And it stunned me. Because that’s never the way to peace, because by forcing somebody to your point of view, you're completely stifling them and will ultimately create rebellion, which is totally counterproductive. I just don't understand how they actually think that will create peace. So… My big question is, what do we do to get to that place where we can actually get together, get along together and be coherent together?
Cate – Speaking of coherence – you know, the e-mail conversation I had this morning with the gentleman who is an Hasidic Jew is a perfect example of what you’re talking about. Instead of reacting to his email – which was tremendously laudatory of What the BLEEP but which presented some … interesting views about God … instead of going to my default position of comparing my viewpoints with his viewpoints and then making him wrong, I chose consciously to connect with this person and ask, “Wow, what do you mean by that?”
But my first response was to go “Well, what do you know stuck in some religious dogma and this is what I think about that and blah, blah, blah.”
Betsy - That's the key. You asked, “What did you mean by that?” even though you probably had your own interpretation.
Cate -- Absolutely.
Betsy -- But then, when you asked him and he responded with what he meant, did you still feel the same way?
Cate - No. I saw him differently. I still didn't agree with his dogma and the way I perceived he could only express himself within the range of his religion’s rules - in my opinion. But hey, what makes my religious “rules” so great just because I use the word “spiritual”? But back to your question: yes, underlying our entire email conversation there was this really interesting engagement of what language is all about.
Betsy - You were able to exchange ideas?
Cate - Yes.
Betsy -- And you were able to expand him and he was able to expand you. And neither one of you was trying to convert the other. So you both could walk away from the experience feeling expanded.
Cate - I don't know whether he did on his part, but from his explanations I certainly garnered a larger view of my world and Judaism.
Betsy - Which is exactly what our goal should be. I think that for me, I need to shift my goals. I need to shift my goals. I got on this, “I want to change the world” thing. Next > 1 2 3 4 5
