11-01-2004, 08:02 AM
Greetings to all of you. I pray that you will read my words and give them consideration.
My writing may, at times, seems disjointed. Please forgive this as I am merely trying to convey a few ideas, a few implications that might lead you to conclusions. I am not trying to proffer my religious beliefs nor debate your beliefs.
My mind has been in tumoil of late, my soul and my heart have been sick.
I grew up as a Christian, Independant Baptist if that means much to any of you. My core beliefs are, even now, based in Christianity, but I have distanced myself drastically from most, if not all, established Protestant Church doctrines.
I have read the Bible. I have read the Qu'ran. I have read the words of Buddha and Confucious. I have studied Taoism. I am knowlegeable of the ideas of existentialism. I have even read works from the Church Of Satan.
Many of my own religion would condem me for studying these things - excepting only the Bible. Indeed, I have been disputed vehemently on multiple occasions.
Perhaps you too would condem me, as I have read the Qu'ran and I do not refer to myself as Muslim.
Would you condem me?
There is a story in the Bible that refers to a man of God that was confronted by a group of Idolators worshiping what they referred to as a god named Baal (which Christians today recognize as a pseudonym for Satan). The man of God was confronted by the Idolators who demanded that he worship their Baal. The man looked over the crowd and stated, "If Baal is God, the worship him; but if God is God, then worship him."
The man of God then looked toward heaven and whispered a prayer to the Father of our universe.
God heard the prayer of his righteous servant and sent down a column of fire that consumed the sacriligeous alter the Idolators had constructed and everyone assembled fell to their knees in profession of the One God.
There are many interpretations of that story, but to me this man of the One God was saying, "You have a mind. Go out for yourself and decide who God is."
And this seems that it must be true to me, as how can a just God strike down a man that is quietly, openly, and prayerfully searching only for the truth?
Even the Qu'ran states:
[2.23] And if you are in doubt as to that which We have revealed to Our servant, then produce a chapter like it and call on your witnesses besides Allah if you are truthful.
Why do so many Islamic leaders believe that America is conducting a holy war? Why do so many Muslims feel that America is a nation of evil?
Why do so many Muslims openly hate Christians?
Why do so many Christians openly hate Muslims?
Why do so many Christians AND Muslims hate Jews?
Why do we, as a spiritual people believing in One God (the same God, as far as I can tell), hate anyone?
It doesn't take study to know the answers to these questions. They are answers that we know inately, genetically instilled in humanity by the loving hands of Father.
Hate has no place in the heart of a servant of God.
No one has the right to take the life of another human senselessly.
The Taoists say:
We reject hatred, intolerance, and unnecessary violence, and embrace harmony, love and learning, as we are taught by Nature.
President Bush attacked Afghanistan because the malicious Taliban, haters of knowlege and the search for truth, killers of women and innocents, refused to surrender Osama Bin Laden even after they had been given proof that he was the man behind the Sept. 11 attack on America.
President Bush attacked Iraq because he had been given information indicating that Saddam Husein was supporting terrorism, that he was fostering hatred, and that he was an imminent threat to the security of America.
I will not argue our justification for attacking Afghanistan. Many innocent people died and this is a cause for great sadness from all nations, but I believe we were just in what we did there, and today I believe Afghanistan is a much better place because of what we did. If you do not believe me, don't simply shout words of hatred toward me, argue your point calmly and with logic. I will listen to you. But based on the knowlege that I have obtained, that is what I believe.
I believe that Bush was just in attacking Saddam Hussein. And I believe it WAS Saddam Hussein that America attacked, not Iraq. Sadly, Iraq is the place that Saddam was hiding and, again, many innocents have lost their lives.
The information that Bush was operating under MAY have been flawed, as several reports now claim, but even so, Saddam Hussein was a man that has murdered hundreds of thousands of innocents and has openly condemned and professed hatred for America. And proof still stands that Saddam was financing many terrorist organizations. If you do not believe me, don't simply shout words of hatred toward me, argue your point calmly and with logic. I will listen to you. But based on the knowlege that I have obtained, that is what I believe.
The carnage that continues to take place in Iraq is NOT the fault of America, it is the fault of men who thrive on hatred and twisted interpretations of a God of love.
President Bush wanted, simply, the elimination of a tyranical leader and the instillment of a republic government of democratic freedom. As Americans, I think we want the for all people of the world.
Would any of you deny that a man has a right, under God, to live in freedom?
Saddam's government was toppled. And now, the only reason that killing continues is because of these poor men know only hatred for my nation and my religion.
Why would you hate my nation?
Why would you hate my religion?
Are we not brothers in humanity?
Do we not both weep at the site of a suffering soul?
Is your heart more righteous than mine?
Do you really believe that it is?
Is that what your soul is telling you?
Who am I to judge the righteousness of your heart?
How does anybody but GOD have the ultimate right to condemn the heart of a man?
From the Qu'ran:
[5.69] Surely those who believe and those who are Jews and the Sabians and the Christians whoever believes in Allah and the last day and does good-- they shall have no fear nor shall they grieve.
And this:
[5.82] Certainly you will find the most violent of people in enmity for those who believe (to be) the Jews and those who are polytheists, and you will certainly find the nearest in friendship to those who believe (to be) those who say: We are Christians; this is because there are priests and monks among them and because they do not behave proudly.
Even if you curse me, condem me to hell; even if you hate my nation; even if you hate the ideals of freedom and democracy; please take my words and voice your condemnation of terrorism and the murder of innocents.
None of us as mortal man has the right to spread hatred.
We all have an obligation to spread love and compassion.
A just war is not conducted from the shadows, in cowardice, against the innocent.
Please, I implore you all, take these words; examine them; and if you find them truthful, propigate them, spread them, translate them. Let them be heard for, if I have spoken the truth then it is the truth of the Father, my father, Jehovah, your Father, Allah.
Paint these words on all manner of document and send them to every corner of the world. Let all men here that, even if I do not share your beliefs, I am a man with a heart and a soul of compassion for all those who suffer.
My e-mail is included below. I will not respond to messages of hatred. I will try to respond to all others as best I can unless there become too many.