Openly Obscure

I read an article this morning that really fueled the fire of my extreme dislike of religion. Most of you know my stance on religion from my previous posts, that can be found by searching "Needed Revolution" and the fact that religion does more harm than it does good.

The reason why I'm so heated is because, although I'm not religious in the sense of prayer I believe that religion was fundamentally created to give those a sense of hope to be good during their time on Earth. I'm not sure who's idea it was to mix violence and religion together but ever since the creation of major religions that's all we've basically seen for centuries and centuries. The article in which I read, Austria: brawl in Sikh temple leaves preacher dead, describes how a Sikh temple was attacked by another religious group...not by Hindus, Muslims or Christians but by another sect of the Sikh culture.

How sad is that? As a Sikh and attending Sunday school for most of my younger days, you DO NOT attack a place of worship and especially women and children. Although, only the preacher died (like that makes the situation any better) sixteen others were injured for the belief that the lower caste Sikhs were mistreating the holy book, the Guru Granth Sahib. It pains me to see not only these people but other religions fighting over such differences. Another example that my educated Islamic friends have explained to me is the difference between Sunni and Shiite Muslims. I'm not pro one or the other but what I am against is the hatred and wars that have spurred and still spur to this day between both religions. Fundamentally, the two are pretty much the same whereas they practice the same characteristics taught by their prophet Mohammed with one major difference that the Sunnis believe that there were four caliphs that were appointed leaders once Mohammed passed into the next life/Heaven/whatever you want to call it.

Look the point of the article is that no matter how you think about religion, if you truly believe in the principles of your religion then you must know that violence is never the solution unless you are threatened. And even in that situation, talking or a compromise will accomplish more than violence ever could. This attack was uncalled for and totally unwarranted. The horror that each of the men, women and children faced while their prayer is something that they will soon not forget and now those that did survive the attack will want revenge upon those who did them harm. It's only human nature, right?

These situations happen all the time but we're not even phased by it because its mainstream. That is the sad part about religion because although everyone knows that each path leads to the same place, we have people that believe one is better than the other and that they can command the masses and continue the separatism of people...even within religions. This is why there will always be conflict and why nothing will happen until everyone realizes that it's not the differences that separate us but bind us through acknowledgment and respect for each other. Will this ever happen? Probably not until there is enough bloodshed that in the more dire circumstances we will need to come together for the future of mankind. In discussing the news with my mother she told me,

Currently, ignorance or darkness overpowers the love or light within an individual and until we realize that each person is human and has a right to their own beliefs we will never see peace. We must keep reminding oursolves that the only way to solve these problems is through love because love is the most highest virtue and we must remember that at all times. We must not only discuss this but practice it in everyday life. As it says in the Bible, John 3:18, "Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth."