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    • khald safir

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      Feb 15 2011: I’m in love with humanity and love it when I see anyone say anything about love for other people. If you don’t think this speech is perfect, so what? But I do worry for those who get angry when hearing such a speech. She’s not saying anything bad. They are just her thoughts, they happen to be ‘religious.’

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      Mark Brener

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      Nov 22 2010: We (Mark and Cecil) were recently reading an interesting book when we stumbled upon a quote perceived to be true (or at least meaningful and relevant enough to be placed in the book) by the author.

      The quote is as follows: "Man is conceived in sin and born in corruption and he passeth from the stink of the didie to the stench of the shroud. There is always something" -Willie Stark, All The King’s Men

      We view this concept as a valuable anachronism that has already served its constructive role in the evolution of human thought. That said your feedback and perspective (agreeable or challenging) is of interest for our readers and us. See our Café for Advanced-Thinking, a communication forum for industry leaders… http://www.ceceandmark.com/blog.html

      Nov 2 2009: While it is hard to critisize an articulate appeal for compassion, as an aethist I found this presumptious in the extreme. Must we be created in gods image to feel empathy? Every time some one says "We are created in God’s image" rather than "I believe I am created in God’s image" they alinate those they are seeking diolougue with by virtue of such an arrogant statement. Ted has my respect for there inclusive agenda but all the same I find this kind of presumptious, verbose diatribe counter productive. And no Carlos I do not want to be told what to do. If we obey moral commands we simply pay politically correct lip service to the deepest of human values. The integrity of compassion is measured in conviction not by the proscribed religous contrivances of others.

      • peter mos10+

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      • Edit DeleteReply

        Nov 3 2009: parts from malcolm x’s ‘ballot or the bullet’ speech seem appropriate:

        "Islam is my religion, but I believe my religion is my personal business. It governs my personal life, my personal morals. And my religious philosophy is personal between me and the God in whom I believe; just as the religious philosophy of these others is between them and the God in whom they believe. And this is best this way. Were we to come out here discussing religion, we’d have too many differences from the outstart and we could never get together. [...] But if we keep our religion at home, keep our religion in the closet, keep our religion between ourselves and our God, but when we come out here, we have a fight that’s common to all of us against a [sic] enemy who is common to all of us."

        Nov 3 2009: Aethism is your religion, it your belief, therefore it is your reality.

        As for myself, I’m too skeptical to cut off any concepts so early in life since, with so little information that can be conclusively proven, if any, I’ve found it hard to go with anything but an open mind to them all.

        As with any religion, yours is ‘right’.

          Nov 4 2009: Atheism is not a religion or a belief, it’s the lack of belief in any gods. You no not have to disprove something for which there is no evidence.

          • Agnideb Mishra

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            Mar 13 2010: Exactly. I don’t understand why some people believe that atheism is a religion, LOL.

        Nov 4 2009: Her proclamation of her believe is as presumptuous as an Atheist’s proclamation of theirs, is it not? Presumption is in the eye of the beholder it seems.

        If one believes that compassion is one of "the deepest of human values," then one would do best to demonstrate it while glorifying it. Dialogue necessitates differing opinions so I thought I’d provide some.

        Z

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          Tristan Williams20+

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          Nov 4 2009: No, the presumption is not the same. The preacher presumes something is true despite lack of evidence and reads bronze age stories of genocide, rape and genital mutilation to justify the presumption.

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          Stephen Minton

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          Nov 5 2009: I think you’re missing William’s point; it’s not presumptuous for her to state her beliefs, but it is presumptuous for her to say that compassion is rooted in belief in a God or Gods. This is one of those arguments often used by people who believe in deities in order to ‘prove’ the existence of their God or Gods, i.e. we are compassionate, so that must have come from God! It’s a ludicrous argument ; compassion exists in both religious believers and non-believers, as does the absence of compassion at the opposite extreme, and any objective reading of the "Bible" hardly paints the Jewish/Old Testament God as compassionate by any measurement. I agree with William that Ted is stepping marginally outside of its usually objective and rational framework in providing a forum for this kind of nonsense.

        • Mike Bowerman

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          Nov 9 2009: Many scientists make global statements about human nature as well, and although they come with "proof" these statements are often undermined by subsequent science. This rabbi is no more presumptuous in describing her beliefs than such scientists. Both are equally forgivable transgressions and it makes more sense for the reader or listener to make the necessary qualifications about universailty knowing that the presenter represents a particular perspective. Part of compassion is trying to understand where people come from — using empathy to relate to their perspectives. Hearing from these religious leaders is an opportunity to exercise compassion for their experiences and gratitude for their sincere efforts to advance a meaningful value secular and religious people can share. Religion and science are both metaphoric representations of reality with limitations and values. I am glad to see this facet of human experience explored by TED.

