Last night one of my roomies told us about 'Fitna', the dutch movie which is in news these days for the violent potrayel of Islam. We watched it through an online video sharing website livelink.com The portrayel of Islam as a violent religion with certain verses of Koran and subsequent scenes showing terrorist actcs like 9/11 and madrid bombings were very disturbing. I can understand many non-muslims saying that what it shows is fact and we need to take corrective actions against this kind of aggression on one's religion, society. Similarly many muslims would say that its a radical view of Islam and not its true form.
The point I wish to raise amongst all this discussion is why society is always divided into two. Ying-Yang, positive negative, liberal-conservative, black-white, left-right are some of the terms we hear often. In the 20th century it was capitalism versus communism which created rift among nations, before that fascism, nazism took their toll on the human society. Why we as the most intelligent species fail to find a middle path, a gray area which allows all of us to live amicably. Why there is this natural instinct to impose our individual beliefs, values on others. Why do we force them on people who disagree with us and ridicule/belittle their beliefs to prove the superiority of ours.I believe that is the prime reason for radicalisation of religion.
If any of my muslim friend says my religion is the best I counter by stating that mine is the best and that sets the bane of contention between two individuals which slowly envelops a society, a nation and subsequently the world.
If on the other hand both of us realise that our beliefs may be different but have the same goal. That both teach forgiveness, tolerance and human kindness and so both religions are best, none the smaller than other then this world could be a better place. That is all I wish and pray to God
After the movie which left a sour taste in the mouth I suggested that lets listen to Dalai Lama's speech for a change. It was a video where he is talking to a german delegate and he is speaking about religions of the world. He says that I believe in science as a tool for the development of religion. That science is not a killer of religion but rather teach us to reason. It teaches us to seek the truth and which every religion seeks to attain. All religions fundamentally teach us to love, be kind, be humane. They may appear different due to different philosphies which interpret them but as we seek deeper we realise that they are same.
It was time for bed and I was contemplating the last hour that I spent and realised that we may have radically charged people but we also have people like the Dalai Lama and in this divine balancing act the world thrives and seeks the ultimate truth we called GOD....
