This week's Speaking of Faith is really good (as usual!). Krista's guest is Thich Nhat Hanh, the vietnamese Zen Buddhist author, poet, and monk. In this far-ranging interview, they talk about the goodness of suffering, the kingdom of God, the relationship between a flower and garbage, the story a gun-carrying cop attending a mindful pacifism retreat, walking with a child, the war on terror and the art of forgiveness, the difficulty of communication with modern technology, and this gem on peace:
"Krista: I look at the violence that marked the world when you were a young monk. Some of those have gone away. Now we have new kinds of wars and new kinds of enemies....Does that make you despair?
Thich: No, because I notice that there are people who understand [peace].... Peace always begins with yourself, as an individual. And as an individual, you may help build a community of peace...and when your community of a few hundred people knows the purpose of peace and brotherhood, you can become a refuge for others who come to you, and profit from the practice of peace. When they join you, the community will get larger, and the practice of peace will be offered to millions of people. That's what's going on now.... We even have communities in the middle east....
Krista: I noticed that you are bringing Palestinians and Israelis together at your Plum Village.
Thich: Yes."
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