Clerics Seek Peace through Humor, Dialogue

(CBS)  As more details of an attempted Christmas terror attack emerge, it's clear that achieving peace on earth remains elusive. But three clerics of different faiths have teamed up to chase it, by provoking laughter and thought, as CBS News correspondent John Blackstone reports.

In a world where religion fuels both the drive for peace and the call to war, religious differences can be a chasm when the world needs is a bridge.

So meet three bridge builders - a pastor, a rabbi and an imam. They call themselves the interfaith amigos - pastor Don Mackenzie, rabbi Ted Falcon and imam Jamal Rahman - and they can seem like a comedy act.

"We are "Three Stooges" fans," Mackenzie said following a visual gag in which the three sat down before and audience and crossed their legs simultaneously. "We embody their famous saying that "I tried to think, but nothing happened.'"

"The soul opens with either tears or laughter," Falcon told Blackstone. "If we have a choice we'll choose laughter."

But their goal is serious: encouraging peace through understanding

"Our perceptions are so different, but as we talk more those differences they narrow more and more," Rahman said.

"Religion had been used because of it's authority as a cover for too much violence, too much hatred," added Mackenzie.

The violence and hatred of 9/11 planted the seeds for this friendship.

"When 9/11 happened, I immediately called Jamal and I said I want you to share in the Shabbat service with me that week," Falcon recalled. "It is crucial for people to see a different face of Islam."

The rabbi and the imam then invited the pastor to join them in public discussions of what divides us and what unites us.

"The tragedy of 9/11 offered us the moment to say, 'We've got to do something to try to prevent this sort of thing happening any more,'" Mackenzie said.

"Muslims must get to know Jews and Christians and really make the effort to connect with the other," said Rahman.

How does Rahman answer the doubts of some Americans that Islam is a peaceful religion?

"If we judge a religion by the behavior of some practitioners, every single religion would be in deep, deep trouble," Rahman said.

Together, the three clerics traveled to Israel - the holy land for all three religions and a place where peace has been particularly elusive.

"Any time you think you're all wrong - like Palestinians are all wrong, Israelis are all right - you'll never get to peace," Falcon said.

"You're a Jew, I'm a Muslim," Rahman said. "We both know this land belongs neither to Jews, nor to Muslims, nor to Christians; This land belongs to God."

Mackenzie recalled, "I said, 'Guys this is why we're doing this! How does it feel to be Ted? How does it feel to be Jamal?'"

In seeking peace they've seen the answer is to understand how it is to be the other.

Rahman added, "Not to change the other but to find a way at the heart to heart level to connect with the other."

"We live in a world at a time when the issues are so big, none of us - no country, no faith, no culture - can fix them alone," Falcon said.

They have written a book about their journey together, and they have become accustomed to having their friendship sound like the beginning of a joke.

But how about this one instead: A rabbi, a pastor and an imam walk on a road toward peace.

[ToolMangler1]

I asked GOD to take away
My habit.

GOD said, No.
It is not for me to take away,
But for you to give it up.

I asked GOD to make my handicapped child whole.

GOD said, No.
His spirit is whole, his body is only temporary.

I asked GOD to grant me patience.

GOD said, No.
Patience is a byproduct of tribulations;
It isn't granted, it is learned.

I asked GOD to give me happiness.

GOD said, No..
I give you blessings;
Happiness is up to you.

I asked GOD to spare me pain.

GOD said, No.
Suffering draws you apart from
Worldly cares and brings you closer to me.

I asked GOD to make my spirit grow.

GOD said, No.
You must grow on your own, but I will prune you to make you fruitful.

I asked GOD for all things
That I might enjoy life.

GOD said, No.
I will give you life,
So that you may enjoy all things.


(All of the above is what causes people to turn away from GOD. They keep asking for things that they want, then get angry and fail to notice that he said 'no'. Because they didn't get what 'they' want, they turn their backs on him and declare him, non-existant. They say "He never talks to me so that means he doesn't exist, he is a fable and religion is a joke." Mans biggest failure is that he almost never asks GOD what "HE" wants. Until man learns to 'truly talk to GOD' he never will hear the replys that have been given to him the whole time. But there were those that 'had' learned how and what to ask and to them all was freely given.)


I asked GOD to help me LOVE others, as much as He loves me

GOD said...
Ahhhh, Finally you have the idea.

[ToolMangler1]

I find it sad that we get more people posting "against" religion anytime Religious leaders even look like they might start getting along. The one person that has the most to gain if they fail is Satan (or what ever name you call him), he also has the most to lose if they succeed. Since Atheist are on his side (unknowingly), they make his job easier.

[gorgeousm]

A GLOBAL BAN ON TEACHING RELIGION, AND PARTICULARLY
THE TEACHING OF RELIGIOUS HATE, IS DESPERATELY NEEDED

To begin with, a ban on teaching of religious hate should become strictly-enforced, international law.

Concurrently, phasing out religious teaching to young, innocent children who continue to have religious beliefs imposed on them, must also be implemented through education - SECULAR EDUCATION. These child/victims need help of NOT BEING FORCED and brainwashed into believing what is still wrongfully being done to them.

Only a minuscule portion of what has to be done to eliminate religion - the scourge of mankind - is being mentioned herein.

We must all convey to our leaders and to our legislators, that with continuing religious conflict, which comes from the mindsets that religion and religious thinking create, our futures do not seem very bright!

[gorgeousm]

NOBODY EVER HAS PROVEN 'YES, THERE IS A GOD.' OR 'NO, THERE IS NO GOD.'

