Selective Defence of Religious Violence: Oasis Thacker

Tears of Gandhi [ Music composer & Performer: Oasis Thacker ]_

I consider myself primarily a poet and a music composer, an engineer and a project manager; NOT a social or political writer or activist. I am also aware that, ever since mankind has invented God, people believing in one religion, (or  no religion!) have fought with people believing in other religion (or no religion), without a written permission of God. I assume there is only one God, and if He/She is, would stop this nonsense of religious violence immediately; if He/She is the most powerful entity controlling the earth! But the violence and wrong doings continue, so…..you do the math. Sometimes they have violently forced people to convert to their religion, and killed those who did not agree. Sometimes forcefully converted people were stopped to come back to their own religion, by their own neighbors or even parents, and left their loved ones in hands of religious-wolves !!

Here are few facts that will not change, so read the below, and wise up you believers!

FACTS:

1. In the world you are living in, it is almost impossible to enforce your religion, or religious views to others.
2. Before you blame other religion, keep in mind that different sects of your own religion have been killing each other. So those who perform or promote violence and crime on the name of religion, are basically criminal who hide behind the cover of religion. Those who take revenge by killing innocent people are guilty as well. It is one thing you kill the criminals, and totally unforgivable to kill innocents.
3. Law and order will never be perfect, especially for minorities.
4. Public opinion will impacts the justice, even in the ideal democracy. So minorities should be aware of the reality.
5. People living in disputed territories, want to live in peace. Some try to exploit the situation and kill, or cause death and insecurity of very people they think they are trying to defend. These people are criminals, not freedom fighters. If you are a freedom fighter, learn from Gandhi!
6. Governments of some counties show their anger for injustice for things happening  in other countries, and close their eyes on the facts of their own countries.

Here are the few suggestions that will help bring the solution. If you don’t adopt them, someone will be writing similar article in 22nd century!

1. The thought that your religion is closer to God than others religion, is your ego or ignorance, not the fact.
2. In the days when superpowers are keeping an eye on the world, and have become religiously tolerant; it is a fool’s dream to try to convert others to your religion forcefully, or make them suffer.
3. There are some criminals who just like to commit crimes. They fight in the name of religion. But then they discriminate other sects of their own religion, and kill innocent people of their own religion! They fight in the name of a country. But then they kill innocent people of their own country of the regions they don’t like. And after all that, they even kill people of their own religion, their own sect of the religion, people of their own country, people of their own city, people of their own neighborhood. So any excuse for violence in the name of religion or disputed territory does not make sense. Unless the society becomes wise enough to realize this, not even God can help.
4. If you are a minority in any country, chances are, you will not get 100% justice, even in secular democratic countries. So don’t start fire. Your community leaders should be loud and clear about nonviolence, tolerance, and brotherhood for all. If minorities take this initiatives, there are chances that the majority will come to terms. And there are chances that the law will protect you better. Or even international law will come to help you. If you are living in a lawless country where  the majority is living in a delusion,…..run. Migrate to another peaceful secular country, and create situation in which you can raise your children peacefully.
5. Many countries that were created as a result of separatist movement or violence, did not know what to do with the country, after so called freedom was achieved. Leaders did not know how to manage the country. Violence continued, or got worse, even after they got what they wanted. They just invented new reasons for violence. The new found countries became corrupt countries, with almost anarchy. Then people of the independent states began sneaking back in to the same countries that they fought to separate from, because they found safety and food there. There are many examples of that.  Instead of committing crime and violence on the name of separatism, have a nonviolent protest to fight for what is right, including getting better standard of living for the people of disputed territory, and fight the people who are trying to do violence and create anarchy.
6. Fighting for a disputed territory at the cost of well being of your children is unrealistic in the time when many people are allowed to migrate to other countries, and become citizen of those countries, accepting the loyalty of the countries they have adopted, and still welcome back to the countries of their origin. They are even given dual citizenship!
7. Many countries like Puerto Rico are trying to actually join USA, but USA is still not agreeing! They are wise. Russia gave up a lot of territory that it had acquired by bloodshed, voluntarily, at the end of the cold war; because it realized that ‘bigger is not always better’ and it is better to have a smaller prosperous country, than a larger country that they could not manage or feed. Reality won, ego lost. Sadly, after all these examples, some still believe that sacrificing innocent soldiers or ignorant followers over a piece of (even inhabitable) land, or so called ideology,  is more important than allowing them to live them peacefully, and raise their children.
8. Your country comes before your religion, especially if you chose to live in a secular country. It is a law you must obey; or face consequence. Those who don’t believe that, should migrate to the countries where the political system is based on a religion. With all their show of verbal support, more than likely, they will not allow you in their country, for your loyalty of the religion; and will let you share their prosperity.
9. Don’t look for mercy when gallows stare at you. You look laughable and coward when you look for mercy. What about innocent people who you killed, and their families who will suffer for the rest of the life?   You may be lucky that you committed such crime in a country where legal system almost works; otherwise, in a Banana Republic, you would be killed even before the trial would begin, for this kind of crime. And even where the legal system works, it will not be able to protect you from every person you will come in contact with during the process, including what happens to you in prison. Your attorney may make an issue out of it, but he/she will not be able to do much, when 90% of people want you to die, or suffer.
10. If you keep on fighting for silly reasons, like ‘whose religion is better’, or ‘whose culture is superior’, one day your country will be so poor, that you will be too weak to fight goats; or even survive. The secular countries will become so powerful and rich, that they will be able to crush you before you know.
11. You are either a fighter or a negotiator. You can’t be a fighter when you feel like, and be negotiator when you are loosing. Your opponents are not stupid. While trying to grab territory of another country, chances are, you may loose a peace of your own land. Remember the history?
12. You are living in the information age with unbelievable technology to hunt you down. You will not get away with the things you got away in the past.
13. If you can’t beat them, join them. Look at Japan and Germany after the second world war. Look at Russia and China after the cold war and proxy wars for many years. Now they are the greatest trading partners of  the USA;  and are very prosperous.
14. Peace is the only thing that will bring prosperity, and happiness; not the stupid fights over religion, disputed territories  or any other reasons.
15. Wear them if (and only if) these shoes fit your feet.