69 million page views

The Mirror Reflects But We See Little Of The Whole In The Reflection

Reader comment on item: Palestinians Who Prefer Israel
in response to reader comment: Apology accepted

Submitted by Seamus MacNemi (United States), Jan 23, 2008 at 22:49

Thank you for your kind words. It seems that we are reading from the same book after all and prehaps it is only the illusion that binds us in seperate but mutable ways. I have often had cause to regret the conventions of language that seem as a barrier between men and true understanding and I have sought to trancend the mere conventions of our time in my thinking. I do not think of a 'New Testament and an Old Testament", rather I think of 'The Testament" in continuum. As the great Oak grows from the acorn so the word of today must of necessity be born of the word of yesterday and the line be straight from then until now. It is only when strange fruits are grafted onto the branch that there is difficulty.

The Elders teach that we cannot truly know another man until we have walked for a league in his shoes. Thus it is with those men in the old storys. We cannot know of Abraham unless we have walked in his shoes. When it is our own children that we place upon the alter before G-D only then can we truly grasp the meaning of Lech Lecha. It is only when "The Yitzyat Mitzraim" becomes our own experience that the true meaning of the 'Torah will become clear to us.

G-D does not hide HIS face from us. It is only our blind stubborness and refusal to see that hinders us. In truth the Eden that we seek is all around us but there is a film over our eyes and we see only those things which are the monuments to our own egos. Man foolishly thinks himself the master of nature yet he cannot manage even to master that which is his own nature. And so always he must point the finger of accusation to another saying "It is he and not I". So much like Adam is the man of today in this respect.

The Commandment tells us not to make for ourselves graven images. Yet the man of today is still a slave to graven images. So much so that he canot see the reality which lies beyond and so he says it is not and in so doing he denies himself his own being. He is like the child abandoned in the wilderness who cries out for the comforting embrace of his parent. His life is like a shaddow on the wall not knowing that it is he who casts the shaddow and only that when he is standing in the light for he cannot percieve the light.

Who of us today has the courage of Abraham to take up the shield of the iconoclast and smash the idols of illusion that hold sway over us? Who of us will venture naked and unafraid into the new territory of possibility that awaits beyond the borders of our imagination?

Submitting....

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".

