SO WHOSE GOD IS BETTER?

                                A PEACE PROPOSAL

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This  extreme Muslim versus the West thing is really tricky. It strains my mind to try to be objective but it seems to defy all my attempts to do so. But it is a relentless issue therefore it has to be dealt with. The apparent leaders - that is the extremists - seem hell bent on killing people like me. I have no other choice but to take a stand and protect myself. But how? To throw stones back will only incite them to feel justified in seeking revenge. And on and on it goes.

This is my land, no its my land, no its my land... and on and on and on. And all of this is really tricky because the various sides inevitably bring God into the picture. I am uncertain whether it is one God who is supposed to be taking the side of the side that claims the one God is obviously on their side; or is it somehow that the various sides are talking about different Gods.

Oh well who knows for certain who is right ? (by passing, of course, the extremist positions who are absolutely certain that the one or different Gods are absolutely on their side.) How easy it must be to live in the minds of both Usama Bin Laden and George Bush. I on the other hand am absolutely uncertain as to the absolute nature of reality.

In my 69 years the best I can come up with about this God thing is that all I know is is that I am alive, I experience, I experience my experience, I attribute conscious and unconscious meanings to my experience, and these meanings inform my attitudes, judgments, and behavior. I am certain that I interpret all of what I experience whether it be what my reaction is to the beautiful but dangerous snow storm I am witnessing as I write, and I also interpret what I make of anything including this God thing.

I only know for certain that it is far easier to project my final authority onto some leader, or cause, or even God than it is to stand firm and accept my self as my own final 'good' authority.

It seems to me that peace would break out in 5 minutes flat if each person on the planet would take a trip into his/here own inner space - connect and face up to the  splits that will inevitably be found - dedicate themselves to reconciling those splits - and essentially mind their own business. If this was truly done no one would have the time or energy to try to boss or bully or to insist that they know the absolute way for anybody and everybody else. So as to whose God is better my answer is Beethoven's "divinity lies beyond the stars and here we lie on earth." He further said:"Man help yourself." I really wish both Usama Bin Laden and George Bush would go into psychoanalysis - but not with me.

Comments

[Irving Karchmar]

Greetings Dear Gibbs
As a spiritual person and writer, may I commend to you my book, Master of the Jinn: A Sufi Novel, a mystical adventure tale on the Sufi path of Love. I think you will like it.
You can view the book and read an excerpt at http://www.masterofthejinn.com
In the name of the Merciful, 10% of all profits go to charity.

Peace and Blessings,

Irving