We are counting on you Peter to go over and put flowers in the muzzles of all weapons while hawking your book to the soldiers. The soldiers who want to become martyrs and go to paradise are a target audience, since you can tell them they will spend the hereafter with Joan C, if they read your book before blowing themselves up.
Well you know, Israel does have gay soldiers ... and my Joan cartoons were once in an Israeli newspaper (the paper has since folded). I had my chance back then, perhaps, but I dropped the ball.
It's a mess all the way around. I'm truly sorry for the people who get caught in the middle, but Hamas MUST stop launching rockets and recognize Israel's right to exist. This issue isn't all that hard to figure out.
Yeah, Russell. I think Hamas is totally in an unrealistic la la land, here. You can't fire hundreds of rockets at a country like Israel and not expect them to want to stop you after awhile. The population just won't put up with running to bomb shelters every single day. Israel is trying to have a "modern society" and that just does not involve getting bombed months on end, (til the end of time?).
When you see the injured and dead Palestinian children.. does ANYONE really believe that, even if Israel calls a ceasefire (again) - those people will forgive? The hatred is fomented from generation to generation.
wars and rumors of wars will be until the end of our time on earth as we know it, it is bible prophysy that has to come to pass before the end of civilization as we all know it to be now. I just pray, Lord please let stand in these evil days and be ready for your great judgment day
I saw an Israeli film about two gay soldiers in love. Their families didn't know about it. One gets killed. The film wasn't about national politics at all, but the politics of love and the politics of family.
I think any peoples who don't event try to understand those who feel a little differently are just fools But then why do we always think of others as being the different ones ? I saw a film of a gay Jewish marriage one But I can't remember where
I remember how festive the Y2K celebrations were in Bethlehem and I thought that finally they were going to live together in peace - and then all the suicide bombings happened.
Even back when I was mad at Israel I was still madly in love with their symphony. Some of the most heart achingly beautiful sounds ever made on Planet Earth have come from Israel's symphony.
They've been going at each other for that piece of real estate since time began, and unlike Thomas above, I don't think there is an end in sight. Unless of course, total annihilation counts, then there will definitely be an end.
I think Russell has a good point, the Palestinian people are the ones caught in the middle of this with no way out. It is clear that most of them want peace since those have left the area are not famous for their terrorism but mostly for their civility.
There is an enormous infrastructure that is built around the Palestinians that keeps them right where it wants them, and provokes actions against them and then takes pictures of it and uses their suffering to maintain the whole sick thing.
I don't know what I would think is worse if I were them or in their situation.
I wonder if they have ever thought to stop the violence, make serious peace overtures, and then document what happens are carefully as they now claim to document what the Israelis do when they are militarily provoked.
i do think peace is around the corner, and will break out suddenly at some point. This simply cannot go on. Ever since the 1972 Olympics the terrorism generated from this conflict has escalated and widened to affect most of the world and threatens to get worse.
Back in 1970's there was no root cause or global understanding of the situation, now I think most people know at least something about it, and want it resolved.
Who doesn't want it resolved - hardline Muslims in and out of Palestine for ideological religious reasons ... in my opinion ... and hardline Israeli nationalists who are afraid for their existence due to the Muslims. Untie this knot Muslims, and recognize Israel's right to exist so they can stand down their military, and I think we will see peace.
The barrier as I partially understand it is that in Islam Allah calls for retaining and expanding Islamic lands, meaning that in their religion Israel is prevented from being recognized by God. So, it's understandable that change is so slow or non-existent, when the basis of a religion must change to bring peace and tolerance in he world, but compared to the rest of the world's concepts of religion, a God who worries about real estate is obsolete.
Yes, extremist religion must be in the way of peace because otherwise the Palestinians could make a lot of money on tourism and THAT is usually a good reason to make peace. Making money usually makes the world go round, in most parts of the world.
I'm a firm believer that peace will prevail, either with a truce or with them killing each other off until no one is left to fight and the cause is forgotten.
I can't see any reason why Israel should stop unless Hamas is eradicated. Hamas is not open to any compromise short of the extinction of Israel. Oh, and by the way, the Jews were in Palestine long before the Muslims. But the real issue is religion and that goes way beyond this particular conflict. It exists between the Christian "world" and the "Muslim" world also. The conflict in Israel is only a localized aspect of a world wide problem. Those who think that once the Israel issue is settled, everything will be quiet and peaceful are complete fools.
Problems of this kind are caused by religion, that is, religion deteriorated over the centuries, not as it was intended by its Founder. The solution to these problems is found in religion - not dead religion but alive, vibrant, relevant religion designed to meet the needs of today's man.
Thomas, I would modify your statement about religion in one sense, and that is that the Jewish religion and the Christian religions have morphed over the ages. They have reformed, the words, the interpretation and the practice of most religions have become more secular, less strict, and certainly less militaristic, despite there always being the odd fundamentalist or sect that has an expansionist interpretation of their dogma.
