From: hakim@bigq.enet.dec.com (Kamran Hakim)
Subject: Re: u r wrong Ala (was a word of caution)
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
Date: Tue, 1 Sep 1992 16:45:32 GMT


In article <saleham.715323398@craft.camp.clarkson.edu>, saleham@craft.camp.
clarkson.edu (Anwar M. Saleh) you write:

AS>  With such attitude of "We are not desperate" to talk, Iran suffered
AS>  years of isolation and now is trying to fix that. 

Dear Anwar, there is no doubt that communication is the path to mutual 
understanding given that other factors such as fairness, tolerance, 
willingness to listen, etc... are also present.

AS>  My statement was not about being desperate or not. I give you an
AS>  example, and hopefully you will get my point. In the classroom, 
AS>  the best students are those who ask many questions and show
AS>  their misunderstandings and their mistakes. 

This is wonderful given that people are willing to question. Regrettably
many appear to be in the business of TELLING THE TRUTH. Very few people
attempt to SHARE THEIR PERSPECTIVES. There is no room to acknowledge
one's possible mistakes in a "Let me tell you the truth contest.", but, 
it is possible to achieve mutual understanding and clarifying mistakes 
if we are sharing views.

AS>  On SCI, there are misunderstandings. In fact most of the articles are
AS>  misunderstandings. 

This is a true observation.

AS>One example is Moslems and Bahais. If it is not
AS>  for lack of talk and the lack of facing each others, then both sides 
AS>  would live in harmony. 

I commend you for your fairness. Baha'is and Muslims have never had
problems to live in harmony. So you need not worry about Baha'is and 
Muslims living in harmony. The source of the problem, in my opinion
resides in clergies' fear of loosing their power. Mullas are well
aware of their INABILITY to ELIMINATE THEIR FEAR by talking with
Baha'is therefore they abuse out of desperation by misinforming the
public, persecuting the believers, etc... Baha'is always welcome 
communication. After all we believe that "The shining spark of truth 
cometh forth only after the clash of differing opinions." 
						Abdu'l-Baha

yaser@uxh.cso.uiuc.edu (Ala) writes:

Ala> It is better if you do not talk until you are sure about what you want 
Ala> to say.

AS>  What you are saying is the same as "don't drive untill you make sure 
AS>  that you won't make any accident". Misunderstanding is like accidents.
AS>  Since many accident did happen on SCI and people used every dirty word
AS>  and you didn't say this but to the one who apologized (that is me), I 
AS>  understand that if I did not admit it, you wouldn't say so.

I am not sure this is what Ala is saying. Perhaps the following quotations
from the writings of Ali-ibn Abu Talib on speech will clarify the point 
under discussion:

"As man's wisdom increases, so his words decrease."
"Silence is the reply to many a question."
"Silence is the best reply to a fool."
"The best speech is what is short and reasonable."
"The best statement is what is evidenced by actions."
"Be silent and be safe."
"Speech is like a medicine, a small dose of which cures, and excess kills 
 the patient."
"Do not mind the speaker, but mind the speech."
"A man is hidden behind his tongue."
"A sweet tongue begets many friends."
"Your tongue will speak out  what it is accustomed to."
"The tongue interprets the mind."
"A man's tongue is his own balance."
"The tongue pierces deeper than the spear."
"Truth is the divine tongue."
"Beware of the tongue, for it is an arrow that often goes wrong."
"There is no sincerity in a backbiter."
"He who listens to backbiting is a backbiter himself."
"The weapon of jealousy is criticism."

			Ali ibn-i Abu Talib, cit. "Ali the Caliph"

Please understand that I am not offering this as a criticism but an
observation. 

Warm regards,

Kamran Hakim
Newsgroups: soc.culture.iranian