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Thursday, April 08, 2010
There's hope for peace through faith
Malaseng Jehteh believes he has the answer not only for the restoration of peace in the deep South.The village head of Ban Laweng in Tambon Donsai, Pattani province, is also confident that his approach to governing is applicable nationwide.And if national leaders pay attention, he believes it would also alleviate the deepening political divisions in the country.
A devout Muslim, Malaseng has made it a routine to hold meetings with the imam, kamnan and the chief of the Tambon Administration Organisation at the mosque, to discuss community projects and budgets in order to allow public input and monitoring.
"Normally, secular community leaders go their own separate ways due to bitterness caused by fierce elections.
"They're possessive of their budgets.The role of imams are overlooked. And the villagers' needs are dismissed after the elections," he says.
After only two years of experiment,old unity has resurfaced. The budgets have been used to respond to real community needs more effectively. Corruption is out, thanks to community monitoring. And although the village still faces many problems, from drug addiction to southern violence, there is growing confidence that the solutions are at hand if people put their heads together.
Some may call this community council a form of grassroots democracy. But for Malaseng, it is a return to one's moral responsibility. A return to faith.
"In Islam, moral responsibility weighs more heavily on the more fortunate to help the disadvantaged," he explains.Fulfilling this duty is the merit we will bring with us to our next life. Failing it carries a great sin we must answer for.
"If community or national leaders think about their work as the channel to fulfil their moral duties, not just a tool to accumulate power and wealth, they will cooperate with one another to serve the weak better.
"If each and everybody feels it is his/her duty to help the less fortunate, whatever problems we are facing - locally and nationally - will surely ease," he adds.
He is not alone. Malaseng is part of the Faith Community network covering 170 villages in the restive South. And the number is growing.
"The disunity between secular leaders or their gap with religious leaders aren't exclusive to the Muslim-dominated South," says Malaseng."It is a nationwide problem. This can be solved if community leaders see it as a sin not to work together or not to listen to locals' voices."
For Paisal Dalan, the driving force behind this Faith Community network,the political chaos in the deep South and in national politics stems from the same cause.
"Our crisis is a moral crisis," says Paisal.
The remedy, he says, is for everyone - particularly leaders at all levels - to have a serious conversation with oneself about why one is born, the transience of life, and life's ultimate purpose.
"For Muslims, this life is temporary,and we must fulfil our moral responsibility in our different roles to prepare for our Eternal Life in the hereafter."
The local communities have become vulnerable to negative influences and greed because people mostly stop at religious rituals and fail to translate their faith into acts of generosity in every aspect of daily life, he notes.
Seeing it as his moral duty to make Muslim community leaders see their work in a different light, Paisal's mission is to convince them to view their working together to ensure transparent decisionmaking as a religious act of giving because it fosters unity, a better livelihood and peace.
It strikes a chord with many villages,including Ban Laweng.
Though surrounded by "red" villages, Ban Laweng has never seen any violent incidents through social control."People are our eyes and ears when their voices make a difference," says Malaseng.
This shows that peace is possible if power and politics are seen as a tool to help the weak, not for personal wealth.But this notion is still far-fetched to many leaders, locally and nationally,says Malaseng.
"It's because they've left the core values in their respective religions.They've lost their faith."
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Truth is truth, and it sometimes hurts, but it will surely set you free.
Thank you,
Nutthavut Bhakdibutr
Yes, faith, but faith in what? Having faith in Islam means to submit oneself to the will of Allah, according to Prophet Mohammed's writing in the Kor'an.
With so many Muslim people crossing over into Christianity, the content of the Kor'an is no longer a secret.
Here is just one of many deadly examples, "Fight and slay the pagans (or infidels or unbelievers) wherever you find them." (Sura 9:5)
So, is that what's happening in our Deep South right now, with thousands of senseless killings of innocent people?
I'm surprised that you didn't bother to talk to a Christian pastor to find out what faith really means in Christianity.
date : 11/04/2010 time : 04:19Christians have their faith, Jews have their faith and Muslims have theirs but the net result is that they are always, as they have been for thousands of years, at war with each other.
All three religions stem from Abraham but they all support different gods.
There is one thing we all share and that is this planet, the environment upon which we rely for existance. I would say to those who believe in the creation that their god is therefore manifested in this planet and all that exists on it. Violence against others is therefore a crime against their god. It is rather believing that Van Goch was the greatest artsit and then thrusting a knife in his paintings.
The answer is not faith in a belief as there are many and the result will be divisive as it has proved. The common ground we do have is our environment and the sanctity of life itself.
Reality cannot be denied by burying our heads in the sand of fantasy.
Let us all pull together in the interests of all on this planet.
Christianity is supposed to be the fulfillment and the end of Judaism, while Islam is like the New Testament of the Muslims.
So why were there drastic differences between Christianity and Islam?
Both Judaism, Islam, and even Buddhism share one commonality, that all require "Work" based on a "Law."
However, without "God" in Buddhism, there is no "Law Giver," and each Buddhist is free to practice one's belief the way one see fit.
Christianity is the most unique of all that it doesn't require "work" based on a "Law" at all, but a belief in a single Person of Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ. It is described as a personal relationship with God, through His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus said "If you love me, then keep my (2)commandments."
So, if one doesn't believe Jesus exists and is Who He said He is in the Bible, one will not be able to keep His Commandments at all. So, it depends exclusively on whether one believes Who Jesus is: a) Liar, b) Loony, or c) Lord. Christians are those who chose the last choice.
