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The parable of
the blind men and the elephant
courtesy: http://www.godloveseveryone.org/

It was six men of Indostan
To learning much inclined,
Who went to see the Elephant
(Though all of them were blind).
That each by observation
Might satisfy his mind.

The First approached the Elephant,
And happening to fall
Against his broad and sturdy side,
At once began to bawl:
"God bless me! but the Elephant
Is very like a wall!"

The Second, feeling of the tusk
Cried, "Ho! what have we here
So very round and smooth and sharp?
To me 'tis very clear
This wonder of an Elephant
Is very like a spear!

The Third approached the animal
And, happening to take
The squirming trunk within his hands
Thus boldly up he spake:
"I see," quoth he, "the Elephant
Is very like a snake."

The Fourth reached out an eager hand,
And felt about the knee:
"What most this wondrous beast is like
Is very plain," quoth he;
" 'Tis clear enough the Elephant
Is very like a tree!"

The Fifth, who chanced to touch the ear,
Said: "E'en the blindest man
Can tell what this resembles most;
Deny the fact who can
This marvel of an Elephant
Is very like a fan!"

The Sixth no sooner had begun
About the beast to grope
Than, seizing on the swinging tail
That fell within his scope.
"I see," quoth he, "the Elephant
Is very like a rope!"

And so these men of Indostan
Disputed loud and long,
Each in his own opinion
Exceeding stiff and strong.
Though each was partly in the right,
They all were in the wrong!

This is the composite elephant the blind men saw. It reminds us that the world we live in is built up of the quite different experiences that people have had, and which they have managed to communicate with each other. But let us also consider that if the blind men had exchanged places, and individually experienced that portion of the elephant that they had not felt previously, they ultimately would have been able to agree upon a much better looking elephant than this one. As we read, and listen, and experience, we establish the basis for a closer understanding of what others experience, and thus we can -- in the end -- find that we have much more to agree on than to disagree about. It is when we stop learning that we begin to build the barrier that keeps us from understanding other people -- and perhaps finding common agreement with them.

-- Courtesy Kaiser Aluminum News

The original author is unknown. The poem, in my opinion, obviously comes from the general vicinity of India, Pakistan and Indonesia. Perhaps it might be a Hindu parable. This copy of the parable was published in an unknown magazine from at least twenty years ago. That copy was marked as being Courtesy Kaiser Aluminum News so we are happy to give Kaiser Aluminum credit for the artwork and the conclusion in the last paragraph above.

I learned this parable as a child, between forty and fifty years ago. I remember hearing about it from my parents and in other places. I recently discovered a copy of this parable in the small desk that, until recently, was in the loft of the house I live in now, the desk that my mother would have used twenty or twenty-five years ago (while she and Dad were building the house she still lives in today). She does not remember what magazine the above was copied from. It's not surprising that she would have kept such a story. My father was a Lutheran minister, and Mom still sings in church almost every week (at 80 years young).

I really enjoy this parable because it speaks to how differently each of us view God. If we were to think about God as being equivalent to the elephant in this story, then each religion on Earth might be considered equivalent to the individual blind men. No religion has had time to see ALL of God, so from each of their limited perspectives, they try to describe the God that is the basis of their religions. When their descriptions disagree with each other, the religions accuse each other of being wrong. Instead, wouldn't life be so much better if, instead of everyone being wrong, we could think about everyone being right, to some extent. None of us is perfect. Let's pray for the day that we can agree that we all honor and/or worship the same God, and that God Loves EVERYONE, not just certain sects.

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The parable ofthe blind men and the elephantcourtesy: http://www.godloveseveryone.org/

The parable of
the blind men and the elephant
courtesy: http://www.godloveseveryone.org/