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        Bruno Freitas de Oliveira

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        Nov 19 2010: I totally agree Mike…. In all the talks there is a main similar denominator which is unity, wholeness and humanity independently of the speakers faith or secular views … The speakers don’t have to be apologetic of their personal beliefs. The beauty of this project is that through various paths of thought the conclusion is equal

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        Bruno Freitas de Oliveira

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        Nov 19 2010: @Lost Dog: I think you are being unfair, she does speak of unity explaining that in her case that unity is the belief in God. I am an atheist myself and there isn’t any single talk from the series Charter for Compassion that has alienated me or is a "diatribe" … It seems you are missing the link between all which is wholeness, unity and humanity independently of the speaker’s own personal beliefs. Also I don’t see why she has to be apologetic of her faith, she is giving an insight to her thought path as did the muslim speaker as did the secular speaker. The conclusion is equal … there is no indoctrination, no one is trying to convert you.

    • Veronica Mist20+

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      Mar 13 2010: Dear friends who are interested in compassion,

      (thats why we are commenting here?)

      I am constantly surprised by the apparent oversight of many of the speakers on compassion regarding animals. I am aware that many feel animals are a lower(?) life-form but I am unable to distinguish the difference between having compassion for another person or peoples, and having compassion for animals.

      I am mortified, often, when I think of the dis-compassion we show for those we dont relate to – or choose to turn a blind eye to – and we are off-ing them by the millions in brutal brutal ways, we see it for humans only.

      I am very open to hearing your comments on this. I am always curious as to the way others see things.

      Here is an example of what I am talking about. http://www.earthlings.com/

      I am a farm girl, I am not deluded about what "regular" circumstances are. This is it.

      Thank you for your comments.

    • Nikunj Parikh

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      Jan 9 2010: I have read a lot of different opinions on this talk and i guess the motive of TED is served well because it has initiated a disussion among people who saw the video and it has got people talking about compassion and throughout all the commentss all of us, no matter what our beliefs are agree that being compassionate is necessary and good, and i believe this thinking serves the purpose of this talk and many others talks on similar ideas and perhaps this is the purpose of TED’s initiatives

      Nov 1 2009: As an agnostic who was deeply religious for 39 years before realising the emptiness of religion, I find some of the certainty of these speakers representing the different religions somewhat disconcerting.

      Nevertheless, for a very large number of people, religion is an important theme in their lives, so the fact that representatives of different religions are advocating tolerance and compassion on a shared open platform can only be good, since their words will have import where those of non-religious people will not.

      Condemning them for being religious appears to me to be as intolerant as these religions in their worst guise.

        Nov 1 2009: I find it quite disconcerting too, that this woman can stand there with a straight face and spout all these fine words that are clearly lies. She says that rabbis say "we have to get rid of our feeling that we are the most important people in the world" yet part of the jewish belief is that they are the chosen people – more important than others.

        Furthermore she states that god is compassionate, though clearly a diety who kills everyone except noah by drowning, and orders his followers to commit genocides and rapes is not compassionate. she can say it all she wants but where in the bible has god done anything compassionate?

        clearly this person has no understanding of what the word ‘compassion’ means, so what business does she have in a forum with a goal of furthering it?

        don’t get me wrong, preaching compassion is fantastic, but i find preaching values which the religious doctrine you personally ascribe to clearly does not support to be dishonest and evasive.

          Nov 2 2009: Wow, where did your reference come to shoot down the Jews like that? Who ordered genocide and rape? Have you read the Bible to determine for yourself that God has not done compassionate acts? I’m just curious where your information comes from, because I don’t find the Bible dishonest or evasive. If you could show me why?

          • Ben Jarvis50+

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            Nov 3 2009: I’m not shooting down any particular group of believers in the bible, I’m asking if any others can also see the apparent conflict in compassion and the writings of the bible which are held in the highest esteem by believers.

            God ordered the genocide and rape of the midianites via moses, numbers 31.

            I also didn’t say I find the bible to be dishonest or evasve, quite the opposite, it’s incredibly clear on how its followers should conduct themselves, which is why I find religious leaders who talk about being compassionate to be dishonest and evasive. How can you preach compassion while at the same time support the writing of such an uncompassionate god?

            The bible is quite long and if I’ve missed a story when god has shown compassion, please feel free to mention the passage.

          • Mike Bowerman

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            Nov 9 2009: Religious texts, like human beings, are flawed and often filled with paradox. That many of them contain ruthless violence alongside the advocacy of compassion is such a paradox. The important question is what can we find of value in the texts, their contemporary interpretations, and in the people offering them. On these points I think returning to this theme of compassion is useful. It is fine to acknolwedge the contradictions, but also reasonable and balanced to acknowledge the genuine good that is part of religious history. Judeo-Christian values are the intellectual progenitors of humanism, and there remains significant value in these texts as these speakers show. Like you, they seem interested in more compassion in the world. Focussing on such shared current goals seems more valuable than accusations of hypocrisy. Such accusations will only alienate potential allies in a worthy cause, and reduce those religious people who do good to inacurrate stereotypes.

          Nov 4 2009: Those who believe in a God that is omnibenevolent, omnipotent, and omniscient as creator of the universe would posit that the only conceivable reason for the creation of the universe is compassion.