Submit a comment on this item

<< Previous Comment      Next Comment >>

Reader comments (92) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
Logical to want to live under Israeli rule........ [247 words]FroikeFeb 8, 2013 08:05203326
2Should Israel offer pro-Israel Arabs a chance to become Jews? [75 words]Godfrey deBouillonJan 29, 2010 18:21168100
Polemic from Jonathon Cook [83 words]garry priorFeb 8, 2008 00:15119780
Jeff Rense [131 words]Rochelle MichaelsFeb 10, 2008 15:49119780
jeff rense [212 words]JJOct 11, 2008 21:25119780
1Jeff Rense [154 words]KristaOct 16, 2008 12:04119780
I agree [118 words]thebimblyJan 26, 2010 15:49119780
the real reason a Palestinian state is NOT what the Palestinians want [162 words]Jose AmramJan 18, 2008 15:36118472
good idea [11 words]jacobJan 13, 2008 16:44118084
Why not... It is the promised land. [128 words]Egyptian ChristianJan 8, 2008 10:51117732
trojan horse [86 words]gdbJan 7, 2008 09:00117640
choice: two different set of morals [42 words]Phil GreendJan 5, 2008 21:08117572
obvious exaggeration [23 words]Ronald MC WashingtonNov 18, 2009 14:32117572
Why change of heart? [33 words]Alex SabyJan 4, 2008 18:53117536
The Palestinians have decided that the 2 State solution is dead or ought to be euthenased ASAP. [407 words]alanJan 4, 2008 17:58117534
Hypocrisy [80 words]mark GoldbergJan 4, 2008 00:30117492
TO: mark goldberg of france - * Hypocrisy * [132 words]Rochelle MichaelsJan 5, 2008 16:44117492
Speak up when it counts. [175 words]JayJan 2, 2008 23:40117384
I don't doubt the wariness about accepting citizenship in an Arab Palestinian state, but don't discount duplicity. [313 words]DanteJan 2, 2008 19:26117376
Reason number (what) 4? 8? 20? [288 words]Ron ThompsonJan 2, 2008 18:03117373
1Palestinian Authority = Mafia [219 words]Charles NixonJan 2, 2008 17:01117369
AHA! [86 words]Seamus MacNemiJan 2, 2008 14:03117349
Yep Seamus. [21 words]YnnatchkahJan 3, 2008 02:34117349
Palestine people don't want to be in PLO areas , they want to be in Israel..safe [84 words]kim segarJan 2, 2008 13:04117346
Passive Jihad [207 words]Peter, ScotlandJan 2, 2008 12:45117343
Let's not be intolerant, like the Shiites and Sunnis. [223 words]Mary ConnorJan 2, 2008 21:34117343
Live and let live, but please leave my heritage [176 words]Peter, ScotlandJan 4, 2008 15:03117343
IMPORTANT NUMBERS [415 words]DAVID PAJan 2, 2008 11:43117342
Palestinians self-destructive, this is interesting but meaningless [59 words]Charles MartelJan 2, 2008 11:16117340
But why... [29 words]Stuart TeichJan 2, 2008 06:44117327
Vast majority of Jerusalem Arabs rejected citizenship & opted for permanent residence status [62 words]David GoshenJan 2, 2008 06:29117325
Completely true [56 words]satiricohenJan 2, 2008 02:57117322
Sincerely..... [332 words]YnnatchkahJan 2, 2008 02:04117321
Palestinians Who Prefer Israel [31 words]DAVID R. GROESBECKJan 2, 2008 01:43117319
Wouldn't it be loverly. [187 words]Mary ConnorJan 2, 2008 00:48117318
No publicity for those that prefer Israel [46 words]Rae SharfmanJan 1, 2008 23:39117312
Paradise Found? [328 words]Rebecca MouldsJan 3, 2008 21:22117312
This is No Positive Implication - The Implication is I will Live with You on Account of the Benefits. I Still Hate You From the Core of My Heart [418 words]SinghaJan 1, 2008 22:49117309
Palestinians still want to destroy Israel--Keep the Arab population of Israel as small as possible [37 words]RafiJan 1, 2008 22:07117307
The Palestinians prefer Israel to the PA, but, they still do not want the Jews. [104 words]RafiJan 1, 2008 21:51117306
Preferring Israel [133 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Sofa SogoodJan 1, 2008 20:20117303
Not suprising [48 words]AndrewJan 1, 2008 19:56117301
Any rational person prefers life over death [75 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Eben SpinozaJan 1, 2008 19:51117300
palestinians prefer living in Israel [184 words]Janusz KowalikJan 1, 2008 19:27117299
Atheism is not a panacea [178 words]Henry Davis - AustraliaJan 2, 2008 05:45117299
Politics Rules! [27 words]Brian HJan 3, 2008 11:54117299
