We invite you to join Tikkun and the Network of Spiritual Progressives on a conference call with Michael Nagler regarding ISIS and whether non-violence is still a plausible political principle in an age of fundamentalist terrorism. You can call in Wednesday, October 29th at 12:30 p.m. PDT or 3:30 p.m. EDT
Many peace-oriented activists have had moments in the past few months in which we wished we could stop the genocidal behavior of ISIS and the kidnapping and raping of young women by Boko Haram–by any means necessary. It becomes harder to resist war policies of the Obama Administration when we know of these crimes being committed by fundamentalist terrorist groups. In such a world, has non-violence lost its relevance?
We’ve asked Michael Nagler to address this question, in dialogue with Tikkun editor Rabbi Michael Lerner, in a conference call for subscribers to Tikkun and currently paid-up members of the Network of Spiritual Progressives. Michael Nagler is the director of the Metta Center for Nonviolence, founder of Peace Studies at U.C. Berkeley, and author of The Search for a Nonviolent Future: A Promise of Peace for Ourselves, our Families, and Our World. He was the co-chair of the Peace and Justice Studies Association (2009-2011). There will be an opportunity for listeners to submit questions and comments too.
If you haven’t joined the NSP–Network of Spiritual Progressives, you can get on the call by either donating at least $50 (tax-deductible) or by joining the NSP now–do so before the call by clicking hereor by going to: or by calling our office between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time. If you join at the $50 or above level, or make a one time donation of $50 or more or of $10 a month, you get a FREE subscription to Tikkun magazine plus access to the digital version of the current issue, our entire archives, and wealth of other resources.
To participate in the conversation donate or join the NSP and call the following number at 12:30 p.m PDT
Conference Call Number: 1-267-507-0240
Conference Code: 241099
That wonderful incident in Ferguson where the black woman from Reverend Billy’s group hugged the hard case cop made my heart soar. It seemed to me to show so clearly that Love is the answer; the universal solvent, just waiting to be called forth from inside us where it has always resided.
But I’m afraid that only Pollyanna would suggest that trying to hug, say, an ISIS soldier would have positive results. It seems to be the kind of thing that can’t be done at will (at least at our current state of awareness); the moment has to be right, and that would seem to be out of our hands. So how, in such circumstances, are we to practice nonviolence in action: on the spot and in the face of evil?
I really don’t know. Apart from following Gandhi’s playbook in specific circumstances, the best I can come up with is to pray for an increase in our ability to feel Love at all times for every aspect of God’s creation, in order that we may maximize the chances of any given moment being “right”, as it was in that Ferguson incident. Of one thing I am sure; Love is the answer.
Childs’ response makes sense and would like to read transcript of Nagler’s talk.
“But I’m afraid that only Pollyanna would suggest that trying to hug, say, an ISIS soldier would have positive results. It seems to be the kind of thing that can’t be done at will (at least at our current state of awareness); the moment has to be right, and that would seem to be out of our hands. So how, in such circumstances, are we to practice nonviolence in action: on the spot and in the face of evil?”
—Today we are fighting “evil with evil”—who is “evil” is subjective—one could say the proxy wars, torture, assassinations, drones…etc by the U.S. is the “evil” that spawned ISIS…can we hug an American and stop that evil? Perhaps that is an equally important question? Can America stop its own “evil”? or must safety, security and freedom for Americans be secured by denying security, safety and freedom to other peoples and nations?
Even an evil soldier is “human”—and the “evil” at the Nuremberg trials or the Milosevic trials (crimes against humanity)…and various other “evils’ were afforded the dignity of Justice. It is better to have Justice than vengeance, revenge, retaliation…etc
I would love to read a transcript or a summary of Nagler’s talk.