Honorable Peace: In this book religion appears in a completely different light. And this different light gives access to an entirely different world, one in which, surprisingly, both the main religions in this conflict have plenty in common.
Inclusion of the Religions in the Peace Process could lead to a Result
Cover: Honorable Peace – The Book „100 Years of Middle East Conflict – an Honorable Solution. How can the Muslim World make Peace with Israel?”
One of the basic rules for settling political disputes in our time is secularity. While that is certainly adequate in most cases, the author of this book believes that in the case of Israel and Palestine inclusion of the religions in the peace process could lead to a result which would not be possible on a solely political level: a peace that can speak to and for everyone.
However, including religion is unusual. For this reason, many people may suspect that this book is following a wrong approach. While they will admit that up until now not even one of the purely secular approaches has led to real peace, they will keep suspecting that involving the religions can lead only to chaos. And on the face of it, this makes sense. One has only to consider the hair-splitting about certain doors in the Muslim sanctuary. Thus, in his role as the custodian of the grand Muslim sanctuary in Jerusalem, the King of Jordan can only state that he will not deviate one millimeter from the status quo, which makes it quite clear that the Jews have no rights to any part of what they call their “Temple Mount.”
Nobody seems to notice that in all these contexts the term “religion” is being used exclusively in the sense of group identity and as a form of political power.
Isn’t it strange to see men so willing to fight for their religion and so unwilling to live according to its precepts? Georg Christoph Lichtenberg
In this Book Religion appears in a completely different Light
And this different light gives access to an entirely different world, one in which, surprisingly, both the main religions in this conflict have plenty in common.
On the way to the Jewish Wailing Wall a brief glance at the great Muslim sanctuary through a door where only Muslims are permitted to enter, Foto (C) Gottfried Hutter
In the world to which this book is leading no one will be surprised if the supreme representative of the religion of Islam decides to visit the Pope and vice versa, with both showing mutual respect and the will to peace, because both are clearly aware that they have more in common than what could separate them.
Thus, if you follow the track this book is laying out you will arrive at completely different concepts of conflict resolution, concepts far beyond the issues of power but grounded in virtues and mutual respect.
Follow this line and, suddenly, honorable peace will be within the grasp of parties who have lived in enmity for more than a thousand years or who managed to live together only by applying clearly defined instruments of domination or subordination.
Yet now, suddenly, we find them able to live side by side as equals, respecting themselves and one another.
Here is what’s new, even quite sensational in this book. For here is an approach that has the potential to instill true and lasting peace – something that would remain forever out of reach as long as religion remains taboo to would-be peacemakers.
The author studied Catholic theology, history and political science. Originally from Salzburg, Austria, he went to live in San Francisco for five years. There he gained a sense of human beings’ potential, especially in terms of spirituality and civilization. This, in turn, motivated him to learn about other cultures and religions. He moved to Egypt and stayed for one year in Cairo, mainly experiencing the spiritual depth of Islam. Back in Europe, teaching Catholic religion in schools and studying Shamanism and native religions, he trained to become a psychotherapist. Working with psychiatric patients, he wrote his first book, Resurrection – Before Death. How to Use Biblical Texts in Psychotherapy. In his therapeutic practice he is now mainly working with severely traumatized Middle Eastern refugees. More ->
Member of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts
Honorable Peace by Gottfried Hutter
Hardcover
English ISBN-10: 1480872423 ISBN-13: 978-1480872424 more ->
Link: Honorable Peace by Gottfried Hutter, Hardcover, english:
