Stop The Madness

When will the madness end. The battle for secular society and the war on reason are fights that must, absolutely, MUST be won. Fo sho the universe we live in is finite and it will end one day, but dagnabit, we can't let humans, we can't let ourselves accelerate the process. Nature is cruel and cold, biology favors the aggressor and the animal kingdom is viscous...peeps, we are not animals.

Today is the day that Israeli Soldier, Gilad Shalit, has been released from five years of captivity in exchange for 1,000's of Palestinian prisoners of war. Sheez, where do I start on this one. First of all, 'lil old me is not brain-y enuff to tackle the whole Israel/Palestine thang. I'm not a scholar and I'm not a historian. What I'am is human. I'am a human being. I may not know all the politics and the super long history that involves that region, but I do know feelings and emotions, the qualities that all peoples have.

On one of the reports, I believe it was NPR, the reporter talked about how each side is equal and opposite in their reactions. Both sides are jubilant to have their own return home. I'm sure the family and friends of both sides are totally stoked to have their peeps come back. Think about all the mothers. It is really quite touching to think of.

Both sides are also pissed that their 'boys' were imprisoned in the first place. Shalit was in captivity for five years and most of it was spent in solitary confinement. I'm sure that the Palestine prisoners were not treated much better. Both sides basically have committed crimes against humanity. We now call the effects of war PTSD, but it's fucked up, that is what it is. A concern is that with the release of the Palestinian war criminals (or are they freedom fighters, or both simultaneously) is that with their new found freedom, they will choose terrorism over a peaceful life. They have been hurt tremendously and they will seek revenge.

So when will this end, the killings, the madness, the imprisonment, the torture etc...Who will be the first to turn the other cheek. Who will be the first to say "this ends with me, there will be no more violence." All sides have lost loved ones, all sides have heroes and villains. No one is innocent in this one. Who cares who started what first, at this point everyone has blood on their hands. This is why the battle for secular society and the war on reason are so important.

What little I do know about the situation is that they are fighting for land and for a place to call home. Why? Because their ancient bronze age books, the books that were written in times of illiteracy and not scientific understanding, tells them that an invisible sky daddy said it's OK to take someone else's land and property. This sky father has told each side that you are better than them, you can and must rule over them (dominion), or you will face my wrath. I understand that in ancient times religion may have been an effective way to inspire and ultimately control the population. What I don't understand is how evolved humans, intelligent peoples, in 2011 can subscribe to such nonsense, esp when it means hurting other humans.

What is that saying I keep forgetting. What does it take for good people to do horrible horrible things...religion. Stop the madness.

* NPR