          • Ben Jarvis50+

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            Nov 10 2009: yes indeed it is hard to argue that creating the universe was not an act of compassion, yet the god many christians believe in is just as capable of acts of ruthless violence and genocide.

            a being who can be both compassionate and ruthless is in fact not compassionate at all. consider as an anology a man who gives birth to 3 children, then kills one of them. surely that man cannot be regarded as compassionate, as despite the good deeds he is after all a murderer?

            we have to consider the bad parts as well as the good, and in my opinion, a lack of evil deeds is absolutely essential for anyone to be described as compassionate.

    • annie witter

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      Nov 10 2009: I am consistently surprised by the notion some people have of being ‘blessed’, whether it be because their house was spared in a hurricane, or that their cancer -ridden child did not die due to some divine miracle. What does that say about those who died in the tsunami for example? That they were not blessed? If God blesses some and not others, what does that say about this compassionate Being of which many speak? It is us humans that cause many of the ills on this planet, and as such it might behoove to consider that compassion is perhaps the blessing .

    • Lillie Ross

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      Nov 5 2009: 4 days ago: Does "Do not unto others as you would not have them do unto you" give more freedom than "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."? I roll this around in my mind and can’t capture the essence. I remember a military person appreciating rules, saying he could do anything he wanted, except break the rules, thus had much freedom.

      The blog shows removed by me but I didn’t remove this so am reposting.

      I have another question – The physician’s mandate to ‘do no harm’ seems to me another restating of this moral value. I’m wondering if one stopped to fully consider harm and impact if one wouldn’t be paralyzed by thoughts of possible consequences.

    • Chris Curpen

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      Nov 2 2009: To have compassion, means to sacrifice excessive self-interest and fix a broken global society so that all of us will have access to participate in creating, discovering and experiencing the diversity of the tapestry of life.

      We need to stop killing, maiming, raping and damaging our peoples, we need a Simultaneous Global Ceasefire. We all have the natural capability for the Golden Rule, our Human Created Global Societal Structure, where we maintain the antiquated ideas and practices of class and socioeconomic pyramids, stifles our natural movement to real compassion. Rhetoric and talks fail if we make no effort to change what we create when we now have the Conscience Injection into our Global Conscious Awareness of the failings of what we kill to maintain.

      11/11/2010 Simultaneous Global Ceasefire and then 11/11/2011, we come together as people of one shared planet to adopt a new co-operatively designed Ecologically Sustainable Global Societal Model. http://paradigmshift2011.ning.com

      Nov 1 2009: Does "Do not unto others as you would not have them do unto you" give more freedom than "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."? I roll this around in my mind and can’t capture the essence. I remember a military person appreciating rules, saying he could do anything he wanted, except break the rules, thus had much freedom.

      Nov 1 2009: I think there is a distinction between empathy and compassion.

        Nov 1 2009: empathy might be the feeling of understanding one’s plight. e.g. the muslims fast just to experience the hunger pangs of the poor, so that they might understand and take action to alleviate poverty…so compassion could be taking action? what do you think?

        • Ben Jarvis50+

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          Nov 1 2009: i’m with you completely, there’s a huge difference between talking about how terrible the suffering of others is and actually doing something to alleviate it. anyone can speak fine words, as we’ve seen.

          i also agree with your definition of empathy being the feeling and compassion being the resultant action.

    • Jonny Sh

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      Nov 1 2009: I believe TED is about the future, and the future must consist of consiousness, who we are where do we come from and where are we going. green energy is only a small step towards a more consciencious way of living, but still far away from healing our own body, or our relationships or our greed or anything else. by accesing the soul, the infinite fountain of energy, answers and love – we can get "there" much faster. there is no way around it, so we might as well start contemplating our essence, go TED!!!! amazing job!

      Nov 1 2009: Oh this is good; a female rabbi (instantly the self pity-o-metre rockets to its maximum). She actually said "how could the world exist without god being compassionate"!

      What has happened to TED?

      What lunatic has hijacked the TED website?

      Perhaps this is actually all meant to be highly ironic and good old TED is poking fun at the ludicrous idea that moral authority rests in the hands of fundamentally (in every sense) mutually antagonistic religions.

      We dont need more God nonsense. It is about sustainable power, industry, clean water, free medical care, education and all of the benefits that were introduced by enlightened modern people.

      Lets try for 25 years in ignoring the Bronze Age fairy stories that are still wrecking civilizations across the world.

      • Roger Cline10+

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        Nov 1 2009: While you’re free to hold and express your extreme minority belief system, please respect the beliefs of others as well. Religions are not "fundamentally antagonistic", whether some of their adherents are or not.

      Nov 1 2009: With all due respect I really don’t understand what TED wants me to think after this "talk".

      • Roger Cline10+

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        Nov 1 2009: So you rely on TED to tell you what to think?!? Just listen to the talk and make up your own mind what to think. It’s about understanding others’ POVs, not being fed a belief system.

      • Aidil Goh

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        Nov 1 2009: Like a surfer, you don’t fight the wave, you ride it. Try not to go against this wave of TEDs initiative on religion, and you might be surprised at what you get to learn about others (and yours in return) :]

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