In the meantime I have just finished my first "released" version of Tilt's web site using Power Point and Articulate (still need to work on the graphics).
The latest book that I have finished reading is "The Faith of Other Men" the texts of seven radio talks broadcast on CBC University of the Air in 1962. The series of talks was given by Wilfred Cantwell Smith. Smith's lecture style and writing is excellent. He does not attempt to explain about the different religions, instead he focused on interpreting the faith of Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims and the Chinese by referencing specific aspects of each (a Sanskrit aphorism for Hindus, a Buddhist ceremony, the Muslim verbal witness to faith and a visual image for the Chinese). The key point for me is that in order to lead or to help others we need to understand that the world is multicultural and that it is a mistake to overlay western beliefs (including secularism) to understand other countries (or even people from other countries working in Canada). That is ..." Any man, any government, any policy that aspires to leadership in the world today, must come to understand and appreciate other men's problems and aspirations, their convictions and hopes; and must attain a point of obviously wishing to see those problems solved as well as one's own, and to see those other cultures as well as one's own survive and flourish." (Smith, 1962, pg. 58) This does not mean that we give up our own believes rather that we hold all to be valuable and worth protecting.
Anyway, I wonder how these lectures, given 40 years ago, reflect on today's world? What about understanding the needs, beliefs and values of the different generations? How do we maintain our integrity and the integrity of people from different parts of the world? How do we account for this in our work? What do you think about multiculturalism? How is it affecting you? I don't think that our political leaders (at least in Canada) get it. What do you think?
“Pooh knew that when you Think of Things, you find sometimes that a Thing which seemed very Thingish inside you is quite different when it gets out in the open and has other people looking at it.” From “The House at Pooh Corner” by A. A. Milne
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Hi Jack,
ReplyDeleteWow you are so good (wait now, Heather did I get that right? Is that what Jack said we were to say?) Heather and I are here just catching up, she was in the country less than 2 hours and I have had here down the pub drinking wine. What can I say? Heather wants to know if us drinking a glass of wine at the pub celebrates the diversity of 'coming to Jesus' in religion. Love the blog and the web although you need to give us more time to answer the questions, particularly as we have been drinking. Hope you are well and hope to see you in a few weeks when I am back. Take care for now. Natalie & Heather.
Hey Jack ... congratulations on starting a blog. Regarding your question about why people read blogs: I read them because I want to know (a) what's happening out there and (b) what the blogger thinks about it. Of course, I don't want to know everything, so I follow the ones of most interest to me (i.e., ones that focus on public policy issues). I also choose which bloggers to read. Over time, I get to know which ones are intelligent, well-informed and well-spoken (a sense of humour or irony is also much appreciated).
ReplyDeleteRegarding your blog, I'd be interested in following your thoughts on diversity, if that's what you intend. It's a Canadian strength, and a pretty rare cultural value when you look at many other countries(e.g., USA). Exploring why YOU think it's a strength, what you know about its ecological analogues, and ideas about how it may be fostered are all topics that fascinate me.
So, good luck on your new venture. And don't worry too much if people don't comment too often. I'm told that 'lurkers' outnumber commenters by 100 to 1!