You Don't Have to Be Wrong for Me to Be Right : Finding Faith Without Fanaticism
Intent - March 03, 2008
“We live in a world,” says Brad Hirschfield, “where religion is killing more people than at any time since the Crusades.” And when it comes to fanaticism, Hirschfield is not speaking abstractly; he once embraced it.
As a young man in the early 1980s, he left his family’s upscale North Shore Chicago neighborhood for the West Bank city of Hebron, where he joined a group of settlers who were committed to reconstituting the Jewish state within its biblical borders. He carried a gun and, on one occasion, used it. He still doesn’t know if his bullets found their mark.
Now, Hirschfield has renounced all such rigid delineations of people into categories of totally right and totally wrong, entirely good and entirely evil. He seeks to build bridges among people of different faiths—and those with no faith at all. He is devoted to teaching inclusiveness, celebrating diversity, and delivering a message of acceptance—not as feel-good pabulum but as forceful and indispensable antidotes to the blind passions and willful ignorance that threaten us all.
Grounded in biblical scholarship and interwoven with personal stories, You Don’t Have to Be Wrong for Me to Be Right provides a pragmatic path to peace, understanding, and hope that appeals to the common wisdom of all religions. Pointing the way through the continuum of conflict, Hirschfield addresses:
• the ways faith has many faces
• how justice can coexist with forgiveness and mercy
• how unity does not necessitate uniformity
• the ways we can learn to disagree without disconnecting
Though conflict is an inevitable part of life—a function of being connected to one another—Hirschfield is a voice of peace and reconciliation, showing us that conflict is also an opportunity to learn and grow and often to grow closer.
Rabbi Brad Hirschfield, President of the National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, is devoted to teaching inclusiveness and celebrating diversity; exploring the roots of religious, racial, and ethnic conflict; and delivering a message of acceptance that is pragmatic, forceful, and necessary. Grounded in biblical and Judaic scholarship, interwoven with personal stories, You Don’t Have to Be Wrong for Me to Be Right provides a path to peace, understanding, and hope that appeals to the common wisdom of all religions. He was named one of the “Top 50 Rabbis in America” in Newsweek magazine and one of the nation’s leading preachers and teachers by Beliefnet.com, he lives in Riverdale, New York.
Digg this entry 
Add to Del.icio.us 
Share on Facebook 
Subscribe
Posted by Intent at March 3, 2008 02:08 AM
Comments
Aloha empyrius
I was surprised how many of the popular new books you can get at the library. Sharing is truly the best currency, and you do that wonderfully. love patty
2. Posted by
patty
![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.intentblog.com/nav-commenters.gif)
on
March 3, 2008 09:12 AM
I hear you Patty. Ever since Dr. Chopra announced the release of "The Third Jesus" I have been checking the library daily; but, let me c here how can I say this w/o being judgmental, uhhh,
well, imho, I don't think the powers that be here in Spokane give much priority to "eastern metaphysicians." But I'll keep checking!
peace sis
Ten years ago, I had a impassioned exchanged with a friend of mine about my protestant upbringing versus his Catholicism. It turned into a tense exchanged as might have been predicted.
After some time, one of us--perhaps seeing that it was clear that we were going to get no where--said that maybe both of us were right.
It has been the cement that has bound together our relationship ever since. He and I continue to bridge differences (the vistas from such bridges are breath-taking).
I can't become rigid, dogmatic in my 'open-mindedness'.
For example, Martin Sheen was awarded Notre Dame's Laetare Medal award for his Catholic peace activism. At first I think, ah, he's part of the paternalistic blah-blah-blah (let me not even finish the thought).
The Catholic church is pro-life in every way: against unjust wars, against the death penalty, against abortion, against poverty. You've got to think about a thing like that.
It's interesting that as I become gradually more open-minded, I'm able to invite in more religion, and a greater number of perspectives.
The moment I stop demonizing institutions of all kinds, they lose their sinister qualities, and we can all reflect facets of God's light.
4. Posted by
danashields
on
March 3, 2008 05:03 PM
What else is new (unanticipated) information?
-George W Bush has done more than any other US president to help Africa.
-Angelina Jolie says that from what she sees on the ground, the surge in Iraq may be working, and we may have a moral obligation to continue to be there.
So what do you do when your enemy may be right about a thing or two?
5. Posted by
danashields
on
March 3, 2008 05:18 PM
And yet, at the same time, in my heart of hearts, I believe that George Bush, Richard Cheney, and Donald Rumsfeld should stand trial for Crimes Against Humanity for ordering the Blitzkrieg across the Middle East and for Abu Graib genocide which resulted.
6. Posted by
danashields
on
March 3, 2008 05:32 PM
Post a comment
Thanks for signing in, . Now you can comment. (sign out)
(If you haven't left a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on the entry. Thanks for waiting.)Thanks for signing in, . Now you can comment. (sign out)
(If you haven't left a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on the entry. Thanks for waiting.)
Recent Posts
- 01/09/08: CORRECTION: Sarah Palin's daughter IS pregnant
- 31/08/08: Weekly Intent - Nithya S
- 30/08/08: Palin Pregnancy whispers
- 30/08/08: The American Spirit
- 29/08/08: Global Cures
- 29/08/08: Obama and the Tragedy of Apathy
- 29/08/08: Is Palin supposed to attract the women vote?
- 28/08/08: The High Priests Gathered to Praise the Dems - but the Prophets Were Missing
- 28/08/08: Obama: "It's not about me, it's about you."
- 28/08/08: Speechless from the Speech
Recent Comments
-
danashields commented on You Don't Have to Be Wrong for Me to Be Right : Finding Faith Without Fanaticism
And yet, at the same time, in my heart of heart
-
danashields commented on You Don't Have to Be Wrong for Me to Be Right : Finding Faith Without Fanaticism
What else is new (unanticipated) information?
-
danashields commented on You Don't Have to Be Wrong for Me to Be Right : Finding Faith Without Fanaticism
Ten years ago, I had a impassioned exchanged wi
-
empyrius commented on You Don't Have to Be Wrong for Me to Be Right : Finding Faith Without Fanaticism
I hear you Patty. Ever since Dr. Chopra announc
-
patty commented on You Don't Have to Be Wrong for Me to Be Right : Finding Faith Without Fanaticism
Aloha empyrius
I was surprised how many
Looks like a great book.
All these books I need to buy to read, but how is a impoverished Christian Anarchist to do this?!? Being poor leaves me out of the intellectual circles: no fair!
Uhhh, anybody know any rich bankers I can nonviolently rob so I can take care of my poor and suffering people out there on those means streets . . .
Jubilee! Jubilee!
pax vobiscum