PREJUDICE FUELED BY VIOLENCE! post 155

Hi,

This blogger grew up understanding that discussing religion or politics was taboo !!!!!!!!! And for many years this blogger followed the rule but getting older made her realize someone has to tackle the realities of both.  The emails received in recent months have been vitriolic on Islam's Sharia and much as this blogger hates to break the first rule after breaking the second, here goes.

First and foremost this is not a blog on who is right about which religion. My personal choice is not going to be expressed nor is it important to this dialogue. This is about TRUTH  and where we stand on that issue and RESPONSIBILITY and where we stand on that issue. Obviously, this blogger is big on both and does her best to test it.

So, let's try RESPONSIBILITY first and what we see as our role in the modern world and our nation.

America has a Constitution that prescribes religious freedom in our nation. DOES THAT TELL YOU ANYTHING ???????????? IT TELLS THIS BLOGGER THAT THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS ISSUE HAS REARED ITS UGLY HEAD !!!!!!!!!!!! THE PILGRIMS WHO CAME TO AMERICA HAD A BELLY FULL OF IT. ENOUGH TO WANT TO SCROUNGE A LIFE OUT OF A WILDERNESS !!!!!!!!!!! OUR FOREFATHERS SAW IT WAS A NEVER ENDING ARGUMENT THAT HAD TO BE EXPRESSED IN OUR MOST IMPORTANT DOCUMENT !!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay, so part of America's responsibility is to attempt to keep an open mind. NOT EASY WHEN OUR NATION'S BELIEF IN GOD HAS BEEN ATTACKED BY TERRORISTS IN MYRIAD WAYS, THE MOST TERRIFYING OF WHICH WAS AN ATTACK ON THE TWIN TOWERS IN NEW YORK.  THE MOST RECENT THE BOSTON MARATHON. OTHER ATTACKS HAVE COME UNDER THE HEADING OF ISLAMIC EXTREMISM.

 BY THE WAY, IN CASE YOU DIDN'T KNOW RELIGIOUS ENMITY GOES AS FAR BACK AS RELIGION GOES !!!!!!!!!!! LOOK IT UP !!!!!!!!!! DOESN'T MAKE IT RIGHT !!!!!!!!!!!!! JUST MAKES IT SO !!!!!!!!!!

THAT GREAT AMERICAN TRAIT OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IS BECOMING HARDER FOR OUR CITIZENS TO SUPPORT !!!!!!!!! Terrorist events are happening during a time when many citizens are turning away from religion AND ITS MORAL precepts particularly ignored among the younger generations. The remainder of RELIGIOUS believers in America are realizing the vulnerability CAUSED BY this abandonment. Religious anger is often based on vulnerability because if one has a solid platform under personal  beliefs and the church  has a multitude of solid believers, one feels strong and positive. One can be rather more magnanimous toward those who don't agree!!!!!

 VULNERABILITY IN THEIR RELIGIOUS beliefs PUTS MANY BELIEVERS IN THE ROLE OF SOLDIERS DEFENDING THEIR TERRITORY RATHER THAN DEFENDING THE CONSTITUTION.  RIGHT OR WRONG THAT'S THE SITUATION AND TERRORIST GROUPS ARE EXPLOITING IT TO THE MAX !!!!!!!!!!!!

ON THE OTHER HAND MIDDLE EASTERNERS ARE SEEING THEIR ANCIENT WAYS BEING CHALLENGED AND ABANDONED AND THEIR VULNERABILITY IS CAUSING THEM TO TURN A BLIND EYE TO THE TERRORIST ELEMENTS THAT HAVE DEVELOPED IN THEIR RANKS WHO BECOME SOLDIERS IN ISLAM'S CAUSE.  RIGHT OR WRONG THAT'S THE SITUATION AND WITH THE MIDDLE EAST CONSTANTLY IN TURMOIL, WHERE ARE THE RESPONSIBLE SPOKESMEN FOR THE RELIGION ???????????? ELSEWHERE!!!!

IF AMERICA IS TO CONTINUE ITS RESPONSIBILITY IN PROTECTING RELIGIOUS FREEDOM WHAT ABOUT THE REST OF THE WORLD ???????????? WELL, OBVIOUSLY NO MATTER WHAT HUBRIS WE POSSESS WE DON'T CONTROL THEM !!!!!!!!!!!! THEY ARE EXPRESSING THEIR OWN PROBLEMS AND ATTITUDES.

