Perceptions and Pieces of Glass

 Admire with me, the beauty and insight of the poetry found in Inge and Sten Hegeler's An ABZ of Love:

"If we look through a piece of glass, irregularities and impurities may distort and discolor the impression of what we see. If we regard something through a convex lens, it appears to be upside down. But if we place a concave lens in front of the convex lens, we correct the distortion in the convex lens and things no longer appear topsy-turvy. Each one of us regards the world through his own lens, his own glasses. The effect of those glasses is that, even though we may be looking at the same thing, not all of us actually see the same thing. The lenses are ground by each individual’s upbringing, disposition and other factors." 

This quote puts me in mind of the radical acts of violence to which our people have been subjected  as of late, and the various political and religious responses which have been evoked by them.

 I am speaking, when I say "our people" of the general population of Earth, not of a particular National affiliation because I do not hold one in higher regard than any other, necessarily.  And by political and religious responses I mean just that, any and every comment or post, verbal or written which has been spewed into the universe and to which we are all now subject.

Apparently, for instance, there has been some argument over the topic of whether Islam as a religion/doctrine is to blame for the violence.  

For example: 

 Sam Harris (2015) "Islam and Violence" [Video file]. Retrieved December 8, 2015, from https://youtu.be/_uPXf-nyG6Q 

Noted author, philosopher, neuroscientist, and atheist Sam Harris makes clear in this video that he believes the violence inflicted upon the world by Muslim extremists is a direct result of the religious doctrines taught by that specific religion, with which I am inclined to agree. 

People committing these atrocious, vicious acts of violence are, as Harris puts it, "motivated" by their religious beliefs because the Quran teaches that they will be rewarded in paradise (Sam Harris 2015).

"...not all of us actually see the same thing.  The lenses are ground by each individual's upbringing, disposition, and other factors (Popova)."  The two items from which I am deriving information to comment upon are vastly different, and upon a preliminary examination would seem unrelated.  After having read this far they may still seem unrelated to you, even. 

Harris goes on to say that "religion is losing the tug of war with science" and predicts that the extremism will eventually lose its footholds and a scientific understanding will gain promenance in our society.

We can only hope that he is correct because religious beliefs encourage behaviors like beheading and science is only helping us to improve our overall quality of life. 


Regardless of what our religious affiliation is, or our educational background, or national origin, skin color, gender, sexual orientation, or any of millions of possible other factors are, we can all appreciate the gravity and tragedy of lost life.  We can relate to pain felt when a nation experiences a tragedy, or we can relate at least on a personal level to loss of some kind, because loss and grief are emotions that we all experience despite any quality or impurity in the glass through which we are viewing the world.

-B


P.S.: I'd love to hear from you in the comments!


References

Popova, M. (2012, December 05). An ABZ of Love: Kurt Vonnegut’s Favorite Vintage Danish Illustrated Guide to Sexuality. Retrieved December 8, 2015, from https://www.brainpickings.org/2012/12/05/an-abz-of-love/ 

Sam Harris (2015) "Islam and Violence" [Video file]. Retrieved December 8, 2015, from https://youtu.be/_uPXf-nyG6Q