Vision of Hope Blog - September 2007

Can A Speeding Train Make A U-Turn?

Nissim Dahan

I suppose that a speeding train could make a u-turn if you add a track that makes a gradual turn, and guides the train gently back in the opposite direction. And in fact, the faster the train is going, the more gradual the turn will have to be, so that the u-turn will not cause the train to derail. Offhand I can't give you the exact mathematical computations, but I know of some sixth graders who probably could. Brainy little tykes.

Why are we talking about tra [...]

We Have Met The Messiah And He Is Us

Nissim Dahan

Many religious traditions espouse the notion of the Messiah, a person who will be sent to redeem the world from sin and suffering.

In Judaism, the Hebrew Bible doesn't really mention the idea of a personal Messiah who will end evil and usher in an age of peace. But the idea became popular as a result of rabbinic teachings, after the [[Second Temple]] in Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans in the year 70 C.E. It is understandable that in the wake of the Temple's destruct [...]

Democracy and The Military Industrial Complex

Nissim Dahan

I think it was [[Winston Churchill]] who once remarked, "It has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except for all others that have been tried."

Why, exactly, is democracy the greatest form of government?

Democracy is great because it places the greatest amount of confidence in the wisdom of the common man. It challenges him to use his common sense to elect leaders who will serve his best interests. And if those leaders don't [...]

Will Israelis and Palestinians Buy Into A Vision Of Hope?

Nissim Dahan

You can't talk about peace in the Middle East, without talking about Israel and the Palestinians. While it is true that an accommodation between Israel and the Palestinians will have to be reached for there to be peace in the Middle East, it is also true that such an accommodation, in and of itself, will not bring peace to the entire region. In other words, the issues to be resolved in the Middle East go beyond the issues that divide Israel and a future Palestine.

In f [...]

The Extremists May Have A Point, But Miss It As Well

Nissim Dahan

Is there any validity to some of the claims being made by the ideological extremists in the Middle East? The answer is probably yes. If they look to the past, they can point to the Crusades, and more recently to the injustices wrought by colonialism. If they look to the present, they can point to the accelerated spread of Western culture and influence, and to the reality of Western economic and military power, as posing a threat to their religious beliefs, and their way of life. If they look to [...]