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This writer compares Christian texts with Taliban
actions. That is nonsense.
It would only make sense, to compare todays
Christian acts with todays Taliban acts.
It appears, that todays political correctness also
includes no criticisme of that evil movement which is Islam on the move. This
includes armed struggle in Palestine, Bosnia, Kosovo, Libanon, Sudan,
Eritrea, Tjetenien, Ethiopia, Somalia, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Usbekistan,
Kirgisistan, Kashmir, Burma, Indonesia, The Philippines, Turky, Libanon,
Israel, Egypten, Algier, to name the worst places.
Best, Ole Gerstrom,
Denmark
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Sunday, March 18, 2001 10:02
PM
Subject: [CTRL] Thou Shalt Not
Tolerate
http://www.alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=10599
Thou Shalt Not Tolerate
Knute Berger, AlterNet
March 13, 2001
Earlier this month, the Taliban -- the Islamic fundamentalist sect
that
controls Afghanistan -- ordered the destruction of Buddhist statues
and
relics throughout the country, including several large 3rd and 5th
century
statues that stand over 100 feet high.
"These idols have
been the gods of the infidels," the Taliban declared, "and
are respected
even now and perhaps may be turned into gods again." Despite
howls of
protest from western countries, museums curators, UNESCO, and many
fellow
Muslims, the Taliban's armed forces commenced the destruction of the
Buddhas, blasting away at them with canons, tanks, and bombs. In doing so,
they were carrying our the irreversible orders of their religions and
political leaders.
The Buddhas are being destroyed not because
they are unimportant or
disrespected, but precisely because they are seen
by the Taliban -- and
nearly the entire international community -- as
powerful and important
religious images. While the voices of tolerance
argue that they should be
preserved, the forces of religious
fundamentalism have prevailed.
Many in the West have decried the
Taliban's vandalism. One museum
professional I know called the acts of
destruction a form of "savagery."
Others have said it is typical of Muslim
intolerance. Islam, said the Rev.
Jerry Falwell recently, is a faith that
"teaches hate."
Before joining the chorus of those condemning the
Taliban, let's consider
religious intolerance closer to home. Christian
intolerance for one. There is
a strong move in America to post the
Biblical 10 Commandments in courtrooms,
schools and other public places
and civic spaces. In fact, in 1999 Congress
passed the 10 Commandments
Defence Act amendment that would permit this --
though the law is
Constiutionally questionable. Many Americans consider the
10 Commandments
a no-brainier -- basic rules of behavior we can all agree
upon. Pope John
Paul II calls them "the universal moral law valid in every
time and
place."
But the 10 Commandments are first and foremost a religious
document. The 1st
Commandment states "Thou shalt have no other gods before
me," clearly saying
that there is no room for worship of any other than
the Judeo-Christian god,
a statement of intolerance that hardly is
inclusive of other religions,
including Buddhism, Hinduism and many other
of the world's faiths.
The 2nd Commandment goes further: "Thou shalt
make unto thee no graven
images..." God goes on to pledge to punished
those who worship such graven
images "visiting iniquity of the fathers
upon the children unto the 3rd and
4th generation."
So let's see,
if you don't worship the Old Testament God, and if you make
religious
idols, God's wrath will be brought down upon you, your children,
your
grandchildren and your great grandchildren. Sounds a lot like the
Taliban
to me. Perhaps, indeed, they are simply doing God's work.
The tension
between the religious tolerance that we profess, and the
religious
doctrines we are taught is palpable. Examples are everywhere, and
they're
not just the Jerry Falwells. Earlier this year, a Presbyterian
minister
from Chicago dared to suggest at a religious conference that, while
good
Christians would attain salvation and go to Heaven, perhaps a merciful
God
had also designed other paths to salvation for Jews, Muslims, and other
non-believers. His tolerant, broad-minded remarks uncorked a firestorm of
controversy within the church and he was accused of heresy, for
Presbyterian
doctrine teaches specifically that salvation is only possible
for Christians:
the earth's other four billion inhabitants are on the
fast-track to hell.
So when we consider Islamic "savagery" related to
Buddhist relics, I suggest
we also consider another phrase found centuries
ago on the wall of a ruined
fort on the frontier of New France: "Nous
somme tous sauvage" an anonymous
French Indian fighter had carved. "We are
all savages."
Instead of focusing our moral outrage on a cult in
Afghanistan, we ought to
consider the ramifications of creeds that support
our own potential for
"savagery" here at home. I think that would be a
useful "faith-based"
initiative
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