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Saturday, June 9, 2012

Remembering Gandhi on October 2: ‘Terrorists are victims who create more victims', says Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, Islam and Spiritualism

Islam and Spiritualism
Remembering Gandhi on October 2: ‘Terrorists are victims who create more victims', says Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh
By Thich Nhat Hanh
2 Oct 2008, 0019 hrs IST,TNN

''As journalists, you must not water the wrong seeds. The stories should touch the seeds of hope. As journalists, you have the job of selectively watering the right seeds. You must attempt to tell the truth and yet not water the seeds of hate. It's not what's in the story, but how you tell it that's important.''

But how should the State deal with terror? Thay's answer: ''We should invite those who believe they are victims of discrimination and injustice to speak about it. We should initiate sessions of deep listening and invite deeply spiritual people, who don't have to be famous, to attend these. We must televise these sessions nationally. I am sure you will see a dramatic drop in the level of violence. A war on terror cannot succeed, because you cannot bomb perceptions. The only solution is dialogue.''

He cited the example of an experiment by his own group of monks at Plum village, south of France, in 2006. ''We asked people to write letters to terrorists and more than 40 letters came in. Some claimed, 'I am the terrorist because I am also violent and there is suffering in me as well'. We need to get together. When we address suspicion and anger as a collective, when we talk informally about suffering, then we can find answers. If we reduce the violence in us, and change, then we change others around us because then we are connected to them.''

http://newageislam.com/remembering-gandhi-on-october-2--%E2%80%98terrorists-are-victims-who-create-more-victims-,-says-zen-master-thich-nhat-hanh-/islam-and-spiritualism/d/834


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