Saturday 2 August 2014

Crusaders


Carol has just asked me what I do to try and make any change in the world, other than just blogging. Good question.

People like John - she says - save lives on a daily basis, the Christian screams the Scriptures at people day and night, she writes letters of complaint to the President of the USA, but all I do is write this stuff and make the houses and gardens of rich people a little more cluttered.

Sometimes passive observers can do more than a whole platoon of U.N. soldiers, whether or not they are sent in just to passively observe. The lot that were sent to Bosnia to witness the executions of the 'ethnic cleansing' without being able to do anything to prevent it are still asking themselves what good they did in that situation.

One of the commanders of those troops - Paddy Ashdown - was on the radio this morning, making exactly the same points as I have made in the last two posts about Gaza, and I wonder what change he is making to the situation as well.

For someone as addicted to escapism as I am, I seem to be spending quite a lot of time on this little topic, but right now, the only thing spoiling this wonderful Summer for me is the history being made in Gaza, and the history will be interpreted in many different ways, according to who writes it.

The Christian accused me of ignoring the history of Afghanistan, etc. but the difference is that what is going on in Gaza right now is - to a certain extent - steerable, even if there are to be hundreds more children killed, simply because it is history in the making. Ironically, the only way to stop the killing is to deliberately ignore the very recent history of the whole area.

The reason why Carol asked me this question (I think) is because I got back last night to find an inane attack from a Born-Yesterday fundamentalist Christian, who seems to have sided with Israel simply because his interpretation of the Bible - written by about 200 people 2000 years ago and translated from about five different languages into English in the 17th century - tells him that the Israelis are the rightful owners of the Holy Lands, and if that means that hundreds of infidels must die in order to retain it, then so be it.

He caused me to lose my sense of humour, and I still haven't got it back this morning, even though I have deleted the three abusive responses to him left last night and regretted this morning. The essence of my responses remain, however, and this is that I think he is at best deranged, and at worst just plain stupidly nasty. I can accept people who are naturally simple - I often admire them - but I find it hard to forgive self-inflicted ignorance, especially when it is a matter of life and death.

There is a difference between evangelism and persuasion, even though the net success of both is about the same.

Normal service will be resumed as soon as possible.

31 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. If the Palestinians can hang in there, then it should be comparatively easy for me.

      Delete
  2. Normal or Abnormal service...I appreciate your input and insight very much. In less than 10 minutes I am meeting with my sisters for breakfast 2 of the 3 of them are :born again" I'll be channeling you in my head while they are praying non-stop over our toast.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Shame they are not Orthodox Jews, with a pig-farmer for a sister!

      Delete
  3. Yeah ,but it wasn't your replies to him (I wish I had the balls to say all that to my brother) I have a born-again brother who annoys the hell out of me. He posts smarmy anti-everything he stands for stuff on Facebook, quotes the damned bible to everyone, and is one of the most self-absorbed persons I have ever met in my life. And, to top it all off, he and his wife just moved to my town yesterday! I'm having a hard time with that. Fortunately he does nothing (meaning he doesn't volunteer or get involved in community organizations) so I don't think I will have to deal with him in any of my city commissions I'm on, or with any other community organizations I'm involved with.

    And I don't think you should regret what you said to him. Again, it made me feel better as if I was saying that myself to said brother. And Tom, just because I'm having a hard time w/rich people these days doesn't mean you shouldn't make a decent buck off of them!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My (surviving) sister is a Jehovah's Witness, and has only once broached the subject to me, late at night.

      I asked her if she believed if God made absolutely everything, and she said yes.

      "Then who made the Devil?"

      "He was an angel who fell from grace."

      "But who made him in the first place, and who knows everything that will happen, past, future and present?"

      "I'm tired. I'm going to bed."

      End of conversation.

      Delete
    2. My daughter: Born Again: we don't go there in the interests of the relationship, but I understand that she needs that structure right now. She understands that I need salvation.

      Delete
  4. You ask in your first paragraph Tom, what you are doing to change the world. Mighty oaks from little acorns grow. The whole Gaza thing is so complicated and I know so little about it - all I know is that innocent children, whose faces haunt me, are being maimed and killed.
    But as to what you do in the giant scheme of things, well I am no longer young, I am no longer all that mobile, my computer is often my link with the outside world at large - and you make me laugh, you make me cry, you inform me - I may not always agree with what you say - but you make me think things over. Alright - it is only a small thing, but it is more than most people do - so keep calm and carry on.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Carol actually said I care for sick people not " save lives
    On a daily basis"
    She must have seen me work!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Who knows how many lives you have saved on the end of a telephone? Who knows how many lives any of us have saved? I would mention the Good Samaritan, but it might bring on another lesson from the idiot Christian.

      Delete
    2. Enter the veg contest...you need some frivolity

      Delete
  6. Religion is the root of most general evil these days it seems. I need to go back and read your recent posts that I've missed....

    ReplyDelete
  7. I need to lie down in a darkened room.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I believe the bible was 'assembled' in 320 AD, and contains stories that date back over 600 years (that we know of). It was only at the Council of Nicea that they decided that Jesus should be 'deified'. And people continue to say that it is 'the word of god'. Dreamers.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Even Moslems believe that the word of God is contained within the Bible, it's just that they view Jesus as a prophet like Mohammed, and not the literal son.

      Anyway, the world was created in seven days and Sunday is God's day of rest... or is it Saturday?

      Delete
  9. change the world? Here's my view: My first responsibility is to look after myself - that's one fewer person for everyone else to look after. And I don't mean exalt myself or line my pockets, just take care of myself. Next, my family and those I love. Next, my local community. At the same time I keep myself informed as far as possible about what is happenning in the world and I talk to people about it. And I vote. If I spread myself too thin changing the world, I need looking after (it has happenned) - and that doesn't do anyone any good.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. What supreme effort in changing the world sent you to your sick-bed?

      Delete
  10. Can normal service be resumed please.

    ReplyDelete