hating lack of Jewish self-consciousness.
But without dreams we are condemned to be but shadows. And to those who believe that Bar Kochba and Masada are the pinnacle of Jewish history, I say: in this land, 2700 years ago, Isaiah wrote the sentence: "They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore." It is up to us, which vision we endorse.
Previous blog entries by Carlo Strenger:
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Bravo, We all need more hope and an optimistic perspective. Not sure why people accuse anyone of being an socialist. Isn't the idea of sharing your wealth with those who are poor rather noble?
We get your point Daniel ,but to many suckers around the world believe in Obama and his leftist claptrap ,which only serves to embolden tyrants ,despots and dictators,who couldn,t care two hoots about good old fashioned democratic cenrtist values.
My boy friend agree on nearly nothing re international politics, but we do agree that Jerusalem should be an "open" city, free to all religions, just as Mr. Strenger advocates here. It would be ever so wonderfull: people coming from all over the world to pray together! A true coming of peace!!!
It is great to have a majlis or council or institute for the elite, but this won't change the minds of school age students or the general public who would have no access to this great ecumenical curriculum. What is needed is an ecumenical, world religions world civilizations curriculum in the public schools, and all governments, but especially governments in the Middle East need to make a commitment to such an education. It is fine to come to the West and talk tolerance and pluralism, or put such language up on websites, as many Middle East leaders and institutions due, and then turn around and spew out the same intolerance and xenophobia to their public to prove they are patriots and to deflect the resentment of their own increasingly impoverished populations. That is what has to change.
First, the UN 1947 partition plan didn't satisfied the Jews but they nevertheless accepted it. Like a saying of my childhood said: "It is better to have one bird in the hand than 10 in the tree". What was proposed by the UN fell short of what was officially promised, and legally alotted to the Jews by the "League of Nation". Remember the Arabs refused partition and launched a war against Israel. Please note there were no "Palestinians" in those times! Now all of a sudden they would want us to believe they would settle for a two state solution..not likely!
Mr Strenger's logic would lead us to the internationalization other holy cities as well; like Mecca & Medina! Surely then, the Saudi regime should back away from its territorial claims in light of the more than one billion Muslims around the world who revere and cherish these places. But why stop there? Aren't there also cultural sights and locations around the world that are more precious to humanity as a whole than to any one nation or government? The pyramids, the Great Wall of China, the Ganges river, etc?! I think that Mr. Strenger hasn't really given much thought to the obvious implications of the idea he is promoting. And while the Saudi government and the Chinese government both severely restrict access to these important places for political reasons, Israel does NOT. Oh yes, I'm sure you can cite the occasional curfew or security consideration that precludes a very few. But for the most part, all people from around the world can freely visit, pray and enjoy Jerusalem!
I like your suggestion. I am a Christian Jerusalemite who owns a 500+ years old house in the Old City, and whose family origins can only be traced to this particular place. They call us original Jerusalemites. The most disputed and shared Christian Church is the Holy Suplechure, and it is run under a status quo, with its keys rotating amongst Muslem Jerusalemite family since the times of Omar. Surprisingly, the church has been very well protected by the Muslem keepers. I suggest that the Temple Mount be shared by the Jews and Muslems in a similar fashion, and that my Christian family hold the keys. Adding this to either your suggestion or the UN Proposal if it works, would guarantee world peace for a long time to come.
thats right, people who oppose Obama are racist. Can you imagine anyone being against Obama. I mean isnt he the promised Messiah. If the Nobel people award him a prize for having not having accomplished anything who are we to complain. It doesnt matter than he won an award and yet Ronald Reagan who basically caused the Soviet Union to crumble and have Eastern Europe freed from Soviet control didnt. I mean, Reagan was a Republican so he was evil and a racist even though he freed what a 100 million people
The Jews positively loved the UN when it partitioned Palestine. Now that President Obama is seeking a two state solution, will the Jews find the United States inconvenient? Fair weather loyalties? Salaam/Shalom
Amen.
The UN needs to be either shut down or totally revamaped. It is not taken seriously by any serious thinker. Given the above, what is the writer suggesting? Mike
Carlo Strenger's (or is it Karen Armstrong's) is a good start at the right direction, but hardly big, or say visionary, enough. As a student of visionary Bucky Fuller I have dedicated over 20 years in figuring how to realize the universal visions of the Biblical Prophets, encluding the Global Instruction Facility of Isaiah and the Electronic Visionary Temple of Ezekiel. mentioning here just a couple of ideas: Forming a multifaith 12-ethnic-religious "Tribes" through "The New Jerusalem Peacemaking Games", and Realizing that the prophetic Temple is already here when complemented by a holographic Light Temple in the JErusalem skies. You will find many more ideas from the blog www.global-report.com/thehope and its links.
Your vision of Jerusalem is beautiful. The UN is the last institution that should or could be trusted with anything beyond its own corrupt and failed endeavors. It is a failed state on its own and would drag Jerusalem right down the hole it has created for itself. If anything Jeriusalem should be "ruled" by a committee of world religious representatives perhaps in a revolving fashion like the EU.
m. Desmond Tutu is his guiding star. Prize to Obama only encourages the Self-Proclaimed Saviours like Stenger.
For the first time since Mao, a major nation is being governed by a cult of personality rather than a government of the people. While BHO speechefies, the US is degenerating to a shell of a country almost like the UK. Unemployment is skyrocketing; US soldiers are dying in a war BHO and his staff have no knowledge of executing properly; he emboldens the enemy by claiming there is no such thing as terrorism; he remains silent while hundreds are murdered in Tehran; he remains silent as Turkey begins its genocide of the 21st century against the Kurds; he has promoted the philosophy that outside nations should have a full say in how US domestic policies are handled; he has subjugated himself to the Saudi Muslim king; AND he commands the most corrupt US administration in history. The list just keeps growing. I understand why Stenger - AKA Amira Hass AKA Abu Zhuri - hopes his phenomenon keeps growing.