I just watched a troubling and informative video on what has been happening in the Dafur region of the Sudan. I have been in and out of several conversations regarding this crisis, but I have never been properly informed as to what is going on and why it seems to be continuing. This video answered many of my questions. And I got it here at Save Darfur.org .
What a sad story told of one people in Sudan performing a sort of ethnic cleansing, ridding the country of all the "Black Afrikans" to make way for the pure race of the Arabs. Wow. So sad. You couldn't help but recall thoughts of WWII. That is not too drastic a comparison to make.
And for those who were making comparisons between Hitler and Hussein, I can now understand the connection. I mean I could always understand it, but now I see it.
Crusades these were. Hitler to make his perfect Christian-Ariyan (sp?) nation-empire. These Sudanese people with their Arab-Muslim nation-state.
Christian crusades and Muslim crusades and several other religious-ethnic crusades dot the map of humanity. When will it end? When will we learn to value different opinions... others not like ourselves... fellow brothers and sisters in this thing called Humanity? God, when am I going to learn to value different opinions? All people?
Education is so key. Learn about Islam instead of saying that it is a religion of evil people. Try conversing without being aggresive to further your point.
[Hey Ryan, are you listening to yourself? Better take note of what you are saying.]
Here are some things I found online...
Omar Foundation's Glossary: "One of the three major world religions whose basis is monotheism, i.e. belief in one God. Islam is a way of life that highlights willful and voluntary submission of one's heart and desires to God and a commitment to his guidance. Literally, Islam means to make safe and secure and free from evil."
Islamic Relief's website: Islamic Relief is dedicated to alleviating the poverty and suffering of the world’s poorest people.
'Whoever saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of all mankind' Qur'an 5:32
Do you see how a few 'bad apples' can spoil a whole batch? I remember a friend how was in Iraq when the US bombed Baghdad and said that people in Iraq were calling war-supporting Americans "militant Christians". Wow.
It's worth thinking about.
1 comment:
Lots of good stuff there. It is nice to hear your voice concerning this because it brings up several key points about the destructive nature of 'i know God better than you' mentalities.
I think that in much of your post you are on to something that translates well into the Christian history. I think it's interesting that in the Western world, the 'convert or die' mentality has been a part of the church tradition for some time. I don't think it happens so much today, but think of Constantine's 'confess Christ or die' or the Spanish Inquisition or the American Manifest Destiny. The church has been a part of several advances of the Christian religion in 'forceful' ways as well.
And as for oppressive forces, the church was behind the keeping of slavery and keeping women out of voting and the workplace (both with 'solid Biblical support' as they say) as well as denying people certain civil rights (as noted in this last election).
I guess the only reason I write this stuff is because I have been raised (and in some small way, still exist) in a tradition that has supported so many atrocities. Remember, Hitler and the church were in it together... full support.
You probably know that Islam draws it's roots from Ishmael to whom God declared that they would wrestle against their family and always be at odds with them. But God also said that he would bless his family and make him a great nation. I know Islam didn't gather together around Holy Texts until the 8th or 9th century, but the family was there all along and it seems like the prophecy comes true over and over again.
But I am not quick to think Islam (in and of itself) is evil. Nor do I think it needs to be erradicated. I think there have been several atrocities commited and they ought to be held 'accountable'. How? Not sure. How did Christianity stop enforcing death as a conversion device? Not sure.
Well, there are some thoughts. Again, appreciated your thoughts as well. If you are going to continue to read up on Islam, I would recommend at least one or two books that are 'in defense' or Islam or at least sympathetic to them. Several books out there focus on the atrocities and I figure if I was wondering about Christianity and just read about the atrocities, I would not want to be one either, you know?
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