The Far Horizon

"It is one of the most counter-intuitive acts in the history of leadership. Moses did not speak about today or tomorrow. He spoke about the distant future and the duty of parents to educate their children. He even hinted – as Jewish tradition understood – that we should encourage our children to ask questions, so that the handing on of the Jewish heritage would be not a matter of rote learning but of active dialogue between parents and children." Rabbi Jonathan Sacks. 

This is quite different from the Sunday School experience of some faiths. One woman recalls asking a question from the Sunday School teacher who then replied that she was not to question the words of the Bible but to obey.

How did that work out for the people? Through the centuries those who expressed an opinion that was not in keeping with the teachings were either scorned, banned from the congregation or put to death in public. 

Unfortunately this is still happening in some places. 

In Iran Nasrin Sotoudeh has been jailed for defending the right of women to choose whether or not they wear hijab. Amnesty International supports the rights to freedom of religion and freedom of expression, including the right of Muslim women to decide whether to wear the hijab or other forms of Islamic dress. 

Throughout the centuries incredible stories were used to explain the unprovable. The Witch hunts burned women at the stake using incredible "logic". If a woman was suspected she could be tied up and plunged into water - if she drowned that proved her innocence, if she survived it was "proof" of her guilt, then she would be put to death. 

In Europe anti-semitism was promoted using the blood libel which claimed Jews kidnapped children to drink their blood at a special ceremony. 

If a child was born with unusual limbs, the child and her mother would be banned from the village because it was the mark of the devil and their presence would bring bad luck. 

Not so long ago a white woman could randomly accuse a black man of rape and without a trial, a posse could hang him from a tree. 

Earlier in the twentieth century a young boy from the Sto:lo nation was seen walking near a house where a dead man had been found. A posse was rounded up to hunt him down and string him up from a tree before the police officer could put him on trial.

In the 20th century a Canadian University, used studies that blamed domineering mothers for homosexuality in men.

In politics equality was blamed for breaking up families and welfare was blamed for a weak economy because workers could not be threatened by starvation. 

Children were taught never to touch their own genitals because it would cause blindness. 

Refugees today are blamed for inner city crime. The Evil Eye was  blamed for bad things happening to good people. Giving birth out of wedlock was blamed for the shame of an entire family.

Teaching children how to question beliefs, stories and theories, enables them to grow up healthy and well in societies that value curiosity. Teaching all of us to think beyond the popular beliefs and values of any given age not only protects innocent people - it keeps our world from being traumatized by acts of violence towards a hastily chosen scapegoat.