EIS Amnesty Club

The students and I have debated the consequences of racism and homophobia. It is an issue that adolescents have debated in the classroom and they said that racism and homophobia have not gone away!

Racism, homophobia, and other forms of discrimination are linked to a sense of superiority.

Three of the most valuable suggestions for overcoming discrimination which we gained from our healthy debates are going to help us to be better citizens of the world.

The first one is the importance to get a higher education. It will help us “reinforce an attitude of tolerance, open-mindedness, and respect for individual differences." Knowledge is the key word to overcome discrimination.

The second suggestion is to be active in learning about different cultures.

Thirdly, we have to question our self and detect our own weaknesses. Then “we take a personal step toward embracing diversity”.

I must admit that there are not easy answers to overcome discrimination. Human beings are very complex. However, we might attempt to educate people and develop spaces where we can share experiences. We have to “value diversity and learn how to thrive with it."

Work by Gibran Khalil Gibran

Work
You have been told also life is darkness, and in your weariness you echo what was said by the weary.

And I say that life is indeed darkness save when there is urge,

And all urge is blind save when there is knowledge,

And all knowledge is vain save when there is work,

And all work is empty save when there is love;

And when you work with love you bind yourself to yourself, and to one another, and to God.

And what is it to work with love?

It is to weave the cloth with threads drawn from your heart, even as if your beloved were to wear that cloth.

It is to build a house with affection, even as if your beloved were to dwell in that house.

It is to sow seeds with tenderness and reap the harvest with joy, even as if your beloved were to eat the fruit.

It is to charge all things you fashion with a breath of your own spirit,

And to know that all the blessed dead are standing about you and watching.

Often have I heard you say, as if speaking in sleep, "he who works in marble, and finds the shape of his own soul in the stone, is a nobler than he who ploughs the soil.

And he who seizes the rainbow to lay it on a cloth in the likeness of man, is more than he who makes the sandals for our feet."

But I say, not in sleep but in the over-wakefulness of noontide, that the wind speaks not more sweetly to the giant oaks than to the least of all the blades of grass;

And he alone is great who turns the voice of the wind into a song made sweeter by his own loving.

Work is love made visible.

And if you cannot work with love but only with distaste, it is better that you should leave your work and sit at the gate of the temple and take alms of those who work with joy.

For if you bake bread with indifference, you bake a bitter bread that feeds but half man's hunger.

And if you grudge the crushing of the grapes, your grudge distils a poison in the wine.

And if you sing though as angels, and love not the singing, you muffle man's ears to the voices of the day and the voices of the night.

Religion by Khalil Gibran

RELIGION
And an old priest said, "Speak to us of Religion."

And he said:

Have I spoken this day of aught else?

Is not religion all deeds and all reflection,

And that which is neither deed nor reflection, but a wonder and a surprise ever springing in the soul, even while the hands hew the stone or tend the loom?

Who can separate his faith from his actions, or his belief from his occupations?

Who can spread his hours before him, saying, "This for God and this for myself; This for my soul, and this other for my body?"

All your hours are wings that beat through space from self to self.

He who wears his morality but as his best garment were better naked.

The wind and the sun will tear no holes in his skin.

And he who defines his conduct by ethics imprisons his song-bird in a cage.

The freest song comes not through bars and wires.

And he to whom worshipping is a window, to open but also to shut, has not yet visited the house of his soul whose windows are from dawn to dawn.

Your daily life is your temple and your religion.

Whenever you enter into it take with you your all.

Take the plough and the forge and the mallet and the lute,

The things you have fashioned in necessity or for delight.

For in revery you cannot rise above your achievements nor fall lower than your failures.

And take with you all men:

For in adoration you cannot fly higher than their hopes nor humble yourself lower than their despair.

And if you would know God be not therefore a solver of riddles.

Rather look about you and you shall see Him playing with your children.

And look into space; you shall see Him walking in the cloud, outstretching His arms in the lightning and descending in rain.

You shall see Him smiling in flowers, then rising and waving His hands in trees.

Marriage by Gibran Khalil Gibran

MARRIAGE

Then Almitra spoke again and said, "And what of Marriage, master?"

And he answered saying:

You were born together, and together you shall be forevermore.

You shall be together when white wings of death scatter your days.

Aye, you shall be together even in the silent memory of God.

But let there be spaces in your togetherness,

And let the winds of the heavens dance between you.

Love one another but make not a bond of love:

Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.

