bell hooks (her first name is uncapitalized), a prominent feminist ethicist, has devoted a large portion of her adult life seeking to deconstruct and develop a paradigm of morality “capable of delivering our popular culture from persistently racist, sexist, homophobic, imperialist, and classist normative ideals” (Bracci & Christians, 2002). In her writing, she illustrates how race, class, gender, sexual orientation, and ethnicity are socially constructed systems that create oppressive and prejudiced barriers among people. Furthermore, she illustrates how eradicating social injustice requires developing new communicative processes, creating open playing fields for production, ending violence and domination, and cultivating a critically reflective and aware society. In essence, she calls individuals to embrace “diversity and complexity of image” and exercise an ethic of love that respects the integrity of humankind (Bracci & Christians, 2002).
While hooks grew up attending a fundamentalist Baptist church in the United States, her prominent works echo teachings from a multitude of spiritual traditions across the world. As a writer and philosopher, she draws inspiration from leaders of varying religious and cultural backgrounds, such as Thich Nhat Hanh, a Buddhist monk; Martin Luther King, a Baptist preacher; and Erich Pinchas Fromm a Jewish Psychologist. This highlights her openness to break dogmatic barriers and extract gems of wisdom from diverse religious teachers and beliefs. hooks’ ethics of respecting and loving all people, eradicating prejudice behaviors, and being reflective, aware beings are the foundations of many diverse religions—especially Christianity/Judaism, Buddhism, and Hinduism.
While hooks grew up attending a fundamentalist Baptist church in the United States, her prominent works echo teachings from a multitude of spiritual traditions across the world. As a writer and philosopher, she draws inspiration from leaders of varying religious and cultural backgrounds, such as Thich Nhat Hanh, a Buddhist monk; Martin Luther King, a Baptist preacher; and Erich Pinchas Fromm a Jewish Psychologist. This highlights her openness to break dogmatic barriers and extract gems of wisdom from diverse religious teachers and beliefs. hooks’ ethics of respecting and loving all people, eradicating prejudice behaviors, and being reflective, aware beings are the foundations of many diverse religions—especially Christianity/Judaism, Buddhism, and Hinduism.
Respect and Love
The core of hooks’ ethical pedagogy consists of showing love, compassion, and respect to all people. During the opening keynote at the “Women of Color” conference, hooks illustrates how “love is a spiritual path that liberates” (2006). Despite the prevalence of dominance and oppression in the world, most major religions echo hooks’ emphasis love and respect.
In Christianity and Judaism, “showing compassion is how believers imitate the infinite kindness and love that God showers upon them” (Gellman & Hartman, 2002). In the Christian Bible, Luke 6:27-36 reads: “But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, and do good to them which hate you. Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. And unto him that smitheth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also. Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again.” This biblical verse illustrates how Christians value selflessness and love— especially in the face of challenging situations.
While Christians strive to please their God, Buddhists practice compassion and love as a means of liberating the mind of attachments, desires, and suffering. In Mahayana Buddhism, a Bodhisattva, or “awakened one” is a prime example of self sacrificing love. He or she is “a person who has attained enlightenment, has tasted the sweet roots of freedom, but comes back to the physical plane of existence to help others find the same experience” (Gellman & Hartman, 2002). Thich Nhat Hanh, an influential Bodhisattva explains, “aware of the suffering caused by the destruction of life, I vow to cultivate compassion and learn ways to protect lives of people, animals, plants, and minerals. I am determined not to kill, not to let others kill, and not to condone any killing in the world, in my thinking, and in my way of life” (www.religioustolerance.org).
The core of Hinduism is the belief in Brahman, or the underlying universal life force that embodies existence. Hindu scriptures suggest that ignorance of “the true nature of the self as one with Brahman” traps people in the vicious cycle of reincarnation (Sivananda, 1999). Pure acts, thoughts and devotion are seen as a primary means to end the cycle of death and rebirth. In Hindu scripture, Anusansana Parva 113.8 translates that “one should not behave towards others in a way which is disagreeable to oneself. This is the essence of morality. All other activities are due to selfish desire” (Gellman & Hartman, 2002).
While Christians, Jews, Buddhists, and Hindus have varying existential philosophies, the emphasis of exercising compassion, love, and respect for people is a vital element of spiritual growth.
In Christianity and Judaism, “showing compassion is how believers imitate the infinite kindness and love that God showers upon them” (Gellman & Hartman, 2002). In the Christian Bible, Luke 6:27-36 reads: “But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, and do good to them which hate you. Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. And unto him that smitheth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also. Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again.” This biblical verse illustrates how Christians value selflessness and love— especially in the face of challenging situations.
While Christians strive to please their God, Buddhists practice compassion and love as a means of liberating the mind of attachments, desires, and suffering. In Mahayana Buddhism, a Bodhisattva, or “awakened one” is a prime example of self sacrificing love. He or she is “a person who has attained enlightenment, has tasted the sweet roots of freedom, but comes back to the physical plane of existence to help others find the same experience” (Gellman & Hartman, 2002). Thich Nhat Hanh, an influential Bodhisattva explains, “aware of the suffering caused by the destruction of life, I vow to cultivate compassion and learn ways to protect lives of people, animals, plants, and minerals. I am determined not to kill, not to let others kill, and not to condone any killing in the world, in my thinking, and in my way of life” (www.religioustolerance.org).
The core of Hinduism is the belief in Brahman, or the underlying universal life force that embodies existence. Hindu scriptures suggest that ignorance of “the true nature of the self as one with Brahman” traps people in the vicious cycle of reincarnation (Sivananda, 1999). Pure acts, thoughts and devotion are seen as a primary means to end the cycle of death and rebirth. In Hindu scripture, Anusansana Parva 113.8 translates that “one should not behave towards others in a way which is disagreeable to oneself. This is the essence of morality. All other activities are due to selfish desire” (Gellman & Hartman, 2002).
