We are
living in strange times. On one hand we have globalisation with the
availability of information to the masses and on the other increased
fanaticism. Intolerance, which humanity should have left behind a long
time ago, still drags us down. If there is any hope for humanity to
survive, it is through dialogue and understanding. In this light, it is
refreshing to see my friends, using modern media, engaged in civilised
discourse.
I am,
however, somewhat saddened because I see, cloaked in contemporary
scientific, philosophical, and psychological jargon, we are still
discussing centuries old contentious issue. I think we are asking the
wrong question. Question is not “can we say goodbye to God”,
rather “should we say goodbye to God?”
When
Christ is nailed to the cross, God is there alongside Jews, hammering in
the nails.
When
Christians are persecuted for centuries, God is there directing the
affair.
When
Mohammad orders the killing of more than 700 Jews, including women and
children, God is at the helm.
When Pope
Innocent III orders slaughter of hundreds of French Cathars for heresy,
God inspires him to do so.
When
Crusaders are painting holy land with infidels’ blood, I see God helping
along.
When
Catholics and Protestants are killing each other, I see God on both
sides.
When
Palestinians are expelled from their homes, God is the one who had
promised the land to Jews.
When
innocent Jews are blown to pieces by suicide bombers, God helps assemble
the bombs.
TO this
partisan and murderous God I say goodbye and good riddance; go away and
never again interfere in human affairs; just leave us be.
There is
another God, however.
When you
listen to a song so beautiful that you lose sense of time and place,
travel to a realm indescribable by our tongue; this God lives there.
When you
watch the sun rise, slowly spreading its amber rays over sleepy earth
and you forget all the mundane thoughts, feeling only infinite peace,
this God lives there.
When
beautiful poem transports you out of you, this God lives there.
When a
painting takes you where you feel nothing but peace and goodwill towards
all creatures, this God lives there.
To this
God I say welcome; please stay and keep me in this realm, always.
Shahzad
Ahmad Tanwir