Journal Entry #463
June 5th, 2011
We are still just a bunch of tribes that are divided fighting for our place in this world. If we are not divided by where we live then it will be something else, religion, race, ideals and any other division you can think of. Then these tribes are divided into smaller tribes. I find this sad as we try to be so different while not realizing we are so similar. We all originate from the Savannahs in Africa.
Each position in any conflict will think they are right and will not be willing to empathize with the others position. Unfortunately at times these divisions promote violence and create misery.
I can use the example of the Israeli / Palestine conflict and how this is basically a tribal conflict but you can see this everywhere within humanity. I see this as weight around our necks preventing us from moving forward.
Original post;
Each year approximately 700 Palestinian children, some as young as 12 years, are detained and prosecuted in the Israeli military court system. The most common charge is for throwing stones. The overwhelming majority of these children are detained inside Israel in contravention of Article 76 of the Fourth Geneva Convention.
Gary David Currie……… The terrible result of religious conflict which is the core issue here and addressing this in my view will lead to the solution.
C____….I disagree that it’s the core issue, but how would you go about addressing it if you were in a position to do so?
Gary David Currie…… The same way I do every day by championing the ideal of truth. There are so many atrocities and much misery on both sides but this is the real issue. Let me rephrase…It is believing in and acting on lies that have manifested itself into religious conflict and division.
I have actually proposed a solution for this. I call this syndrome “Sandbox Junkies.
Thanks for your question it is refreshing instead of just telling me your position you asked for mine. Awesome as this is part of the solution..
Gary David Currie………. If one is constantly putting out fires but does not address the source of the fire the fire will continue. It is noble to champion a particular issue in these conflicts but it will not solve the problem. Each position must be willing to let go of the past and come to the table with what they are willing to concede not what they want for this to have a chance at a peaceful resolution.
C____….. No worries, it is not an easy subject for me to discuss at length because of what I have witnessed and experienced over there. At some point I grew very tired of trying to show the rest of the world what it seemed to me didn’t want to be se…en.
Even religious conflicts have an historical basis and are fuelled by political powers, acting in accordance with definite social and economic interests. I think the problem is bigger than most folk imagine, but who can say how or when it will actually see a worthwhile resolution. We are talking about some extremely barbaric practices here.
Gary David Currie………… Agreed.. There is no good guy bad guy here that is clear. There is just conflict and misery.
C____…..Behind every religious conflict there’s an economic one. The veneer of religion is thrown on top to hide the economic motives from the (generally) impoverished people who do the actual killing and dying.
C____……Well I don’t know about that… when you have hundreds of children being criminalised every year for throwing stones at armoured tanks, and a ruthless military apparatus guided by successive administrations that clearly intend to continue its occupation and oppression of a people, I think you can say that one is definitely the bad guy. Of course there is more to the story than that, but essentially this is what disturbs me. And this is a popular misconception, that the “two sides” are even remotely balanced.
Gary David Currie……. I think you missed my point. Each position will see what they want to. Each side is the good guy and the other the bad guy. My point is that these sides are a product of division. There was a starting point, when I don’t know and I… am sure it was based on some sort of religious division based on delusional thinking. Everything else is just a product of this thinking. You say Israel is the bad guy others say Palestine is.. I say it is all wrong to hurt each other and if we want a solution many concessions will have to be made and the past forgotten or else it will continue. One tribe is always trying to conquer another. I am not in the delusion and can view it from an unbiased perspective. Each side will promote its misery and unjust acts but the point is it must stop so that should be the focus. How to stop it is to address why it started. Easy? NO but the only solution I see. It is all about what is true.
Gary David Currie……………. personally while it is interesting to talk about this conflict I feel the ones that have a direct stake in this should be the ones who are trying to work it out and until they are willing it will continue.
CHR____…… A lot of people there *are* willing. It’s not as if no one’s working at it.
Gary David Currie…….. Well willing or not the bottom line is it is not working so something needs to change. Maybe the approach is not working as the foundation is usually based on division formed by religious and other views.
H__…… Gary, do you really think that the conflict is based on theological matters?
Gary David Currie………. Yes which are fuelled from acting on lies? Don’t you? This goes way back
H____………..No, I don’t think the current conflict is based on religion (at least, not more than superficially). I would expand on this more, but I’m on my way out the door. Perhaps Chadwick could elaborate more on the actual conflict when he checks in.
Gary David Currie……. Really, Islamic fundamentalists, Jews same holy spot. If you are telling me that religious differences are not heavily involved in this I would be very surprised. If people truly wanted peace they would work it out, they all want to win and get what they feel they are entitled to. Look to me religion is just another lie that people follow and use to justify acts in life. Greed and power same idea.
CHR___……….There are a lot of Palestinian Christians as well. It’s a contested spot, but it has *also* been a spot in which all three of these populations *have* lived pretty peacefully before. There’s a lot more to this than religion.
C____……… There is not much I can add right now that hasn’t been mentioned – I think one of the previous comments actually sums it up well enough:
“Behind every religious conflict there’s an economic one. The veneer of religion is thrown …on top to hide the economic motives from the (generally) impoverished people who do the actual killing and dying.”