While Christians, Jews, Buddhists, and Hindus have varying existential philosophies, the emphasis of exercising compassion, love, and respect for people is a vital element of spiritual growth.
Ending Violence, Discrimination, and Prejudice
In her writing, hooks highlights the need to discontinue patterns of prejudice, violence, discrimination, and exploitation running along lines of gender, race, class, and sexuality. At a “Women of Color” conference, she explains:
We force our children out of the wholeness and connectedness in which they begin their lives. Instead of cultivating intimacy, we teach boys and girls in complementary ways to bury their deepest selves; to stop speaking and attending to the truth; to hold in mistrust or even in closeness our natures crave. It is this call to surrender our essential recognition of human interdependency for a dominator model of life which leads citizens to support a culture of domination and violence.” These well-articulated ideas and continue to echo the fundamental beliefs and virtues across a many religious practices (2006).
Along with exercising love, her message to end all dimensions violence can be found in number of diverse religious teachings.
In Judaism and Christianity, the root of nonviolence stems from the belief that God made everyone and each person bears the imprint of His holiness equally. (Gellman & Hartman, 2002) A passage in the New Testament of the Bible reads: “Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also” (Matthew 5:38-39). In addition, Proverbs 10:11 says: “The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked.”
Furthermore, Christians and Jews believe God commands justice for orphans and widows, the oppressed, the meek, the poor, and the vulnerable. In essence, God is always on the side of the victims. Theologians suggest the Christian faith has endured for so long because followers find solace and hope in a God who cares for those with no power. In a world fraught with violence and oppression, many Christians and Jews find hope in God’s power to end violence and injustice.
In Buddhism, the root of anti-prejudice and nonviolence lies in the belief that “all living things are on a journey to enlightenment, and that people must abandon the self and its emotions (anger, jealously, and desire) in order to reach enlightenment” (Gellman & Hartman, 2002). Buddhists also call attention to the interconnectedness of all life. An article regarding Buddha’s teachings reads, “we are the same as plants, as trees, as other people, as the rain that falls. We consist of that which is around us, we are the same as everything. If we destroy something around us, we destroy ourselves. If we cheat another, we cheat ourselves” (Cohen, 1969).
Chapter XVI, verse II of the Bhagavad-Gita, a sacred Hindu text, translates: “deceitfulness, and arrogance, and pride, Quickness to anger, harsh and evil speech, And ignorance, to its own darkness blind, These be the signs, My Prince! of him whose birth Is fated for the regions of the vile” (Gellman & Hartman, 2002). This verse captures the powerful virtue of nonviolence in the Hindu faith.
In Hinduism and Buddhism alike, the word “Ahisma” refers to the concept of non-violent, non-injurious opposition of evil. This comprehensive term promotes the “entire abstinence of causing any pain or harm to any living creature, either by thought, word, or deed. Non-injury requires a harmless mind, mouth, and hand”. The vow of Ahimsa is broken by showing contempt towards any other human being, such as: “entertaining unreasonable dislike for or prejudice towards anybody, frowning at another, by hating another, by abusing another, by speaking ill of others, by backbiting or vilifying, by harboring thoughts of hatred, by uttering lies, or by ruining another in any way whatsoever” (Gellman & Hartman, 2002)
Awareness and Reflection
As an intellectual, professor, and writer, hooks’ wholeheartedly reiterates the importance and necessity of awareness and critical reflection in all societies. At the “Women of Color” conference she passionately states, “while there are many ways to learn epistemologies, we all know that experience coupled with awareness and critical reflection about what’s happening around us and why is one of life’s great teachers” (2006). The practice of deep reflection and expanded awareness undoubtedly plays an integral role in Christianity, Buddhism, and Hinduism.
Christians practice reflection and expanded awareness through prayer. Prayer typically consists of speaking, reflecting, writing, singing, or conversing on a deep level with God. Through prayer, Christians believe the almighty Father will guide and cultivate wisdom in their thoughts, actions, and words. In Philippians 1:8-10 of the Bible, Paul writes: “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ.”
In Buddhism, meditation is the primary method of engaging in intrapersonal reflection and expanding awareness. While Christians communicate with a divine, cosmic Being, Buddhists meditate by practicing techniques that develop mindfulness, concentration, tranquility, and insight. Through meditation, Buddhists detach themselves from the desire and fear of the “mind” in order to experience the joy of awareness and enlightenment.
Hindu’s practice deep, critical reflection through prayer, meditation, and yoga. Karma Yoga, one of the four primary types of Hindu meditation, aims to “cultivate of virtues such as tolerance, adaptability, sympathy, mercy, equal vision, balance of mind, cosmic love, patience, perseverance, humility, generosity, nobility, self-restraint, control of anger, non-violence, truthfulness, moderation in eating, drinking and sleeping, simple living and endurance” (Sivananda, 1999).
Disintegrating the Illusion of Separateness
Towards the end of her keynote speech at the “Women of Color” conference, hooks claims, “the aspect of religious faith that I cherish is the mystical dimension, the focus on love and union with divine spirit. Any time we work to end dueling domination; we are doing the work of love” (2006). After trudging through the daunting struggles of racial oppression and segregation, religious hypocrisy, and familial dysfunction; hooks develops and promotes a paradigm of morality rooted in love and compassion. She strives to shatter the illusions of separateness not only within race, gender, sexuality, and ethnicity, but also religion. Instead of close-mindedly following one religion, she extrapolates wise teachings and practices from a multitude of religions. In turn, diverse religious teachings throughout the world echo hooks’ ideas, and that alone provides immense validity for her claims.
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