Fill each other's cup but drink not from one cup.

Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf.

Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone,

Even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music.

Give your hearts, but not into each other's keeping.

For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts.

And stand together, yet not too near together:

For the pillars of the temple stand apart,

And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other's shadow.

The Prophet by Gibran Khalil Gibran

Children

And a woman who held a babe against her bosom said, "Speak to us of Children."

And he said:

Your children are not your children.

They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.

They come through you but not from you,

And though they are with you, yet they belong not to you.

You may give them your love but not your thoughts.

For they have their own thoughts.

You may house their bodies but not their souls,

For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.

You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.

For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.

You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.

The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far.

Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;

For even as he loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable.

By Gibran Khalil

Nizar Qabbani

JERUSALEM

I wept until my tears were dry
I prayed until the candles flickered
I knelt until the floor creaked
I asked about Mohammed and Christ
Oh Jerusalem, the fragrance of prophets
The shortest path between earth and sky
Oh Jerusalem, the citadel of laws
A beautiful child with fingers charred
and downcast eyes
You are the shady oasis passed by the Prophet
Your streets are melancholy
Your minarets are mourning
You, the young maiden dressed in black
Who rings the bells in the Nativity
On Saturday morning?
Who brings toys for the children
On Christmas eve?
Oh Jerusalem, the city of sorrow
A big tear wandering in the eye
Who will halt the aggression
On you, the pearl of religions?
Who will wash your bloody walls?
Who will safeguard the Bible?
Who will rescue the Quran?
Who will save Christ?
Who will save man?
Oh Jerusalem my town
Oh Jerusalem my love
Tomorrow the lemon trees will blossom
And the olive trees will rejoice
Your eyes will dance
The migrant pigeons will return
To your sacred roofs
And your children will play again
And fathers and sons will meet
On your rosy hills
My town
The town of peace and olives.

Nizar Qabbani
(1923 - 1998 / Damascus / Syria)

Daniel Popp découvre le desert...

Il raconte: "Pendant un mois et demi, dans l'oasis du Touat, je découvris l'hospitalite saharienne ainsi que le gout à jamais rassasié de gravir les dunes.

Mais c'était la vie nomade qui m'attirait. J'avais l'impression que ces gens possédaient encore par atavisme les clefs des immensités qui nous entouraient.

L'aventure et la fin du goudron commencent a Adrar: 1 450 kilomètres de piste jusqu'a Gao au Mali, sur le fleuve Niger, dont les 780 kilomètres de vide integral du Tanezrouft.

Marcher dans le desert n'est pas un but en soi. Juste le moyen le plus naturel, le plus simple de laisser le desert prendre corps sous nos pas pour y prendre racine.

Ce n'est plus uniquement d'air, d'eau et d'aliments dont vos cellules se nourissent, c'est de lumiere et d'immensite.

Je nage comme si je nageais au fond de mes origines, au fond d'un long boyau formant des arabesques.

Dans la pureté cristalline de la lumiere du soir, quand, sur l'horizon, le dome de l'astre géant s'abime au ralenti dans des nappes de brume d'ocre et de sang, j'aime passionnément marcher à grandes enjambées... ces instants de vie simple me comblent. Air, lumiere, vent, espace, silence... bien mieux que la metapysique et le psychologie...

"from learning will find perfection"

ON THE EXCELLENCE OF LEARNING

Sons of Adam from learning will find perfection—
Not from dignity, and rank, and wealth, and property.
Like a taper one must melt in pursuit of learning,
Since without learning one cannot know God.
A man of wisdom is a student of learning,
For the market of wisdom is always brisk.
Whoever is fortunate as regards Eternity,
Maketh choice of the pursuit of knowledge.
This pursuit of knowledge is a duty on thy part,
Even if it be necessary to traverse the earth.
Go, seize fast hold of the skirt of knowledge,
For learning will convey thee to everlasting abodes.
Seek nought but knowledge if thou art wise,
For it is neglectful to remain without wisdom.
From learning there will come to thee perfection as regards religion and the world,
For thine affairs will be settled by knowledge.

Sadi's Scroll of Wisdom

Sadi encourages teachers to be intellectual coaches who can engage students in the Socratic dialogue. He believes that a teacher must be a model of intellectual and rational powers. He or she must be capable of logical analyses, be comfortable with the scientific method, be well versed in the classics, possess a good memory, and be capable of the highest form of mental reasoning.