Atheism doesn't equate to despotism [45 words]MattJan 3, 2008 17:30117299
the ideal system [111 words]Henry Davis - AustraliaJan 4, 2008 00:43117299
RE: Palestinians Who Prefer Israel [267 words]Marc WeintraubJan 1, 2008 18:30117297
RE: Palestinians Who Prefer Israel [25 words]There is NO Santa ClausJan 4, 2008 08:32117297
Hypocrisy writ large [64 words]MontyJan 1, 2008 18:26117296
The Arab Israeli Voice [60 words]Rochelle MichaelsJan 1, 2008 18:13117295
Very Interesting [83 words]BlackspeareJan 1, 2008 17:24117292
Individual as the unit of value [84 words]Henry Davis - AustraliaJan 3, 2008 04:43117292
Just another thought [78 words]DavePJan 1, 2008 17:13117291
Demographics [195 words]TiburonJan 2, 2008 11:01117291
Arabs in Israel [42 words]Donald W. BalesJan 1, 2008 17:03117290
What religion? [7 words]Robert LynnJan 1, 2008 23:35117290
Religion of Arabs in Israel [77 words]Donald W. BalesJan 2, 2008 17:12117290
Uh, yeah ... [13 words]Brian HJan 3, 2008 11:28117290
Religions in Israel [105 words]Donald W. BalesJan 3, 2008 21:45117290
RE:Religion [31 words]Robert LynnJan 4, 2008 03:39117290
It's a start [71 words]David W. LincolnJan 1, 2008 16:50117289
Cancer within [56 words]Gerry BurkeJan 1, 2008 20:38117289
How to be cured [69 words]David W. LincolnJan 2, 2008 14:50117289
Whose Cure? [93 words]Seamus MacNemiJan 4, 2008 12:06117289
Whose cure indeed [259 words]David W. LincolnJan 4, 2008 19:34117289
The Elders Have Always Been With Us: To David Lincoln [496 words]Seamus MacNemiJan 6, 2008 10:01117289
The brokenness attributable to early decisions: To Seamus MacNemi [318 words]David W. LincolnJan 6, 2008 22:58117289
A New Racist Theory? Reply to David W. Lincoln [757 words]Seamus MacNemiJan 7, 2008 21:34117289
The Faith of the Elders Imputed to Abraham is the Faith Called for by Jesus Christ [414 words]M. ToveyJan 8, 2008 15:48117289
Fine [76 words]David W. LincolnJan 8, 2008 20:50117289
In reply to David W. Lincoln [536 words]Seamus MacNemiJan 9, 2008 18:11117289
Objective Truth [139 words]David W. LincolnJan 10, 2008 22:44117289
Objective Truth And Supposition [241 words]Seamus MacNemiJan 12, 2008 02:42117289
Accountability [44 words]David W. LincolnJan 12, 2008 20:24117289
Accountability To Whom And For What [272 words]Seamus MacNemiJan 14, 2008 18:16117289
I won't be fenced in [147 words]David W. LincolnJan 15, 2008 15:22117289
Ah Yes, No Thanks I suppose To Nicea [498 words]Seamus MacNemiJan 18, 2008 12:30117289
Indeed [254 words]David W. LincolnJan 18, 2008 22:20117289
In This We Finally May Agree [281 words]Seamus MacNemiJan 20, 2008 11:01117289
Nice weaving in of Shakespeare [41 words]David W. LincolnJan 20, 2008 22:50117289
Where Does Shakespeare Fit In? [81 words]Seamus MacNemiJan 21, 2008 17:41117289
I must appologise for my error [154 words]Seamus MacNemiJan 22, 2008 16:09117289
Apology accepted [116 words]David W. LincolnJan 22, 2008 18:15117289
The Mirror Reflects But We See Little Of The Whole In The Reflection [488 words]Seamus MacNemiJan 23, 2008 22:49117289
More than the tangible [71 words]David W. LincolnJan 24, 2008 16:28117289
The Faith Of Abraham Was Not What You Think [576 words]Seamus MacNemiFeb 4, 2008 02:34117289
Abraham's Faith in His L--d is the Model of the Faith One Should Have in The Anointed of the L--d [679 words]M. ToveyFeb 5, 2008 11:23117289
It Is A Matter Of " Who" Bows To Whom [125 words]Seamus MacNemiFeb 7, 2008 19:49117289
Sh'ma Israel - At His Name Every Knee Shall Bow [555 words]M. ToveyFeb 8, 2008 17:43117289
Reply To M. Tovey [237 words]Seamus MacNemiFeb 9, 2008 17:05117289

Follow Daniel Pipes

Facebook   Twitter   RSS   Join Mailing List

All materials by Daniel Pipes on this site: © 1968-2024 Daniel Pipes. daniel.pipes@gmail.com and @DanielPipes

Support Daniel Pipes' work with a tax-deductible donation to the Middle East Forum.Daniel J. Pipes

(The MEF is a publicly supported, nonprofit organization under section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code.

Contributions are tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law. Tax-ID 23-774-9796, approved Apr. 27, 1998.

For more information, view our IRS letter of determination.)