 So it is this Blogger's sense that we have A CONFLICT NOT ONLY REMINISCENT OF THE ANCIENT RELIGIOUS WARS BUT A DEEP AND ABIDING ATMOSPHERE OF DISTRUST BETWEEN THE COMBATANTS. HOWEVER, REMEMBER "IT TAKES TWO TO TANGO" !!!!!!!!!!!  RESPONSIBILITY ON EITHER SIDE CAN DEFLECT THE CONFLICT AND LET IT DIE A NATURAL DEATH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 RELIGION BECOMES A WONDERFUL "POSSESSION" AS PRECIOUS AS ONE'S FAMILY !!!!!!!!!! THREATENED !!!!!!!  IT MAKES THE HOLDER MORE POSSESSIVE AND DESIROUS  OF PROTECTING THIS "POSSESSION" AND PROVING HOW PERFECT IT IS BY SHARING IT WITH OTHERS !!!!!!!!!!! HENCE THE DESIRE OF RELIGIONS TO CONSTANTLY HAVE MISSIONARIES IN THE FIELD.  SHARING IS GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! EXCEPT WHEN WE FORCE IT ON FOLKS!!!!!!!!!!! AND MOST RELIGIONS HAVE BEEN GUILTY OF THIS AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER.

UNFORTUNATELY MOST RELIGIONS HAVE A RATHER IMPERFECT PAST AND A RATHER SHORT MEMORY FOR THOSE IMPERFECTIONS BOTH PAST AND PRESENT BECAUSE THE  DISPLAY BECOMES SORDID.  ALL  RELIGIONS CAN LOOK AT THEIR OWN PAST AND PRESENT AND PRAY FOR BETTER ATTITUDES AND MORALS BY NOT FORGETTING TRANSGRESSIONS, HARM TO OTHERS, AND THE WAYWARD MORALS OF RELIGIOUS ADVOCATES AND LEADERS.

TOLERANCE IS DIFFICULT BECAUSE  THE MAJOR DIFFERENCES ARE  NOT ONLY IN RELIGIOUS BELIEFS BUT  CUSTOMS AS WELL. WE HAVE SECTS OF RELIGIONS ALL AROUND OUR COUNTRY WHO HAD DIFFICULTY ESTABLISHING THEIR CUSTOMS.  IT HAS CERTAINLY BEEN EASIER WITH THE LESS MILITANT GROUPS. 

WE CAN WISH FOR MORE RESPONSIBILITY FROM THE MIDDLE EAST BUT ALTHOUGH A MAJORITY OF MUSLIMS MAY BE PEACEFUL, WE HAVE NOT EXACTLY MADE OURSELVES TREASURED FRIENDS IN THE MIDDLE EAST. A LOT OF ENMITY FROM VIOLENT CONFLICTS ON THE BATTLEFIELD MAKE AMERICANS SEEM LIKE AN ENEMY AND CONTRIBUTE TO A RELUCTANCE TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ERRORS OF A MINORITY OF ISLAMISTS.

SO, AS USUAL, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S UP TO US TO ATTEMPT TO BEHAVE WELL !!!!!!!!!!! TO LIVE UP TO OUR CONSTITUTION AND OUR MORAL PLATFORM !!!!!!!!!!!

HOWEVER,  CITIZENS OF MIDDLE EASTERN HERITAGE  IN THIS COUNTRY MUST STEP FORWARD AND TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THOSE IN THEIR MIDST WHO DO NOT RESPECT AND TOLERATE THE RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS THAT AMERICA ALLOWS !!!!!!!!!!!!!! THIS IS VITAL !!!!!!!!!!! WE ARE A NATION OF IMMIGRANTS WHO COME TOGETHER AS AMERICANS !!!!!!!!! THAT same AMERICANISM, DOWNPLAYED SO OFTEN, IS VITAL TO THE SURVIVAL OF ALL  IN RESPECT TO FREEDOM!!!!!!!

 VIOLENCE must be REPUDIATED. Those who refuse to eschew violence should understand THAT PROSECUTION UNDER THE FULL EXTENT OF THE LAW WILL OCCUR and they should be encouraged to return to their native countries where they can practice their beliefs.

RESPONSIBILITY PROTECTS FREEDOM!!!!!!!!!!!
PREJUDICE IS FUELED BY VIOLENCE--A SIREN TO AVOID!!!!!!!!!!!!

AMERICA CAN ONLY WORK AND BE A STRONG, PEACEFUL COUNTRY IF ALL OF US ACCEPT AMERICAN VALUES, PRINCIPLES, AND INSTITUTIONS. THE CONSTITUTION IS THE FOREMOST PART OF EACH AND EVERY FIBER OF WHAT IS AMERICA. IT MUST BE RESPECTED BY ALL SO THAT THE FEW WHO REFUSE CAN ALSO BE FREE TO EXPRESS THAT difference  NON-VIOLENTLY  !!!!!!!!!!!

THINK ABOUT IT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

CHEERS, CONNIE