Those who continue to be blinded by the powerful grip that religion has on them - either out of fear, guilt, pressure, tradition, habit, or other, and by having no choice since being forced to believe since childhood - when a child's mind is most 'brainwashable' - fail to grasp the fact that:

Just about all of us who are attempting to eradicate delusional, divisive, dangerous, destructive, deadly and murderous religion, are really AGNOSTICS - NOT ATHEISTS!

A real atheist would have to actually prove WITHOUT ANY DOUBT, that there is no god. So in actual practice, claiming oneself as a true atheist is likely come with heavy burden (and perhaps with some close-mindedness and arrogance).

Agnosticism permits et al, free, rational, logical, practical, secular, open-minded thinking, study, research, etc, without such above-mentioned encumbrances, severely limiting and/or paralyzing our ability to think freely, fairly and justly. So existence of god is possible via agnostic beliefs.


TO FURTHER CONFUSE THE ISSUE:

Many fail to realize that it is not god, but religion and the religious, mentalities and ways of thinking, that is the root causes of human conflict, hate, destruction, death, etc. After all, such 'my god-brand name' of religion 'is better and superior to yours', attitude or belief, is self-evident. The resultant effects are not very difficult to arrive at.

CONCLUSION:
Religious fantasy is far more threatening to our entire existence than many of us are able to imagine.

The purported 'saving of our souls' and other variations of such religious purpose by one's 'god-brand named' religion is shear delusional fantasy.

The younger a religious movement, the more violent, more dogmatic, and easier it is to impose 'murder-and-die-for' mindset, on that religion's SUBJECT-VICTIMS, particularly on the young!

It is the mindset of members of the three Abrahamic religions along with the confluences of events for which they are responsible, that has ALREADY led to their being...

...AN EXISTENTIAL THREAT TO OUR(HUMAN) EXISTENCE!

Apocalyptic, end-of-the-world scenarios, are WILLFULLY being pushed by so-called devout religious Christians, Jews, and Moslems.
[See Iranian leaders Ahmadinejad's and the Ayatollas' delusional 'holy' visions of their 'religious, Islamic duty' to set the stage for the MAHDI'S, or the Moslem version of the Messiah's arrival...

...by precipitating a Nuclear Holocaust]

We must all face it, that it is religion and the mindset that religious thinking creates, that will lead this planet to total destruction, in the very near future!

[pete_in_az]

I myself look forward to roasting marshmallows with the nuclear heat flashes. Do you want S'mores?

[cleric60]

"The fool in his heart says there is no God" (Psalm 14:1) gorgeousm, keep saying it to yourself and you may really want to believe "there is no God". Read the novel "Lord of the Flies" and see what happens to a society without morals/commandments. The very existence of the world and the inner testimony of one's conscience reveals the natural knowledge of a Higher Power or a God. Universal tatoos reveals a natural knowledge of good and evil.

[lilbear925]

Atheism IS a religion! It's a religion of Satan!

[pete_in_az]

Yeah and conservatism is the political party of racism.

[sandy19731]

Yeah, and bald is a hair style.

[differnet]

Wow. I see the aethist are out in full force today. I guess with Christmas and Hanukkah just past they must be feeling very unnerved. Of course, since aethism is as much a belief system as any religion, their desire to impose their beliefs on everyone else is pretty much the height of hypocrisy. At least the pastor, rabbi and iman are not trying to convert anyone or bash each other's faith. I've recently had the opportunity to engage in a very respectful discussion of faith with a Muslim. It's been very enlightening to both of us. Neither of us wants to convert the other, but I've learned a great deal and I hope my friend feels the same. We can coexist respectfully and perhaps even change the world together. I'm especially excited about the interfaith efforst on global warming and feeding the poor around the globe. So much work to be done and together we can do more. Perhaps aetheist would be willing to join us in our work? But considering the remarks above, I doubt it. God bless you and keep you.

[robinspp]

Religion is the root cause of all evil. How many millions of people died because of the foolish believe? Religion is the one teaches hatred. Religion is worst than opium. In fact religion is sin.

[gorgeousm]

REPLACE RELIGIOUS FANTASY WITH SECULAR EDUCATION, SCIENCE, AND LOGIC

These perhaps well-meaning fools throw hope upon hope, so that one of their gods will show the other's god that she is more powerful, more punishing, and smarter, and deadlier, and harsher, and meaner and of course nicer, and smells better, etc.

What a load of crap continues to hinder human relations and resolving our historical conflicts, our misunderstandings, our prejudices...

...bringing us hate, wars, destruction and murder of millions.

Thanks to religion and the warped, delusional ways of thinking, that it causes minds to become diseased with fantasy of 'heavenly godly' status.

Religion poisons everything.

"Religion hardens hearts and enslaves minds."

[ffoulkes-2009]

Atheism hardens hearts and stupifies minds.

[ffoulkes-2009]

You can believe your Atheism (a religion of its own), I can believe my Christianity, My friend and co-worker can believe his Muslim beliefs, My neighbor can believe her Jewish beliefs, and we can all get along. When one tries to force the other to become of their own religion, trouble occurs...Atheists trying to force Christians to convert...Muslims trying to convert Atheists...Christians trying to convert Jews...You are as much a part of the problem as anyone.

[FauxNews]

They sound enlightened to me, making jokes about the World's biggest joke.

[mrjustice1]

Give them a kosher halal ham sandwich to eat;
convert them into agnostics;

and we won't tell anyone that all three of their misconceived religions were founded on myth, fabricated stories, delusional fantasy, and on some ancient men's highly subjective views.

Amen!

[ToolMangler1]

Spoken like a true redneck. If you don't think you are one, then you are one of few that read this that still think your not.

This is one of the best things I have seen Vis-à-vis cultural bonding. If we had more of this, we might not have had 9/11/01.