Sunday, February 26, 2006

Why Can't We All Just Get Along?

Sorry I haven't posted anything here in a while, I'm still here. Time just seems to slip up on me and before I know it weeks have passed by. I've been fairly active on my other blog, but this one has been languishing for a little while. It's mainly because I feel a need for what I say here to be significant in some way. I'd like for everyone who visits to have something to take with them after they've read one of my posts. A thought or an idea that maybe somehow will help them thru their day. I haven't had a lot of deep spiritual revelations lately...so I haven't posted.

I guess I go through life with blinders on a lot of the time. Busy with trivial personal stuff and not really giving much thought to spiritual things. Get up, get to work, do the job, go home, crawl in bed and start all over the next day. Most of my free time I spend surfing around on the Internet. I enjoy reading the news, particularly the weird stuff. My other blog is a reflection of that, but I don't run across a whole lot of things that deal with religion...not in a positive sense anyway. Anything about religion is usually dealt with in a negative way by a lot of websites. There's a lot of disillusioned non-religious people out there, and a lot of religious folks that just can't seem to get along with one another.

One thing that caught my eye in the last couple of weeks has been the furor over the cartoons of Mohammed that were printed in the Danish newspaper. I don't know if you've seen the cartoon, but it was pretty tame. Nothing spectacular, yet it caused a great deal of commotion including quite a few deaths. A lot of media outlets have been sympathetic to the Muslim viewpoint, stoping just a bit short of endorsing the violence. Where are these sympathizers when Christian sensibilities are offended? I can't begin to count how many times somebody has portrayed Christ in an offensive fashion. For example the artist who created a copy of Da Vinci's Last Supper using elephant droppings as his medium. To me this would have been much more offensive than a cartoon...yet it was permitted to be displayed with only a smattering of complaints.

Another item that I found interesting was one about an Israeli construction company that is digging up a Muslim cemetary and moving the bodies to a different location for reburial. The Muslims are understandably upset over this and are complaining loudly to the local government, which is turning a deaf ear to their complaints. The ironic part of the whole thing is that the construction company is clearing the land so that a museum can be built on the site. A museum whose purpose will be to promote tollerance and understanding between different religions.

The bombing of the temple, mosque, or whatever you want to call it in Iraq last week is another prime example of how some folks just can't seem to get along. One day we're all going to wake up and say "why is it so hot and why am I in this handbasket?"

5 comments:

Jennifer said...

I was here. I read your post. I wanted to let you know it too...HA!

I just don't know what to say about the post. Can you believe that? ME, speechless? HA!

aaronkallner said...

Nice post, Al.

I too have wondered about the same thing. I have seen more than one cartoon making fun of Christ, Christianity or religion. On one hand I question the response of the Muslim community, killing someone over a cartoon is little too much.

But being offended over the portrayal of ones deity does not sound too far fetched to me. I find myself getting upset when I see a cartoon or a movie/TV show that portrays Christ or God in a negative light. I usually don't do anything, except maybe complain to my wife. Maybe we should make more noise about things that make fun of Jesus. I am not saying to the point of kiling someone, but if Christians complained a little more louder, maybe some one would listen more.

Just thoughts.

PS I too check this site periodically.

Unknown said...

The museum promoting tolerance story is funny.

jamie riley said...

Al-- I was here a few days ago but I didn't have time to leave a comment.
I appreciate you having this blog because I enjoy hearing what you're thinking. Your posts are always thought provoking and interesting. Thanks Al Baby!

Jennifer said...

Since February 27th is how long I've been waiting for your next post. If you're having a hard time coming up with something good and positive to write on here because you're having a rough time lately, try looking at your situation from God's perspective and then write what you think He is trying to teach you throughout the process.

Just a thought.