Buddhism is uniquely at its best when applied as a philosophy rather than a religion. Buddism is also described as the second half of the Ten Commandments.
Every human being, by his/her own nature, always believes in something, but the problem is whether that "something" is the "truth," or "lies."
Can all things be the "truth?" If yes, what are lies, right?
Apostle Paul described "Faith" in Hebrews 11:1 as, "...substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."
By the way I was born & raised as a Buddhist, but now a born-agin Christian. And yes, I've seen plenty of "evidence," only by the grace of God.
As Jesus said it Himself, "You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:32)
But free from what? That's for you, along with everybody here, to answer it for yourself.
date : 12/04/2010 time : 07:16It is not.
A religion is the belief in a divine being, a god.
Buddhism is not open to interpretation as it relates to reality. It starts with Vipassana that is self-awareness and and general awareness. It is essentially about knowing and understanding oneself and being at peace with what one knows. So in that way it is about the individual, yes, but a Buddhist mind must relate to reality, how things really are. It is about reality not fantasy.
Buddhism originated from Hinduism, an ancient religion of the Indian Subcontinent. Siddhartra Gautama, the Buddha, was a Hindu prince, who left everything behind in search of a way to unlock the mystery of life, of why people were born, grew old, became sicked, and finally died.
What he believed he had uncovered, formed a foundation of Buddhism.
Buddhism is all about escaping from the general Hindu belief of Karma and reincarnation, by achieving a stage of enlightenment or "Nirvana" (to know all & see all) and "Parinirvana" (more of the same at death). It's like falling to an everlasting sleep without dreaming. By the way, there is neither hevean nor hell in Buddhism, at least that how Buddha originally found it.
Although, Hinduism believes in a supremely powerful divine being, named "Brama," who has infinite numbers of manifestations, in all those various Hindu "gods," whom Buddhism disregards them altogether, but focusing on how to achieving a stage of "Nirvana & Parinirvana."
Buddha laid down 5 basic rules for Buddhists to follow in order to achieve "Nirvana & Parinirvana," through "Vipassana." Those 5 basic rules happen to be nearly identical to the second half of the Ten Commandments.
A religion is a belief, based entirely on spirituality, and cannot be scientifically proven. It's kind of believing in what is coming next beyond this present life or reality, in order to help one lives a purposeful life.
I agree with you that any faiths must be based on "Reality." However, can you define "Reality" for me, please? I personally know for sure that "Reality" lies beyond what we can see, hear, touch, and feel.
A legendary rocket scientist once said that, "Scientific concepts exist only in the minds of men. Behind these concepts lies the reality which is being revealed to us, but only by the grace of God." (Wernher von Braun)
Can you expand more on the definition of "unselfish action" for me, please?
Is there such a thing as an unconditional love?
date : 13/04/2010 time : 03:04
date : 13/04/2010 time : 03:05
date : 13/04/2010 time : 03:34
Unselfish action is action which doesn't put oneself first, and aims at service rather than gain, at least harmlessness, but one step beyond. It comes with the understanding that we are all one. It requires not that others will be the same. It does not mean one has to be uneconomical either, and on the contrary.
I did refer to Hinduism as the root of Buddhism, didn't I?
Hinduism may be one of the oldest religions, but it doesn't mean that it is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, does it?
"the richest?" I don't think so. We have 2 Hindu nations in the entire world, India, of course, and Nepal. Are those two countries the richest and most peaceful in the world? I don't think so.
The most damaging aspect of Hinduism is its notorious caste system, promoting discrimination of the worst kind-at birth, which continues to be the biggest obstacle to economic & social development in India.
May I ask you how you can possibly separate a religion from its practitioners? It either works or doesn't, OK?
I spent 2 years in India myself, so I have some ideas what Hinduism looks and smells like.
Because of the great continued efforts of Indian secular governments, the caste system is gradually on the way out, to be replaced by younger and better educated generations who want nothing to do with it. And that seems to be the key to the current rapid economic development, especially, in computer programming and technical support.
With so many people of all sorts of life, continue to come to Jesus Christ, Muslim Immams, terrorists, Buddhists like myself, including a Hindu Guru like Rabi Maharaj.
I encourage you to read "Death Of A Guru-The Story of Rabi Maharaj," if you want to know the truth about Hinduism and love, peace, joy, and hope in Jesus Christ.
"Love may be the result of unconditioning." Would you please, expand on that?
I thought true love is full of grace and without any strings attached.
"Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends." (John 15:13)
Unless one is loved unconditionally, one can't love others the same way.
At the same token, unless one is forgiven, once can't forgive.
Can one give what one doesn't have?
date : 19/04/2010 time : 09:28And, by refusing to be assimilated into the mainstream (custom,language,etc), things can only get worse.
Faith or religion is just something symbolic for them to hold on to.
date : 23/04/2010 time : 11:09
"it seems...religion has nothing to do with...true Buddhists do not believe in violence."
Do you think those bunch of Buddhist monks who are in bed with the Reds protesting now are not Buddhists?
If the monks themselves can't refrain from taking part in violence, what makes you think the average Buddhists can do it?
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- Name: Sanitsuda
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more hearts and minds talks should be held to peace initiatives.hopefully locals could be encouraged to participate and be responsible for the activities to bring about peace and stability...may peace be upon the southern provinces soon.