The Torments of God

I have been watching a lot of You Tube videos lately about the war in Iraq. I really wanted to get both sides of the issue, so I started not only watching posts placed by our soldiers, but also posts placed by our enemies. I am not easily swayed, but I do listen to reason. I am patriotic, but not so much to believe our government is innocent and not the cause for some of our conflict. I support our troops but certainly wish like hell we didn't need to be over there. There is so much propaganda from both sides that it is hard to tell what is true and what is not.

I also believe it to be more patriotic to question our government than to be a sheep to it. When a United States citizen can not protest or question his/her government, then we have "jumped the shark".

All that being said, I have to say that our enemies have lost their way. I am no Christian, so I don't think any part of me could be called a "crusader", but I wonder in my heart of hearts if religion and it's radical side have severely impaired the judgements of our enemies, just as it has the minds and hearts of "religious" zealots throughout history. It leaves one to wonder, are we the torments of God?

I believe firmly in God, in His existence, in His mercy, and in His power. I also believe that he has given us a gift in the messages placed by people before us. All major religions, from Buddhism to Islam contain the precepts for a perfect world and a great life. Treat others well. Do not steal. Do not kill. Show compassion. Show mercy. Value life to enjoy it for eternity. We honor not only God Himself, but ourselves in our Humanity, by being all of these things. It isn't funny, but rather sad, that those who believe themselves closest to God are the antithesis of all that has been taught about what God is about.

An example of this would be in one video I watched. In this video, Muslim extremists shout Allahu Akbar (God is great) while blowing up a vehicle. I also heard them screaming this as they sliced a man's head off. So, I wonder, what would God think about all of this?

Would God think He so great as an innocent man's head is sliced off (while alive mind you) for no real reason? Does God actually believe it great when we blow each other up? Does God get all tingly when we butcher each other for senseless ideology and religious extremism? After reading the Bible and the Quran many times, I cannot seem to find it in me to believe the God I have read about and prayed to; the God who has shown me beautiful sunrises and love, could possibly be the God these radicals believe find pride in them for destroying it all for so many people. Oh, and I am not just speaking about our enemies.

If Gandhi proved one thing it is that you don't need to be violent to get things done, you just need to be right. Had Gandhi been a violent man, many more Indians would have lost their lives and the world would have lost a great example of true leadership and humanity. India may have eventually gained her independence, but the road would have been paved with the corpses of many more of her people to get there. Gandhi also proved that if you want to have your enemies listen to you, let peace be your weapon.

If Osama bin Laden had been a peace-loving man, and a true man of Islam, then he would not have to be in hiding and could have a far greater voice in how his world is changed. Instead, he must cower in a cave and only have those who already agree with him hear his voice. Nothing like being a champion of others who no one will listen to. Plus, how many Muslims would have been still alive to follow the peaceful examples of change in a true man of peace? Or is it that Islam is truly a violent religion?

Yet, here we are, in the midst of brutal and inhuman war, prepared to the utmost for an attack at any time in our country, and past all the charity humans have extended each other in times of crisis, we have the evil that men do to each other. Someday, perhaps, we will get past ourselves, our borders, our religions, our skin tone, our sex, our "things" and learn to live with each other in peace and prosperity. Maybe Muslims won't have to blow up Christians and Christians won't have to burn witches and try to dominate the world. Maybe, in this exercise of euphoria, we become humans instead of sections of humanity. One thing for sure, it won't happen in my lifetime. Today, even in our best of times, we somehow find it in ourselves to somehow become the torments of God.