I just came across this 5 minutes-documentary movie, by Uri Bar-On, asking people what they will do for a real peace in the middle east.
It’s pretty funny.
Take a look, English subtitles are included. What are your thoughts?
Do away with religion?
Any sort of opinion I can offer will be devoid of any real insight, as I’ve never been, and don’t understand the myriad sectarian/national/tribal quirks.
Why can’t we all just get along?
1 Like
Well, I can give you many reasons for that.
Do you really want me to start?
No, I really don’t. ‘Why can’t we all just get along’ is a phrase employed when peace seems futile.
No, I really don’t. ‘Why can’t we all just get along’ is a phrase employed when peace seems futile.
The video is of a lighter nature than you think.
Based on personal experience, there will never be peace, especially in the middle east. For Afghans, war has been a way of life for centuries, the only thing that changes is which nation is going to flex their military muscle for the decade. When I was in Afghanistan and working with the locals, it quickly became evident that they had no interest in peace, and I can’t blame them. They are fiercely proud of their providences and will never yeild to a foreign occupation. I could go on for a short story, but that is the short of my take on ‘peace in the Middle East’.
Based on personal experience, there will never be peace, especially in the middle east. For Afghans, war has been a way of life for centuries, the only thing that changes is which nation is going to flex their military muscle for the decade. When I was in Afghanistan and working with the locals, it quickly became evident that they had no interest in peace, and I can’t blame them. They are fiercely proud of their providences and will never yeild to a foreign occupation. I could go on for a short story, but that is the short of my take on ‘peace in the Middle East’.
Geography aside, why would you not blame someone for having no interest in peace? People who have no interest in peace are evil.
Obliterate the current Iranian regime, and threaten to nuke Mecca if anybody does anything in the name of Allah other than bow, pray, and not eat pork.
1 Like
Stop acting as if establishing a tyranny is subsumed under freedom instead of the two being mutually exclusive. 
There won’t be any peace in the Middle East so long as Islam remains the dominant metaphysical framework. I haven’t personally read the Koran, but look at all the wars happening there; from the ethnic feuds to the jihads, not to mention the oppression and outright genocide, they all have one common denominator.
In each and every case, at least one party (sometimes both) claims the God-given right to annihilate the other.
When someone genuinely thinks that murdering you would be a virtuous and glorious act, more desirable than the continuation of their own life, you cannot coexist with them. You can’t reason with them. Any compromise you reach will somehow entail your own destruction.
And in the Middle East there is a large group of people who want to spread their religion across the world, and kill anyone and everyone who doesn’t comply.
So logically, there are only two possible ways to resolve that. One involves you and I converting to Islam; the other involves the enlightenment (or, quite possibly the disintegration) of many, many extremist (self-consistent) Muslims.
Once Islam is gone there will still be some conflict. Bad people exist all over the place; people will always hurt each other, to some extent. But once Islam is gone at least there won’t be any more suicide bombers and children-shields.
There won’t be any peace in the Middle East so long as Islam remains the dominant metaphysical framework. I haven’t personally read the Koran, but look at all the wars happening there; from the ethnic feuds to the jihads, not to mention the oppression and outright genocide, they all have one common denominator.
In each and every case…
Please, have you read no history? The only “religions” that have not partaken in the bloodbath are not really “religions” at all. The concept “God” (note capital letter), as a topic, is a discussion about all the stuff for which we have yet to form a viable hypothesis. Anyone who claims he “Knows” more about what “God” wants, thinks, intends or whatever simply does not understand the topic. Mankind has a long and illustrious history of killing each other over stuff we do not understand, (and are therefore terrified of)…
Peace can only come with justice. Justice can only come through a transparent forum. I hope therefore that technology continues to make it harder to keep secrets…
Please, have you read no history? The only “religions” that have not partaken in the bloodbath are not really “religions” at all.
What bloodbath has Scientology part-taken in?
What bloodbath has Scientology part-taken in?
Good question. I must admit I have never considered them a religion, in spite of their tax status. Rather more of an elaborate con-job. Oh, wait, there is my error, that pretty much defines organized religion as well, so maybe they do fit in. They just have yet to do their killing spree, or they are real good at hiding it…
There are pacifist religions, they just aren’t every very powerful. Jainism is an example. I actually notice a real pacifist streak in most religions. Leo Tolstoy represents this aspect of Christianity by combining it with leftism. Buddhism also has a reputation of eschewing violence, although Buddhism has morphed into extremely militant forms. Pacifism is such a weak idea though it never survives. The following is an article about an the Church’s attempt to stop violence in the religious caste.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peace_and_Truce_of_God
The military caste needs a philosophy, but they aren’t irrational enough to put down arms, so they adopt the parts of the religion that help them the most in their mind. If you want to know what motivates warriors, look at things like Chivalry and Bushido, which seem to be responses by the military caste to the rest of their societies belief systems, Catholicism and Neo-Confucianism.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chivalry
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bushido
Islam didn’t seem to have any tension between its ideology and its warrior caste. They conquered Spain, North Africa, and West Asia in about 40 years. Its Amazing really.
Peace is when you’re enemy is dead or sufficiently demoralized as to believe that resistance is futile.