*I apologize in advance for anything said in this post that offends anyone, of any religion.*
I recently watched a movie named The Last Templar- an original movie from NBC that we've had in our DVR since January. It was about the Templars who were the protecters of the church (vatican) in Rome in 1200. And how they had supposedly hid a Gospel of Jesus that dispelled everything that Christianity embodies. And so this FBI agent and this archeologist go to find it, (to keep it out of the wrong hands) while a crazed, bitter old man, and a "man of the church" chase them. One fighting to expose the secret, the other fighting to keep peoples' faith in God. A very, very great movie.Anyway, it got me thinking about religion.I mean, people have been fighting and dying over it for millions of years; since ancient Greece. There were the crusades, the templars, the pagan prosecutions, even the Holocaust had a part in this war for religion. And people are still fighting today. In Iraq, Afghanistan, Sudan. It amazes me how people can be so willing to die for something they aren't even sure is real. Of course I believe in a higher power, an afterlife, a sort of heaven. But hell? and Judgement Day? With all of the forgiveness and love that die-hard believers preach, it is hard to believe that god would be so cruel as to send any number of his people to a place of eternal suffering for a small sin that He found some way to not forgive. The idea of my sould being banished to some unimaginable place where not even the smallest light of hope burns bright in the furthest distance, frightens me. But some how, heaven, hell, and God don't all fit together. It's like two perfectly matched puzzle pieces, and a jagged edge. Anyway, I admire the people like some of my friends who are so adamant in their belief in God- nothing can budge their faith and I envy their loyalty. I know that that could never be me. Yet, it makes me so sad that all around the world, the number of battles that are fought in the name of any higher power are piled high and grow everyday adding immesurable numbers to this everlasting war of religion. It makes me want to cry when I think of how many people have died for what they believed in, when, in any miniscule way, religions are connected. Every religion holds a form of prayer, an understanding, forgiving superior being, and undaunted faith. It makes my life, the way I make mountains out ant hills, so minute and unimportant. People are dying for what they belive in while I am here, complaining about picking up about 50 rotten apples from our back yard. It empowers me, realizing how much more important the message of peace is. No longer is it just a sign for Woodstock, or two fingers posed for a picture. No longer is it a message for only the president to pursuade him to stop unnecessary fighting. When people come to realize that war won't end with the troops coming home from the Middle East, they will realize that war will never end while people forever harbor hostility about their god, a muslim god, a jewish god... whatever. What if, there are seperate heavens, ruled by Gods of seperate faiths? What if there is a Muslim heaven ruled by Al;lah, under the words of the Koran, inspired by Muhammad? What if, there is a Christian heaven ruled over by God under the Bible, inspired in the people by Jesus? And so on? Let people believe what they want to believe- for with a continued war, faith will work overtime, loyalty will be tested, and more and more people will die for what they believe in. Despite their honorable death, their death is unnecessary. It hurts me to think about the millions and millions of people that would have done great things for the world, had they not perished for God, Allah, or what have you. In this world, compromise and understanding are simply words in the dictionary. How many more people will have to die, before the world realizes that human differences, in looks, ideas, and beliefs, are only a part, an unavoidable part at that, of life? How many will have to die before people realize that blood is being spilt in the name of a religion that despises killing as a sin, and preaches love, understanding and forgiveness? How many more will die in the name of religion?The answer, I'm sure, will never be know. However, I hope to the heavens that the killing will stop. It will take time, but it can, gradually, be stopped. I truly believe that.
I recently watched a movie named The Last Templar- an original movie from NBC that we've had in our DVR since January. It was about the Templars who were the protecters of the church (vatican) in Rome in 1200. And how they had supposedly hid a Gospel of Jesus that dispelled everything that Christianity embodies. And so this FBI agent and this archeologist go to find it, (to keep it out of the wrong hands) while a crazed, bitter old man, and a "man of the church" chase them. One fighting to expose the secret, the other fighting to keep peoples' faith in God. A very, very great movie.Anyway, it got me thinking about religion.I mean, people have been fighting and dying over it for millions of years; since ancient Greece. There were the crusades, the templars, the pagan prosecutions, even the Holocaust had a part in this war for religion. And people are still fighting today. In Iraq, Afghanistan, Sudan. It amazes me how people can be so willing to die for something they aren't even sure is real. Of course I believe in a higher power, an afterlife, a sort of heaven. But hell? and Judgement Day? With all of the forgiveness and love that die-hard believers preach, it is hard to believe that god would be so cruel as to send any number of his people to a place of eternal suffering for a small sin that He found some way to not forgive. The idea of my sould being banished to some unimaginable place where not even the smallest light of hope burns bright in the furthest distance, frightens me. But some how, heaven, hell, and God don't all fit together. It's like two perfectly matched puzzle pieces, and a jagged edge. Anyway, I admire the people like some of my friends who are so adamant in their belief in God- nothing can budge their faith and I envy their loyalty. I know that that could never be me. Yet, it makes me so sad that all around the world, the number of battles that are fought in the name of any higher power are piled high and grow everyday adding immesurable numbers to this everlasting war of religion. It makes me want to cry when I think of how many people have died for what they believed in, when, in any miniscule way, religions are connected. Every religion holds a form of prayer, an understanding, forgiving superior being, and undaunted faith. It makes my life, the way I make mountains out ant hills, so minute and unimportant. People are dying for what they belive in while I am here, complaining about picking up about 50 rotten apples from our back yard. It empowers me, realizing how much more important the message of peace is. No longer is it just a sign for Woodstock, or two fingers posed for a picture. No longer is it a message for only the president to pursuade him to stop unnecessary fighting. When people come to realize that war won't end with the troops coming home from the Middle East, they will realize that war will never end while people forever harbor hostility about their god, a muslim god, a jewish god... whatever. What if, there are seperate heavens, ruled by Gods of seperate faiths? What if there is a Muslim heaven ruled by Al;lah, under the words of the Koran, inspired by Muhammad? What if, there is a Christian heaven ruled over by God under the Bible, inspired in the people by Jesus? And so on? Let people believe what they want to believe- for with a continued war, faith will work overtime, loyalty will be tested, and more and more people will die for what they believe in. Despite their honorable death, their death is unnecessary. It hurts me to think about the millions and millions of people that would have done great things for the world, had they not perished for God, Allah, or what have you. In this world, compromise and understanding are simply words in the dictionary. How many more people will have to die, before the world realizes that human differences, in looks, ideas, and beliefs, are only a part, an unavoidable part at that, of life? How many will have to die before people realize that blood is being spilt in the name of a religion that despises killing as a sin, and preaches love, understanding and forgiveness? How many more will die in the name of religion?The answer, I'm sure, will never be know. However, I hope to the heavens that the killing will stop. It will take time, but it can, gradually, be stopped. I truly believe that.
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Understanding
- I find it odd that our whole lives, however partially, depend on the understanding of someone; whether that someone is a friend, parents, an employer, a higher power. Understanding is truly a virtue and a powerful thing. Understanding can mean the difference between friend and foe, love and hate, life and death.
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The human existence is a confusing, truly wonderous thing.
- I admire anyone who ventures into the unknowns of it.
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