As I sit here at the home computer, images of my family, Jennie, Shamus and Sean flash across my monitor’s screen. Those I love. And, I think about them when I think of worldwide events. I wish the world was a better place — a place where folks ain’t out to destroy other folks just because they are not on the same page in the hymnal.
History is full of crimes of horrific proportions. It doesn’t matter how many times the world turns on its axis, how many times the sun rises, how many years pass, some things — for some reason — can’t seem to change.
The news of the past few days is over the words spoken by the Pope. Words echoed from the mid-ages regarding Islam and a part it’s teachings. And, I can’t help but wish the Pope would not have linked Islam and violence, if only because fanatics feed on this stuff — not because there is no link between Islam and violence. There is, but we live in a world where freedom of speech is dangerous. Especially when it comes to religion.
Christiandom had its own time of wicked righteousness. The words ‘Crusades,? ‘Inquisition? and ‘witch-hunt? come to mind. Religion, at the hands of extremists, has been the death of a lot of folks. Talk to history’s whipping boys, the Jews, about how evil people can be because of religion.
A new day has surely brought a new spin of the ‘In The Name of God Lunatic Fringe Wheel.? Round and round she goes, who will die, nobody knows. And, those who have a death hold on the handle these days are those killing in the names of Mohammed.
Do I believe Islam is the bane of humanity?
Nope.
Do I believe more than on tenth of one percent of the Muslim community makes up the bloody, murderous lunatic fringe?
Nope. Just as I don’t chalk up bombings of abortion clinics, doctors and people to all who follow Christ’s teachings. It just means there are dangerous-minded freaks found in any group. And so, I am kinda sad that in this day of super quick communications and the ever ‘shrinking? world, where we all know we are really more familiar than different, that families still have to read the hate-mongors? message.
The Pope spoke of violence and Islam, he wasn’t wrong, but now the world will hold its breath while the zealots whip themselves up to a lather. They shall prove the point.
I’ve read of the retaliation against the Catholic Church and I see reports of a nun being murdered, chruches fire-bombed, a call for the righteous assassination of the Pope. A window has been opened a wee bit and lunatics are eager to crash through. Media images of Muslim children carrying real or fake automatic weapons, screaming for the death of the Pope probably hasn’t helped the cause of forgiveness and peace.
I keep on wondering, if a plane full of lunatic fringe Catholics crashed into a skyscraper, would the rest of the Catholic world be silent? I don’t think so. I think they would be chastised as evil, and rightfully so. When a sick-minded Muslim tried to assassinate the previous Pope in the early 1980s, I don’t recall Christiandom calling for a Holy War against all of Islam.
So, maybe the Pope wasn’t wrong, but he sure was ill-timed with his comments. Blown opportunity, maybe, but maybe not. Maybe now is the time leaders in the religious world will first look inward and then out to their fellow human beings. Maybe now the window has also been opened to finding common g round. Maybe now when these leaders look heavenward and ponder, ‘Why are we here?? and ‘What is our purpose? they will find the courage to hear, ‘Love thy neighbor . . .? and nothing more.
It is time the politically correct world,where honest dialogue is discouraged, to end. It’s time for the slate to be wiped clean, where retaliation, retribution, revenge and reparations for the sins of our fathers are laid to rest. It’s time we children forgive our fathers as well as their transgressors.
There, I said it — not that it really matters.