Examples - Religion - Articles about Israel

We've mentioned the concept of a proflict. Let's try to look at it objectively.

True, some Orthodox residents in Jerusalem expect movies and certain streets to be closed on Shabbat. But is this a conflict? To the contrary. Let's wake up Webster and tell him we have a new word for this - a proflict. After all, nobody was threatened by the demonstrators who were defending the Torah.

Those examples of proflicts can be extended still further. Jerusalem has no public transportation on Shabbat. Some enterprising individuals once initiated a private Shabbat bus service. Was this a conflict? A threat? Hardly.

That bus service failed - not because of stonings or religious demonstrations, but because it was not commercially viable.

The Shabbat bus is a response to those who search for a non-existent religious-secular conflict. When confronted, our Korachs admit that there was really no reason to make a fuss, that they were just shooting off their mouths, heh-heh, kind of, er, to make conversation, or something, and I think there's something boiling on my stove now and I gotta go.

Sure. Right. But in the meantime, these modern-day spies inflicted their damage. They convinced some people that here is real strife and conflict. After all, conflict is exciting. It might also be news. A bit of resentment thrown in helps even more. It's more interesting to talk or write about conflict than about cooperation, good will, and satisfaction. And why not use our differing religious tendencies to stir up some bad will?

Two personal examples can further illustrate this point. Some children of Orthodox parents stoned cars traveling on Shabbat a number of years ago in Jerusalem. In response, I worked together with other religious and secular residents to keep the road open on Shabbat. Religious-secular conflict? Ridiculous. Coercion to close roads in secular neighborhoods? Nothing could be farther from the truth.

The stone-throwing stopped. That main thoroughfare remains open to this day. Shortly thereafter, my wife and I rode on it - not on Shabbat, but on Yom Kippur. We were blessed with a lovely baby boy half an hour later.

Another example. One Shabbat our eight-year-old son was playing outside. Another child down the block was listening to his cassette recorder. A third kid bawled out the music lover for desecrating the Shabbat. My little son went over and let the zealot know, in no uncertain terms, that it was none of his business, and sent him on his way.

Conflict? Only in the eyes and minds of the beholder.

Where do you want to go now?