I'm no expert on religion, but there are real differences between Islam and all the other main religions. One of them is that Mohammed was a general, who actually fought wars to spread his religion, and he is seen as the one and only prophet of Allah on Earth. If any Muslims wants to better phrase that I'd appreciate it. The concept of Jihad, and of Muslims lands, that need to be held on to, conquered or reconquered is something that I think is absent in every other major religion today, and not only absent, but the very idea is rejected, clearly and straightforwardly.
If a Muslim visits the Vatican he is not automatically committing a capital offense, but a non-believer in Islam is committed a capital offense if he goes to Mecca. Again, my understanding, if anyone who knows better wants to refine or rebut, please do.
Islam, specifically radical Islam, seems infantile in its demand that it be respected as God's true religion, all the more because they take it so seriously they are willing to kill to defend Allah's reputation, kill and terrorize. That is just wrong, and wrong in a criminally intolerant way that cannot help but lead to war and turmoil between countries and within Islamic countries that have non-Islamic citizens.
Nyota, I agree with you. The Jews and the Muslims, at least in the Middle East are the same people. Brothers and sisters who cannot get along, so they must each go to their rooms ... meaning they both must have rooms to go to.
The Muslims have a huge room ... from Morocco to Indonesia ... the Jews have a very small room that the Muslims begrudge to them and that the Muslim believe belongs to them.
Bruce: Thank you for sharing your insights. There is a great deal more to the religion of Muhammad than readily meets the Western eye. It behooves us to study this Faith with an open mind and heart prior to making judgments about it.
The Hamas leader said something interesting ... as if he was planning it, energized and happy, sitting safely outside of Gaza said that Israel has taken the war to every Palestinian homestead now.
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Comments: 50
Blessings and best wishes - S.
(can you tell ???)
I wonder if Vanessa Redgrave changed her opinion, too. I wonder if we still think alike .
"Make Love Never War !"
I don't think Hamas would make a movie like that.
But then why do we always think of others as being the different ones ?
I saw a film of a gay Jewish marriage one But I can't remember where
Ugh !!!
(the building looks way cool, too)
(I don't think I made that up - I think that's a famous quote - but I can't remember now)
There is an enormous infrastructure that is built around the Palestinians that keeps them right where it wants them, and provokes actions against them and then takes pictures of it and uses their suffering to maintain the whole sick thing.
I don't know what I would think is worse if I were them or in their situation.
I wonder if they have ever thought to stop the violence, make serious peace overtures, and then document what happens are carefully as they now claim to document what the Israelis do when they are militarily provoked.
i do think peace is around the corner, and will break out suddenly at some point. This simply cannot go on. Ever since the 1972 Olympics the terrorism generated from this conflict has escalated and widened to affect most of the world and threatens to get worse.
Back in 1970's there was no root cause or global understanding of the situation, now I think most people know at least something about it, and want it resolved.
Who doesn't want it resolved - hardline Muslims in and out of Palestine for ideological religious reasons ... in my opinion ... and hardline Israeli nationalists who are afraid for their existence due to the Muslims. Untie this knot Muslims, and recognize Israel's right to exist so they can stand down their military, and I think we will see peace.
The barrier as I partially understand it is that in Islam Allah calls for retaining and expanding Islamic lands, meaning that in their religion Israel is prevented from being recognized by God. So, it's understandable that change is so slow or non-existent, when the basis of a religion must change to bring peace and tolerance in he world, but compared to the rest of the world's concepts of religion, a God who worries about real estate is obsolete.
Very sad.
I'm no expert on religion, but there are real differences between Islam and all the other main religions. One of them is that Mohammed was a general, who actually fought wars to spread his religion, and he is seen as the one and only prophet of Allah on Earth. If any Muslims wants to better phrase that I'd appreciate it. The concept of Jihad, and of Muslims lands, that need to be held on to, conquered or reconquered is something that I think is absent in every other major religion today, and not only absent, but the very idea is rejected, clearly and straightforwardly.
If a Muslim visits the Vatican he is not automatically committing a capital offense, but a non-believer in Islam is committed a capital offense if he goes to Mecca. Again, my understanding, if anyone who knows better wants to refine or rebut, please do.
Islam, specifically radical Islam, seems infantile in its demand that it be respected as God's true religion, all the more because they take it so seriously they are willing to kill to defend Allah's reputation, kill and terrorize. That is just wrong, and wrong in a criminally intolerant way that cannot help but lead to war and turmoil between countries and within Islamic countries that have non-Islamic citizens.
are the same people. Brothers and sisters who cannot get along, so they must
each go to their rooms ... meaning they both must have rooms to go to.
The Muslims have a huge room ... from Morocco to Indonesia ... the Jews have
a very small room that the Muslims begrudge to them and that the Muslim
believe belongs to them.
Horrors !!! Israel is SO MUCH BIGGER a power - it sounds utterly suicidal !!!!
What a guy!