The recent attacks on the United States, followed by the retaliatory strikes against the Taliban Government of Afghanistan, and the followers of Osama Bin Laden, have given me pause to think, and to ask for guidence from the World of Spirit. Couple these troubles with the on-going conflict between the Israeli's and the Palestinians, and you have a very explosive on your hands.
Osama Bin Laden, and his cronies, would have us believe that they are attacking America because of the US policy over Israel. However he has stated that he was fighting to cleanse the Arabian peninsular following the defiling of the land by unbelievers.
Question one arises here. Who gave Bin Laden the authority to decide who may and who may not set foot in Saudi Arabia?
Question two is by what right is he able to overrule the Saudi government who invited the US to help fend off the Iraqi army?
The Palestinian leadership has firmly denied the Mr Bin Laden either has the right to speak for them, or to align his action with their cause. Quite rightly they have condemned the attacks on September 11th 2001, and although they obviously would prefer no action taken against Afghanistan, they do appreciate the feelings of the USA and the desire for justice.
I was watching the news today (October 19th 2001) and I heard Israel comparing the assassination of its Tourist Minister to the attack on the World Trade Centre. With all the tit for tat killings that have taken place over the past 50 years let alone the last month, I think they are out of their minds if they think anyone would take that comparison seriously. And that statement came in the same bulletein that announced that a 10 year old Palestinian girl had been killed when an Israeli tank fired on the school she was attending.
I will not pretend that I understand everything about the situation in this region, but as far as I can see the two sides are as bad as each other. It is about time that they realised their common heritage and found a way to live together.
The trouble is, I suppose, compounded by the events of the Second World War and the guilt felt by the governments of Britain, America, France etc, over the treatment by Hitler of the Jews. This meant that when a large number converged on what was then British administered Palestine, claiming or rather reclaiming their historical homeland, it was too politically awkward for anyone to stand in their way. They held the guilt trip card. The problem is no-one understood the current incumbents in the area - the Palestinians. Also all these Jews were not native to the area, most were refugees from Europe.
Can you imagine, for instance, every Australian, suddenly moving to Britain, pushing the current inhabitants aside, claiming it and his homeland based upon he ancestors leaving Britain 200 years ago? Nobody would take that seriously. But that in essence is what happened in Palestine. Or how about a chinese-american, born in America, whose parents were born in America, but because their grand parents or great grand parents came from China, they can claim the right to reside in China, get all the benefits associated with China, but having never before left the United States.
And the Jews were not afraid to use terrorist tactics against the British, although they probably saw themselves as freedom fighters.
Thanks to the cold war, Israel found herself a natural ally in America, and was of great benefit to the US in an area that the Soviet Union had so much influence over. This together with the large Jewish lobby within the United States meant that Israel got the support it wanted rather than the support it deserved.
Back to the present day. All this trouble is carried out in the name of religion. Even the supporters of Bin Laden, want to make it a religious thing. America defiled Islamic soil. America is fighting Islam. You can kill Americans because they are not Moslems.
RUBBISH!
This has nothing to do with religion. After all examine the religions involved in this struggle. Islam, Christianity, Judaism. What are the differences? They all come from the same roots. They all believe most of the same things. They all accept that there is one God, and only one God. What differences there are, are minor. When the people who claim to represent these faiths realise this, and the leaders of the waring factions decide to read their scriptures, and to follow the guidelines set out by their prophets, without trying to twist the Holy words for their own ends, then maybe, just maybe we will have some peace in this world.
Thats one thing I like about Spiritualism. We can accept the writings of all religions, and we feel that every person, no matter what religion they follow, is part of God's family, and therefore part of ours. And although families may have disagreements from time to time, they do try to live in harmony.
you can return to MY HOME PAGE with this link ----
Get your own Free Home Page