Sunday in worship I tied the Good Samaritan story to that of Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish, the Gaza doctor whose three daughters and neice were killed during the Israeli bombardment of that region in January 2009. It was one more tragic moment in the ongoing emnity between Israel and the Palestinians and we know that there are no clearcut answers. We do know that Dr. Abuelaish always worked to build bridges between Israelis and Palestinians, Muslims and Jews.
Despite the agony of his loss he refuses to hate and is convinced that violence is not an answer to any conflict. It is his deep faith as a Muslim which has led him to this conclusion. I finished his book I Shall Not Hate: A Gaza Doctor's Journey last week and I would highly recommend it. I was reading in on the plane to Dallas and had a conversation about it with a curious flight attendant who doubted she could forgive anyone who caused harm to her family. Here is a review that might interest you http://www.theglobeandmail.com/books/review-i-shall-not-hate-a-gaza-doctors-journey-by-dr-izzeldin-abuelaish/article1568932/
Dr. Abuelaish and his other children now live in Toronto, a move which was planned before the death of his family members. They love this country.
Some of you have read this book. Have any of you heard him speak on television or radio? Do you think you would be able to live beyond hatred if your loved ones were harmed?
Such a hard question to even ponder.
ReplyDeleteI look at my own smaller world and see so much petty anger and hatred in people's lives and feel sick and sad to see how much time and energy (and life) is wasted in that anger but when it comes to this kind of huge, senseless tragedy in one's life I can certainly understand how hatred could overtake even a normally forgiving person.
After I had read of this book, and think of other tragic situations that have touched close to home, I have thought that for me (a conflict/anger adverse type)being able to turn that tragedy into some good might be the only way I could survive it. It would take a huge amount of strength, and whether that well is deep enough, how could one know?
Thoughtful answer Laura. I think we are attracted to stories of forgiveness and reconciliation because it moves us from our intellects, the theology and theory, to that visceral response which involves emotions and our physical reaction. We ask, what would we do in similar circumstances?
ReplyDeleteYour image of the well we drawn is apt. As Christians we regularly remind ourselves that we are accessing an unseen source which is constantly being replenished, which is the love of Christ.
Thanks.