Teachers should motivate students to explore the assumptions under which people seem to have been operating when constructing their messages.

Assumptions are ideas that are taken for granted and assumed that others share the same assumptions; they are usually implied, rather than expressed.

Unwarranted assumptions prevent thinking about useful questions and exploring the consequences that flow from assumptions.

Assumptions are made when there is doubt, when it cannot be said with certainty that a fact is correct.

NORTE-SUR : UN FUTURO COMUN?

SE EQUIVOCO LA PALOMA

Se equivoco la paloma.
Se equivocaba.

Por ir al norte, fue al sur.
Creyo que el trigo era agua.
Se equivocaba.

Creyo que el mar era el cielo;
que la noche, la manana.
Se equivocaba.

Que las estrellas, rocio;
que la calor, la nevada.
Se equivocaba.

Que tu falda era tu blusa;
Que tu corazon, su casa.
Se equivocaba.

(Ella se durmio la orilla.
Tu, en la cumbre de una rama.)

by RAFAEL ALBERTI

AS REGARDS AVOIDING THE SOCIETY OF THE IGNORANT

O soul! if thou art wise and intelligent,
Make not choice of the society of the ignorant.
Dart from the ignorant, as it were an arrow;
Mix not with them, as it were sugar and milk.
If thou hast a dragon for a friend in the cave,
It is better than to have an ignorant associate.
If the enemy of thy soul be intelligent,
It is better than an ignorant friend.
From the ignorant proceed nought but bad deeds,
And no one hath heard therefrom but base words.
No one in the world is so despicable as the ignorant,
For nothing is more worthless than ignorance.
The end of the ignorant will be the abode of the lost,
For the ignorant seldom end life well.
It is best that the ignorant should be abased,
For it is fitting that the ignorant should find disgrace.
It is well to shun the ignorant,
For from them will arise disgrace in this world and the next.

Sadi's Scroll of Wisdom

Maman, you studied World Religions, right?

"Yes, why are you asking me this question?
"Well," answered Luqman, can you tell more about Abrahamic Religions and Hinduism? I have to compare them and I need help...(His school play was about India and he indeed asked a LOT of questions)

The similarities between the Abrahamic Religions and Hinduism

Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are collectively called Abrahamic religions because “they trace their sacred texts and basic monotheistic theology to Abraham and his descendants." Abraham is considered the patriarch of the ancient Hebrew families and, through his descendants, patriarch of the followers of Christianity and Islam.

Judaism, Christianity, and Islam believe in one single God who created the world ex nihilo; out of nothing. God created all the living things, the angels, and all the things in the world. In the same manner, Hinduism believes in one supreme God who made all the living things and things.

The Abrahamic religions believe that human’s salvation can only be obtained through a strict obedience to God’s rules that he sent on earth through prophets or the messiah. Also for Hinduism, salvation is not possible if humans do not obey God commitments through the help of a spiritual teacher (guru).

Judaism, Christianity, and Islam who are also called Western religions have their religions based on a moral and ethical conduct. A strict obedience to these golden rules will keep humans close to God. Similarly, Hinduism asserts that humans who have a good dharma will be close to God. In order to have a good dharma, Hindis must have a moral and spiritual life and to observe religious obligations.

On the nature of reality, the Abrahamic religions believe that the soul is immortal. Likewise, Hinduism believes that the soul is immortal and it will be reunited with God.The Abrahamic tradition teaches that humans must be prepared spiritually for the after death and they should not be attached to the material world. Also Hinduism believes that humans should not be attached to the material world and should free their atman through a spiritual life.

The dissimilarities between the Abrahamic religions and Hinduism

First of all, Abrahamic religions assert that God created the world and he will decide of the end of it. But Hinduism believes in an endless cycles of death and rebirth.

Secondly, Abrahamic religions believe that there is only one God and one true religion. All the souls who follow the one true God will live in Heaven and all the souls who do not abide to God will suffer eternally in Hell. It is an “exclusive and dogmatic” view.

However, Hinduism believes in an impersonal God, a “supreme cosmic spirit” who is worshipped in many forms represented by individual deities such as Vishnu, Shiva or Shakti. Hindus think that all the religions lead to God. They are considered” universal and tolerant”.

Whereas Abrahamic religions base their beliefs on a unique and unchanged sacred book which worshippers believe is the word of God, Hinduism is based on “the accumulation treasury of spiritual laws discovered by different persons in different time”. Abrahamic scriptural canon is closed in contrast with Hindu scriptural canon which may continue to be expressed in new ways in the future.

