MIDDLETOWN — Miami Middletown freshman Jeremy Parker didn’t exactly know what to expect, but hoped to emerge a little wiser.
Those hopes were settled in Parker’s head as he was entering Middletown’s Dave Finkelman Auditorium to watch a live video feed of the Dalai Lama’s guest lecture at Miami University in Oxford on Thursday.
“I just wanted to hear his thoughts and ideas on current events,” Parker said. “Maybe hear something about the war, or our financial situation.”
The 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet spoke for about an hour and a half about ethics, compassion and human rights. Live lecture footage was available to about 120 MUM students and community members via a large projector screen at the foot of the satellite campus auditorium.
The Dalai Lama’s message of unity resonated with Parker, particularly as the spiritual leader addressed the events of 9/11.
“There were only a few (Islamic) people that attacked us,” Parker said. “But we’ve generalized them. I’ll try to see the other side of things. There are just as many similarities as differences in our religions.”
When asked what Christianity and Buddhism had in common, the Dalai Lama replied, “Forgiveness, tolerance, contentment.”
The same message resonated with Kathy Gough, a Middletown resident who attended MUM in 1980.
“It’s not really religion causing the conflict, it’s power,” she said, echoing the Dalai Lama. “I hear people say religion is the cause of a lot of conflict. It’s just the way people are using it.”
Throughout the lecture, the Dalai Lama preached to people’s universal needs: respect, affection, survival.
“Every human being has the right to survive,” he said. “Even the trees and grass, they have the right to survive.”
Earlier in the day, Miami University presented the Dalai Lama with an honorary Doctor of Laws degree and international leadership award from Harry T. Wilks. On Wednesday he was awarded the “international freedom conductor award” by the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati.
The 75-year-old spiritual leader is considered one of the world’s strongest advocates for peace and morality. He was awarded the Nobel Peace prize in 1989.
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