Some weeks ago in the course of a passionate argument with a conservative friend, I argued that rather than teaching people how to use guns to protect ourselves from the bad guys, we should be addressing social and mental health problems that create bad guys and we should be encouraging people to develop conflict resolution skills. My friend responded with a loud, “OY! And then we’ll all hold hands and sing kumbaya.”
I admit it, I’m a kumbaya guy and I’m proud of it. After seeing this video, I couldn’t help but recall the words of our teacher, Elie Wiesel who recently observed that the ultimate religion is friendship.
If you do not accept that friendship and kindness are the objectives of all faiths, I respectfully suggest you missed the forest for the trees.
Tent of Abraham 