Digest Number 805 (Middle East)

[Guest guest]

I mostly lurk on this list and enjoy reading what ya'll posts. Part of my

story is I was raised in a Jewish family in a small Southern Baptist town

named after one of the founders of the Ku Klux Klan. Personally, I don't

follow the Jewish faith. Judaism, Christianity and Islam (I call them the

Fertile Crescent Crew, because they all originated around there) are like

sibling religions to me, and there is much sibling rivalry and in-fighting

amongst them. It's so ridiculous, really. Personally, I believe that the

mystic cores of all religions rise above the petty sibling rivalry and

acknowledge the oneness of us all. But it's the fundamentalist cores of these

religions that cause all the trouble.

 

I'm horrified at the way extremist Israelis treat the Palestinians. I'm

horrified at the prejudice the oshkanazi jews (european jews) exhibit towards

the sephardic (middle eastern) jews. I'm also horrified at the way extremist

Palestinians treat their women. I can't believe that extemist Jews, who

belong to a group of people who suffered so much in WWII, could be so

heartless against another group of people.

 

I believe Jerusalem should be taken over by the U.N. and be proclaimed an

international city owned by all the world's citizens. However, I also believe

that the entire planet is the holy land, not just that little strip that we

call Israel (at the moment). And if we could wrap our heads around this

concept, we'd go a long way towards protecting the environment and ceasing

wars over "holy lands".

 

I believe all the earth should be the property of all the world's citizens.

That private or state ownership of land should be abolished. I forget exactly

who said it, I think it may have been a native american chief, Chief Seattle

perhaps, but the quote "the land doesn't belong to us, we belong to the land"

sounds exactly right to me. We are all born to this planet. The idea that

anyone could claim ownership to any part is arrogance. We are not the only

species who belongs to the land, who share this planet.

 

I believe the only true religion is the one you sweat your ass of to discover

in your heart.

 

Just some thoughts.

 

Barg

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 10/18/00 2:36:29 AM Eastern Daylight Time,

BestPoet writes:

 

<< o:

 

I mostly lurk on this list and enjoy reading what ya'll posts. Part of my

story is I was raised in a Jewish family in a small Southern Baptist town

named after one of the founders of the Ku Klux Klan. Personally, I don't

follow the Jewish faith. Judaism, Christianity and Islam (I call them the

Fertile Crescent Crew, because they all originated around there) are like

sibling religions to me, and there is much sibling rivalry and in-fighting

amongst them. It's so ridiculous, really. Personally, I believe that the

mystic cores of all religions rise above the petty sibling rivalry and

acknowledge the oneness of us all. But it's the fundamentalist cores of

these

religions that cause all the trouble.

 

I'm horrified at the way extremist Israelis treat the Palestinians. I'm

horrified at the prejudice the oshkanazi jews (european jews) exhibit

towards

the sephardic (middle eastern) jews. I'm also horrified at the way extremist

Palestinians treat their women. I can't believe that extemist Jews, who

belong to a group of people who suffered so much in WWII, could be so

heartless against another group of people.

 

I believe Jerusalem should be taken over by the U.N. and be proclaimed an

international city owned by all the world's citizens. However, I also

believe

that the entire planet is the holy land, not just that little strip that we

call Israel (at the moment). And if we could wrap our heads around this

concept, we'd go a long way towards protecting the environment and ceasing

wars over "holy lands".

 

I believe all the earth should be the property of all the world's citizens.

That private or state ownership of land should be abolished. I forget

exactly

who said it, I think it may have been a native american chief, Chief Seattle

perhaps, but the quote "the land doesn't belong to us, we belong to the

land"

sounds exactly right to me. We are all born to this planet. The idea that

anyone could claim ownership to any part is arrogance. We are not the only

species who belongs to the land, who share this planet.

 

I believe the only true religion is the one you sweat your ass of to

discover

in your heart.

 

Just some thoughts.

 

Barg

>>

I totaly agree.

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 10/17/00 11:36:27 PM, BestPoet writes:

 

<< because they all originated around there) >>

 

Almost all religions started in a 100 mile circle that includes that area

Religion is just a yardstick to measure our growth: not to beat ourselves or

others with.

[Guest guest]

TODAY'S HUKAMNAMA FROM SIRI DARBAR SAHIB

 

Wednesday ,Oct 18, 2000

 

 

JAITSREE, THE WORD OF THE DEVOTEES: ONE UNIVERSAL CREATOR GOD. BY THE GRACE

 

OF THE TRUE GURU:

 

O my Lord and Master, I know nothing. My mind has sold out, and is in Maya’s

 

hands. || 1 || Pause || You are called the Lord and Master, the Guru of the

 

World. I am called a lustful being of the Dark Age of Kali Yuga. || 1 || The

 

five vices have corrupted my mind. Moment by moment, they lead me further

 

away from the Lord. || 2 || Wherever I look, I see loads of pain and

 

suffering. I do not have faith, even though the Vedas bear witness to the

 

Lord. || 3 || Shiva cut off Brahma’s head, and Gautam’s wife and the Lord

 

Indra mated; Brahma’s head got stuck to Shiva’s hand, and Indra came to bear

 

the marks of a thousand female organs. || 4 || These demons have fooled,

 

bound and destroyed me. I am very shameless — even now, I am not tired of

 

them. || 5 || Says Ravi Daas, what am I to do now? Without the Sanctuary of

 

the Lord’s Protection, who else’s should I seek? || 6 || 1 ||

 

[sri Guru Granth Sahib, Page 710]