The Manifesto once again has a guest blogger. Today's ponderings come from the Blogging Orangutan. Enjoy!
Life; it is an unparalleled state, beyond quantification or explanation. In the average lifetime, you couldn’t cover even a fraction of what creation holds for its members. The expansiveness of life is so grand, that it leaves many with questions. What is this? Why is that, this way? Over time, we’ve grown up; moved beyond basic questioning; populated the Earth. During this period, we’ve come to the biggest question of all: why? Why are we here? What is our purpose? Does life have a meaning? These questions have given way to answers. Mind you, these answers aren’t always the same.
For some, the answer was explained away with magic’s; powers lowly mortals couldn’t comprehend. The days of polytheism are well documented. However, there are those of the time who believed in nothing but the dirt they’d turn into, one day. These are the ever-present fatalists, of the world. Then, the rise of monotheism came, and Judaism was born. Years later, in the Indus valley, the Hindu’s breathed their first answers; and so continued the many comings and goings of religion. Many would follow.
After this, the Romans would rule, for a time; their polytheistic background controlling the main stage in the west, while Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism battled it out, in the East; all main-stream religions. And of course, the rise of Christianity would follow. But, not six-hundred years later, the word of Allah would arrive, on scene. This has been a nice history lesson on some of the more widely followed religions, but perhaps unnecessary. We’ve gotten away from the topic; which is life.
What is the true purpose; the real meaning, of life? Is life a trial; our audition tape? Is it a test to see if we’ve been good enough to get into some pearly palace, in the sky? What if we break a few rules? Like or do the wrong things? Will we be damned to some fiery underworld ruled over by an evil and horned cretin? Perhaps. What about Nirvana? Mayhap we wish to go there? Or we wish to reincarnate back into Brahman; experiencing the joy of our reunion. But do we know these will happen? Are we so faithful; so sure of such things? So willing to sacrifice the most pure from of self-thought that we give our lives for it; wishing it is true?
No confirmed explanation has been given, save for the deathly gaze upon those now passed. It is not a comforting gaze, to be sure. Still, many are certain of their answers. So certain, that they give there lives for it, instantly. They jump at a chance to see their answer verified. However, not everyone has the right answer; how can they? If I answer with X, and you answer with Y, then who’s right? We cannot both be correct. So; we push. We shove. We fight. Fight to enforce our answer on the other; fight to make sure we’re right. But, here’s the question: Are we? Are we right? Perhaps we are; but, then again perhaps not. Maybe, the other person is right. Maybe they’re wrong, too.
Now, we’re left with two people, who may both be wrong. But, we’ve gone and enforced our beliefs; killed the other. So, you kill the person; and(since we’re potentially wrong in our beliefs) it was over what; an opinion. Does that mean I should start killing those who like green, best? I mean, after-all; they’ve got an opinion that is different, than my own. That MUST justify killing them. But, maybe not. Indeed, if I’d simply tolerated them, and allowed them to think what they wished, rather than forcing my own belief down their throat, they might still be alive. The meaning of life may be outlined in the bible; in the teachings of Allah, and Mohammad; in the Sanskrit language of the Indus Valley peoples; but certainly not in the killings of those whom you disagree with. That comes only from the anger of the righteous; an anger that hurts all around it.
As long as we have tolerance for the answers of others; the choices and beliefs they have, we will have the closet thing to peace, around. While many might disagree, or interpret differently, the fact remains: Humans are social beings; flawed and social beings. We will make many mistakes. We will die. These are things we must all accept. But while we’re here, we can certainly strive to be friends. Strive to understand each other. Strive to live; not to hate. Strive to love; not fight. Finally, while we may not strive to die, we should strive to understand that it will happen; we should not fear it, but embrace its inevitability. Embrace it, and spend our lives doing just that: Living. Life is wonderful, and precious; spending your time being fearful will only hinder you.
Showing posts with label religious tolerance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label religious tolerance. Show all posts
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
The Non-Ground Zero Non-Mosque, Continued
You'd think there was nothing else going on in the world but a bunch of religious intolerance! This is all I've heard about on the radio for days now. No Palestine/Israel problem, no Iran, no winless wars. Heck, you barely hear how Obama's screwed up the country anymore.
Still, the topic of religious intolerance is both global and critical, so I'll go with it.
Yes, that's right folks: Americans are being (yet again) a bunch of bigoted, self-righteous Christians that would turn Jesus' stomach. Don't agree with me? Put it this way: if someone planned to build a church at or near ground zero, would anyone care? Would it have even made the news cycle? I bet even a synagogue wouldn't have raised eyebrows.
"But we're a Christian nation," I can hear you say. Wrong. YOU might be Christian, and a large percentage of the US citizenry may consider themselves Christian, but that does not a State religion make. (and that's a topic for another blog)
What we are is a nation of immature and insecure children. "A savage, childlike race," I believe it was phrased once. If someone is too different (ie, brown), we have to keep him out. If someone espouses ideas too different from ours (ie, Muslim, socialist, rational and educated....), we have to silence him. The problem with this (aside from basic bigotry) is that it never allows us any exposure to other ideas and hence retards our growth as a society.
The issue about the non-mosque that is not at ground zero is fueled by the anti-Muslim sentiment that proliferated after 9/11. I will even go so far as to say that, after that incident, some of that feeling was understandable. But it's nine years later, people. We've had the chance to calm down and realize that it was just a bunch of crazies who did it, not the entire religion. It's time to stop being fearful and ignorant. Muslims have lived among us all along. They are our neighbors. They mourned 9/11 and were outraged just like you did.
