Permission For Violence
Recently, someone came to me concerned about the rise in antisemitism and anti-Muslim sentiment in our country. We discussed how influential figures, including some in the media, can inadvertently promote these biases. For instance, there’s concern about conflating Muslims with extremist groups or making insensitive remarks about Jewish communities. This person had heard my talks…
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Countering Collective Blame
A few weeks ago, I encouraged people to show support for Jews and Muslims in the United States: to show up – with permission – and stand outside places of worship holding signs of support. Since then, we have seen increased acts of violence against both of these communities. Look at the news, even locally,…
Read MoreEat & Share Stories
This past Sunday, a dozen Council members for Let’s Go Together in Skagit County, and volunteers from the community, gathered at Skagit Valley College to Eat and Share Stories – the first official event in our Let’s Go Together program (LGT). The purpose of this pilot gathering was to test our strategy and logistics in…
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Power and Inadequacy of a Calling
This past month, like many of you, I’ve been mourning the loss of lives in Gaza and Israel. My heart aches for peace there, just as it does for Ukraine, the Uyghurs in China, civil conflicts in Central Africa, and other troubled places around the world. I also yearn for us to truly live up…
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Time to Get Off Our Pews
This week I am writing primarily to my Christian siblings. It is also applicable to other traditions. But some responsibilities come with being the majority wisdom tradition. Our Jewish and Muslim neighbors need us. They need us now. I have spoken at length about dehumanization and how it leads to violence. We are in a…
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Resisting Collective Blame
For the past decade, my focus has been on understanding and combating dehumanization in Washington State and across the United States. During times of conflict, communities here become more susceptible to threats and violence. Just last week, I had conversations with a young Palestinian Muslim woman and a Jewish woman, both of whom expressed feeling…
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Humbled by Humanity
My heart is heavy about events in the world this last week. My heart breaks at the violence Hamas is inflicting upon Israeli civilians and the hostages and their families. My heart breaks at the deep pain of the Palestinian people and their situation. There are so many layers of history, missed opportunities, and trauma…
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Identity
I grew up in a small town called Lacrosse. The town still has about 300 people living there. Our high school mascot was a tiger, and it was painted on the gym wall. I remember going to basketball games and cheering loud for the Tigers. During the games, we kinda disliked the visiting teams. And…
Read MoreWill Christians Step Up?
Surveys conducted by IPSOS and Gallup corroborate a sentiment that is palpable: there is significant concern about the division among Americans. So, what is the solution? What steps can we take to remedy this situation? At Paths to Understanding, we are committed to uniting individuals from diverse cultures, traditions, and identities. Our aim is for…
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