If only this extension of the arm of peace rather than the arm of war can take hold.
I admire and respect our president, although I will emphasize I am not naive enough to think he does not have as many flaws as you or I. I am not a blind follower. But I have to have hope. By leaping on every perceived flaw, a far-reaching disservice is being done to our head of state and to the world perception of the United States.
Flaws, criticism, politics, rhetoric and ideology aside, I believe President Obama is doing what he can to make the slimmest of beginnings in restoring our national honor in the eyes of the world. He is attempting to chip a tiny crack in the wall of hatred and fear that has grown between the peoples of our world. This place we live on looks like a big blue marble from space. But it is small. And very fragile.
I want to believe there are more righteous people in our world than not. And that they will stand up to people who kill, maim and terrorize in the name of God. There is no religion on this earth that believes in such a hateful and cruel deity. There is no religion that sanctions terrorism, no matter what the cause, whether it is the Protestants and Catholics in Northern Ireland or the ubiquitous ‘Islamic terrorist’. Those who kill indiscriminately are committing evil, pure and simple. Evil is not pleasing to any God. But there are individuals, and groups of individuals, who are pure evil and who hide behind an excuse of religion in order to kill.
"Mutual respect" was what Mr. Obama called for in his speech. From a man whose father was Muslim. Mutual respect is the only path to peace.
I believe in a merciful and loving God. I pray that He will empower the hopeful to stand strong against evil. And that He will inspire the hateful with temperance and restraint.
9 comments:
Hi Marie,
Another provocative post. Please come by to pick up your "My Wonderful Favourite" award.
I think, unfortunately, that these hopes may be a bit naive.
The fact is that religious zealots of all stripes are running around, committing such acts of violence and terrorism, and being egged on by their "mainstream" bretheren.
Some of it is in the Middle East. As long as a Holocaust denier is allowed to address a human rights conference, it is unlikely that we will get any of that under control.
And some of it is here at home. Witness the outpouring of sympathy for Dr. Tiller's murderer, and the outpouring of lack of sympathy for Dr. Tiller.
It would be great, Marie. Don't see it happening.
Thanks Webster. I will be over. :)
Ah, Mother. Even though you cite facts that I recognize and acknowledge, with all my heart I don't want to agree with you.
Can we use the word hopeful rather than naive? I know what's out there, I just need to believe it can be conquered.
I know how entrenched the evil is. Even as I wrote the post, I heard Anne Frank in my head. "Despite everything, I believe people are really good at heart" I pictured her last days. Naked, starved, crawling with lice, frozen to the bone and mortally ill.
I don't want to think her words are a mockery. I feel if we do we are doomed. I can't allow myself to feel the world I am leaving to my children is doomed.
It has to happen. Or we are finished. So I keep praying.
P.S. Thank you for your thoughtful comment. :) I know you want the same thing as I do.
we're living during interesting times - that much is for sure. I want to be optimistic, but whenever I learn too much about the middle east, I feel sick. It's definitely ccmplex :+)
I know I want to look at the bigger picture, but sometimes that picture is too big for me.
However I do look for goodness and kindness and keeping an eye out for that I will bring that to the for in the bigger picture and in the small one of my own life.
What you see is what you get.
I know that there is hope for goodness and I do what I can to bring that to the for and that is looking for it in my own life. Just as Anne Frank did, there for me lies hope. AND I can see that it is not a mean feat, because I don't know if I would have the strength of Anne Frank, but at least I can let her inspire me.
OK, Marie. So if it was me you were referring to on Sarah's blog, I did try to email you, so hopefully you got it. If not, I posted my email on the left side of my blog. HOPEFULLY, you can get in touch if you were trying. Hope your shoulder's healing like mine finally is!
H., it was indeed. :) Thanks so much for responding. I replied to your e-mail, in my usual long winded way, to tell you how much I like your blog and how frustrated I am by whatever glitch is preventing me from leaving a comment.
See you in cyber space!
Hi Marie,
Please come by my blog and pick up your award.
Love,
Herrad
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