The biggest issue is that people are labeling an entire religion for the actions of its fundamentalist and crazy sect. I heard a great analogy on the radio today: if you are going to condemn Islam as a whole for 9/11, then are you going to condemn Christianity for the Oklahoma City bombing? How about for the Crusades? Or maybe for colluding with the Nazis to exterminate those Jesus-killing Jews? Or the Fundamentalist Mormons, who marry off teenage girls to 80 year old men? All these things were/are done in the name of Christianity.
Religious tolerance has never been our strong suit. Look at the freakin' Pilgrims. They came to America because no one else could stand them and their strict, intolerant ways. But it's the 21st Century; can't we move beyond this already?
And while this is a vital issue, it is not the only one at hand. There are other First Amendment rights in play. Such as: the (non-ground zero) location of this (non) mosque is private property. Since when did we have the right to tell someone what he can do on his own property? Isn't that freedom one of the key tenets of the very people who are fighting this center? How about self-determination? We are a nation of rugged individualists, right? So why is it so wrong for a community to decide, on a local level, that this center is ok? Who the hell are we to tell Manhattan what it can/can't do with one of its buildings?
(Hey Tea Baggers: remember this point next time you want to bitch about "city slickers" telling you what you can/can't do with the Public Lands in your area).
From what I can tell, the local government overwhelmingly approved this YMCA-like center. It's a privately owned building, which used to be a Burlington Coat Factory. There is a mosque nearby (which predates the Twin Towers, by the way), and a large enough Muslim community to support and benefit from this. So, opponents really don't have a leg to stand on. It is against the Constitution to protest this center. Of course, the Baggers and friends like to trash the Constitution whenever it proves an inconvenient truth.....(again, another blog).
The bottom line is this: it's private property and they can do whatever the hell they want with it. And, if people would shut off Dancing with the Stars and read an actual book, they might realize that we do, in fact, have freedom of religion in this country AND that Islam is closely related to Christianity.
Let them build their Islamic community center, and let's move on.
Still, the topic of religious intolerance is both global and critical, so I'll go with it.
Yes, that's right folks: Americans are being (yet again) a bunch of bigoted, self-righteous Christians that would turn Jesus' stomach. Don't agree with me? Put it this way: if someone planned to build a church at or near ground zero, would anyone care? Would it have even made the news cycle? I bet even a synagogue wouldn't have raised eyebrows.
"But we're a Christian nation," I can hear you say. Wrong. YOU might be Christian, and a large percentage of the US citizenry may consider themselves Christian, but that does not a State religion make. (and that's a topic for another blog)
What we are is a nation of immature and insecure children. "A savage, childlike race," I believe it was phrased once. If someone is too different (ie, brown), we have to keep him out. If someone espouses ideas too different from ours (ie, Muslim, socialist, rational and educated....), we have to silence him. The problem with this (aside from basic bigotry) is that it never allows us any exposure to other ideas and hence retards our growth as a society.
The issue about the non-mosque that is not at ground zero is fueled by the anti-Muslim sentiment that proliferated after 9/11. I will even go so far as to say that, after that incident, some of that feeling was understandable. But it's nine years later, people. We've had the chance to calm down and realize that it was just a bunch of crazies who did it, not the entire religion. It's time to stop being fearful and ignorant. Muslims have lived among us all along. They are our neighbors. They mourned 9/11 and were outraged just like you did.
The biggest issue is that people are labeling an entire religion for the actions of its fundamentalist and crazy sect. I heard a great analogy on the radio today: if you are going to condemn Islam as a whole for 9/11, then are you going to condemn Christianity for the Oklahoma City bombing? How about for the Crusades? Or maybe for colluding with the Nazis to exterminate those Jesus-killing Jews? Or the Fundamentalist Mormons, who marry off teenage girls to 80 year old men? All these things were/are done in the name of Christianity.
Religious tolerance has never been our strong suit. Look at the freakin' Pilgrims. They came to America because no one else could stand them and their strict, intolerant ways. But it's the 21st Century; can't we move beyond this already?
And while this is a vital issue, it is not the only one at hand. There are other First Amendment rights in play. Such as: the (non-ground zero) location of this (non) mosque is private property. Since when did we have the right to tell someone what he can do on his own property? Isn't that freedom one of the key tenets of the very people who are fighting this center? How about self-determination? We are a nation of rugged individualists, right? So why is it so wrong for a community to decide, on a local level, that this center is ok? Who the hell are we to tell Manhattan what it can/can't do with one of its buildings?
(Hey Tea Baggers: remember this point next time you want to bitch about "city slickers" telling you what you can/can't do with the Public Lands in your area).
From what I can tell, the local government overwhelmingly approved this YMCA-like center. It's a privately owned building, which used to be a Burlington Coat Factory. There is a mosque nearby (which predates the Twin Towers, by the way), and a large enough Muslim community to support and benefit from this. So, opponents really don't have a leg to stand on. It is against the Constitution to protest this center. Of course, the Baggers and friends like to trash the Constitution whenever it proves an inconvenient truth.....(again, another blog).
The bottom line is this: it's private property and they can do whatever the hell they want with it. And, if people would shut off Dancing with the Stars and read an actual book, they might realize that we do, in fact, have freedom of religion in this country AND that Islam is closely related to Christianity.
Let them build their Islamic community center, and let's move on.
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