tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1725411122663433189.post4757662086528882273..comments2024-01-04T19:27:02.335-08:00Comments on Zenpolitics: Liberal condemning of Charlie Hebdo killings offers little civilising solaceJohn Hilleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10072819649049077782noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1725411122663433189.post-2112568679333210342015-01-10T02:02:54.746-08:002015-01-10T02:02:54.746-08:00Interesting that the three (established, official)...Interesting that the three (established, official) mono-theistic religions all ignore the concept of repeated earth-lives. Could it not be that to be 'civilised' in the 21st century means to have embraced ALL religions, civilisations, ethnicities, world-views and nationalities in former incarnations?? And isn't it that what makes us human, in terms of enlightened? There is still an East-West divide, in that the notion of re-incarnation and KARMA is ingrained in the psyche of the east, whilst in the west 'we' are imprisoned in a materialism that seems to deny anything sacred or (w)holy. Isn't it time that the 'fathers' (in the main male) of these monotheistic 'religions' (Islam, Christianity, Judaism) become irrelevant in order to 'allow' for a true spiritual life to emerge?? What we experience as the pressure-cooker of present day politics is having its lid blown off in front of our eyes ... it was Joseph Beuys, a co-founder of the German Green Party, who wanted the theme of repeated earth-lives to be part of the first Green manifesto ... may-be it is time for zen-politics ... that together with the concept of UBUNTU (I-am-because-you-are) will turn our social order in terms selfish capitalism upside-down ..Tandohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04291923571726955810noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1725411122663433189.post-27128954643855390662015-01-09T08:26:34.316-08:002015-01-09T08:26:34.316-08:00Thanks, radcliffe. The essential point regarding s...Thanks, radcliffe. The essential point regarding selective application of language is how journalists can so eagerly invoke Voltarian idealism and 'defence of civilisation' prose when it's an attack on 'us', but never when it's instigated by 'our' leaders against 'them'. The atrocities against Gaza were variously covered, but could you remotely imagine all these same journalists similarly pronouncing 'I am Gaza'? John Hilleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10072819649049077782noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1725411122663433189.post-24522722769742619952015-01-09T05:05:13.834-08:002015-01-09T05:05:13.834-08:00John, thanks for this thoughtful piece amongst the...John, thanks for this thoughtful piece amongst the <br />blizzard of opinions from all angles. I think the points <br />about the actions of Israel in Gaza and NATO et al in their so called interventions are well made but will not be well received. One could argue that a message of "welcome to their world" would be crass but seen from the oppressed side of the conflict it looks different. The language being used could well have been applied to atrocities in Gaza but it seemed particularly restrained when in reality both events are atrocities. This is a complex issue that needs careful thoughts for the future and your piece starts that debate.radcliffehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00355376284998348529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1725411122663433189.post-86714514954416958762015-01-09T03:33:44.923-08:002015-01-09T03:33:44.923-08:00Thanks, Anon. Precisely. So many liberal journalis...Thanks, Anon. Precisely. So many liberal journalists are roused by this kind of event, yet dutifully docile when it comes to the staggering crimes of 'our' political leaders.John Hilleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10072819649049077782noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1725411122663433189.post-61489553231772610172015-01-08T23:36:57.467-08:002015-01-08T23:36:57.467-08:00Thanks John for your thouhghtful comments.If only ...Thanks John for your thouhghtful comments.If only these very sad events could awaken the liberal journalists to the chaos the west has created in the Middle East.Some years ago I saw a film by Michael Haneke called Cache about the guilt ridden psyche of the French intelligentsia and the memory of their suppression of the Algerians.While the right to free speech must be respected,care and empathy for the subaltern and the humiliated is as important.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1725411122663433189.post-78768010046357936722015-01-08T16:06:50.523-08:002015-01-08T16:06:50.523-08:00Thanks, Anon. A neat point about the wilful bombin...Thanks, Anon. A neat point about the wilful bombing of that Serbian TV station. Conveniently, 'our' killing of 'other' journalists doing their job doesn't seem to count as barbarism. John Hilleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10072819649049077782noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1725411122663433189.post-37057851733709332362015-01-08T12:33:20.786-08:002015-01-08T12:33:20.786-08:00Good post John. This incident brings to mind a phr...Good post John. This incident brings to mind a phrase that went like this.. 'I've seen the enemy, and they are just like us!' Freedom of speech, a term much used by western politicians, also allows for the bombing of Serbian TV stations, doesn't it?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1725411122663433189.post-84316743290772103612015-01-08T10:17:52.169-08:002015-01-08T10:17:52.169-08:00Thanks. Yes, I'm well aware of Snow's outp...Thanks. Yes, I'm well aware of Snow's output on Gaza - see here http://johnhilley.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/jon-snow-on-gaza-worthy-compassion-but.html<br /><br />But the question is whether he would ever use language like a 'landmark moment in the affairs of man' to denounce Israel's, or any other Western state's, crimes. John Hilleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10072819649049077782noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1725411122663433189.post-44503453474401215622015-01-08T09:05:28.214-08:002015-01-08T09:05:28.214-08:00Correction: Jon Snow has strongly attacked Israel ...Correction: Jon Snow has strongly attacked Israel over Gaza attacks at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_-76H-YRjsAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10780250587543876318noreply@blogger.com