Hinduism did not have prophets who had preached the future or brought the warning of God like in the Abrahamic religions. Instead they have sages (rishis) who provide moral and spiritual guidance.

Hinduism believes that all religious faiths are equally true and humans are free to choose the way of worship that suit them. On the contrary, Abrahamic religions believe that there is only one path that leads to God and that humans must believe in one true religion. If the soul does not believe in one true religion it will burn in Hell for ever. Though Hinduism believes that all path lead finally to God and he will guide all the souls back to Him.

According to Abrahamic religions the cause of humans problem is when they disobey to God’s will. On the contrary, Hinduism believes that human’s plight is when they are ignorant of the spiritual life that they should live. They should follow the guru who will lead them on the right path in order to fulfill the moksha, the freedom from reincarnation.

Hinduism does not believe in the Abrahamic tradition’s view of Hell. The three religions believe in Hell as a physical place where sinners will burn for ever and they will never encounter God. Nevertheless, Hinduism believes in karma which is the idea that human’s actions in one life have a direct effect in the next life and that salvation happens when humans attain freedom from reincarnation. Moksha means humans are finally liberated from the cycle of death and rebirth.

Finally, Abrahamic religions believe that religion is linear and as God created everything he will end everything one day. But Hinduism has a cyclical view of religion. Humans are in a constant cyclic motion, birth, death and rebirth and the moksha or liberation is the only salvation. The soul travels from body to body in contrast with Abrahamic religions which believe in eternal hell or eternal heaven.

How logical fallacies are used in everyday life!!!!

Critical thinkers should evaluate all the arguments that they meet in their reading or writing. By not differentiating between “effective and ineffective reasoning," we will end up using logical fallacies.

A “fallacy” is a mistake and a “logical fallacy” is an error in reasoning. Fallacious thinking will keep us away from having an open-mind and to look for the truth.

First of all, humans have a tendency to generalize all the time. When we draw a conclusion based on “insufficient or unrepresentative evidence," we are committing a hasty generalization. In our reading, writing or daily life, we should not draw conclusions from sparse evidence. For example, we eat in a restaurant and the food which has been served was not good. Then, we will think that the food will always be like that. So we will stop going to that restaurant again. We have drawn a bad conclusion about this restaurant from going to it only once.

If we have a fixed general image about a group of people, we are stereotyping them. A stereotype is a hasty generalization about a group. We forge an opinion about something and our mind will refuse to notice other evidences which could change it. If one politician has failed to follow his or her campaign program, we will assume that “Politicians are corrupt”.

People often perform hasty generalization because of bias or prejudice. For instance, someone who is a sexist might assume that “Women are bad bosses”. During P.E in school, we can hear boys saying that they are better at sports than girls.!!

Making assumptions is another way of falling into logical fallacies. An assumption is a “claim that is taken to be true" and people will make them without looking at all the necessary proofs. We make assumptions without thinking about them or making them explicit.

When a writer is making a statement that does not follow the logical steps and it does not relate to what comes before, he or she is guilty of a non sequitur. It is a Latin word for “it doesn’t follow”. For example, “Mary loves good food; therefore, she will be an excellent chef.” We know that people who love good food are not automatically good cook. Few people will find this claim logical.

Post Hoc argument happens when “a person assumes that because one thing followed another thing the first item caused the second item.” For example, I have friend who would never come and eat at my house if I tell her that we are thirteen people. She is convinced that something bad will happen to a member of her family if this odd number is represented at a dinner table. Therefore, in order to avoid making assumptions, we need to take the time to gather all the necessary truths before we assume something. We need to make sure that we have looked at all the necessary proofs.

Drawing analogies can make us fall into false analogies. An analogy is a comparison or a similarity between two things that are otherwise different. A false analogy has a weak logic.

Logical fallacies are easily found in our everyday life. We can find them in news paper, in advertisements, listening to people and many other sources. But in order to avoid them we need to read and think critically. If we do not detect these errors of reasoning, we will not be able to write and think in an honest way.

The best shield against fallacious reasoning which try to twist our vision of the truth is to ask ourselves questions.

Similarities and Dissimilarities

Judaism and Zoroastrianism

Similarities

• For Zoroastrian God created Human in his own spiritual image
• For Jews Humanity is made in G-D’s image
• One God the Unique the Supreme the creator of all things
• Monotheistic religions
• Gathas is the Zoroastrianism’s sacred book and Torah is the Jews’ sacred book
• Strict Obedience to the Gathas and Torah
• Humans are not born sinful
• Same Demonology universe
• God created both Good and Evil
• Satan idea present in both religion
• Messiah for Jews is the Saoshyant for Zoroastrianism
• Both believe in resurrection judgment of the soul heaven and hell
• Both believe in angels and demons
• Both believe in heavenly book where all the humans actions are inscribed
• Both Zoroastrianism and Judaism are eschatological religions
• Zarathustra and Moses are both prophets
• World created ex nihilo by God
• The concept of time is linear
• Six days of creation

· No ascetic aspect for both

· Both worship consists mainly of prayers offered to God

· Zoroastrianism and Judaism separated themselves from the others Zoroastrian will not married a person from another religion

Jews called the non-Jews “gentiles”

· Both has the concept of “Limited Time”

· Evil will be eradicated at the end of time

· Purifications rituals are identical in the Pentateuch and the older Vendidad

Dissimilarities

· Zoroastrianism identifies six archangels

· Judaism mentioned two: Gabriel and Michael

· Zoroastrian are not a chosen people like the Jews are in the Bible

· Covenant is the basis for Judaism history

· Jews do not work on Sabbath Day but the Zoroastrian work

· Jews are Kosher but the Zoroastrian are not

· Zoroastrian do not bury the dead on earth but the Jews do

· Zoroastrian must have the sacred fire on their Temple but Jews do not

· Zoroastrian believe that earth, fire, water, and air are sacred

· Jews do not think so

· Jews prays three times a day and Zoroastrians pray five times a day

My son asked me one day...

"Zoroastrianism? Mum, have you heard about this name before?" my son asked perplexly.
So, I have decided to write a framework about Zoroastrianism to help him gain more knowledge of the basics beliefs of this religion.

What does it mean to be human?

The main belief of Zoroastrianism is in a single God called Ahura Mazda or Ohrmazd. God created human beings in his own spiritual image. God is good, holy, supreme, and the creator of all things. God is the initiator of Justice, Kindness and Truthfulness. Ahura Mazda is the greater and the only one who receives worship. Ahura means “Lord” and Mazda means “wise”, the “Wise Lord”. According to Zoroaster the prophet, God is transcendent but he is always close to human beings. God has seven archangels and through them God reaches the world. Humans should have good reflection, good word, and good deeds.

What is the Basic Human Problem?

Humans are born in a pure, sinless state. The world is based on cause and effects. Humans are involved in a struggle between the good God, Ahura Mazda and the Evil of Angra Mainyu. Humans are free to choose between the right and the wrong. Everybody has the freedom to choose the right way using her/his wisdom and reflection. The human being has the free choice to make moral judgments. The Avesta is the holy canon of scriptures and the Gathas are the core text of the faith.

What is the cause of the problem

Humanity is out of communion with God if it does not follow the Threefold path. The Threefold path is the center of the faith. Thinking good thoughts, make someone say good words and that ends up to good deeds. Failing to meet the virtues that include justice, self-reliance, compassion, charity, service and civic virtue ( Masani, 77:88), the Human become impure. After the death , humans souls are judged. The observance of the Vendidad’s Laws is an essential pillar of the Zarathustri religion. If you break the Law, you are immoral.

What is the End or Goal of transformation?

Human beings have free will to follow the good path or the evil path. It is their responsibility to fight for the good and avoid the evil. Humans who try to self-purify themselves are the righteous. Man is responsible of his own salvation. True actions will help a person to be in communion with God forever.

What are the Means of this Transformation?

Humans who die with true and pure actions at their credits are sinless and can enter paradise. Ahura Mazda has provided Human with a good mind in order to follow His right path. Humans have to speak the truth and be honest. A person must pray five times every twenty four hours in the presence of the sacred fire.

What is the nature of Reality?

God has created the world ex nihilo but from His own existence. God created human beings in his own spiritual image. God is the Supreme Being who is free being worshipped and obeyed. The concept of the time is linear as opposed to the cyclical concept of ancient times.

What is the Sacred and How May the sacred be Known?

Ahura Mazda is the only True God and he chose a prophet, Zarathustra to spread his words. Paying respect to water and to fire is a way to give praise and glory to Ahura mazda. Fire, water, earth and air are sacred and humans who pollute will be subject to terrible punishments.