In contrast, globalization has made life more problematic in the way that war is waged. First, the actual way in which people assault people in conflict has moved from nation against nation to ideology against ideology. Second, the access to media and social networks has made war much more visible to everyone because the battlefield is everywhere.
Because warring factions are not bound by geographical borders, but along ideological lines, war is attributed to religious conflict more exclusively than the historical perspective of territorial motive. While religion as an influence on war is not new, its disassociation with nation boundaries makes it more obvious that it is the motivator versus the economic or political reasons that history has easily been able to attribute to war.
Due to the combination of growing cultural homogeneity and economic interdependence that has ridden the wave of globalization with the changing face of war, the under 40 generation is raising interesting questions:
Is war a result of religion or humanity? Is religion a perpetrator or a victim?
What do I mean by these questions exactly? Well, some are beginning to see religion as the cause for humanity acting as it does in such deviant and evil ways. But religion may have the argument that humanity behaves in such dysfunctional ways as warring against each other because it has not been effected or transformed by religion.
This became evident recently to me as I read a blog from a young, successful professional woman from India. Here are some of the statements she made:
Why is everyone trying to prove their religion supreme over other?
It’s a proven fact that most of the unrest around the world is coz of some religious group.
The role of saints and prophets has been
contradictory now days. Instead of spreading message of peace and love, they
are involved in instigating ill feelings for the people of different community.
People are educated and grown-ups to understand
what is right and wrong; no religion can stop anyone to indulge in a good or a
bad act. There are criminals, terrorists and killers from every religion and
these people might be the ones who were so thorough with their religious books
that they could recite every verse of it.
Religion has been paralyzed and deformed to an
extent that people hardly understand what their religion teaches; they just
rely on their religious leaders who would preach their own version. People have
forgotten the basics and are inspired by the superficial things.
Everyone is born in a certain religion and he or she takes up that religion by the virtue of birth. But should this be the case??
We need a new religious code called 'Humanity'.
Being human is far from complications and intricate religious sayings. Being human is just about being honest, not cheating anyone, respecting others, accommodating what others say and feel, not forcing anything on anyone, letting go, help, be at peace and not hurt any one physically and mentally by your act or words. This is what it takes to live peacefully and happily.
So this blogger and contemporary voice of many people, who are products of globalization, comes to this conclusion:
This world does not need religious messengers at this point of time, we need messengers of humanity far from religious bias
Interestingly, this is not a new point of view, just discovered by enlightened young people in our world today. The question of whether religion has warped humanity or warped humanity has been relatively unaffected by religion has been around as long as recorded history. Are humans more likely to live a more abundant and virtuous life by being more human or less? Is religion some dark cosmic force that has infiltrated human nature to give it reason and cause to be evil and self-serving?
What is religion anyway? Basically the word religion means "worship". Religion is the focus of someone's allegiance. Over the years religion has come more to mean the practice of religion, or the exercise of worship and allegiance. Maybe religion has been hijacked by humanity to become the warping influence on humanity? Maybe religion is the victim of flawed humanity and not the cause of flawed human action?
In the first century there was another blogger. His name was Paul. Of course, he did not have the benefit of technology and social media. He traveled and wrote letters and he had an impact on much his known world. His impact has continued to millions upon millions of people for 2000 years. What did he have to say about these questions?
He wrote his testimony to his friends in the ancient city of Philippi. He basically said this:
I worked hard all my life to become smart and powerful.
My humanity was considered by everyone as 'Prime A', plus I was highly motivated and very successful. Everyone knew that i was really good.
I found the abundant and virtuous life as plentiful as my humanity would allow. BTW, to demonstrate my virtue I killed hundreds of people of a particular religious sect that threatened my beliefs.
I was knocked off my horse one day when I was full of myself in living out my virtuous humanity. I was on my way to persecute those who believed in a ridiculous idea that God's Son had come to save humanity from its warpness. Afterall, this impostor, Jesus, was killed by the good people, who were protecting the virtues of God by exalting their humanity.
Did I mention that the Jesus I was killing over and over again through killing His followers is the one who knocked me off my horse. His love transformed me. His unmerited favor replaced my self-serving, prideful humanity.
Paul concluded his testimony by making this point:
I consider my humanity just rubbish compared to the faith I have in Jesus, God's Son, for my abundant and virtuous life. This Jesus, who by God's choice, not mine, rescued me from my humanity.
Two testimonies, separated by 2000 years, blogged for all to see.
If we look much closer at this we will see that the young Indian woman's perspective of the source of the abundant and virtuous life versus the source of war and conflict existed 2000 years ago also. The human flaw then, as it is now, is that humans believe that they are good and can live the abundant and virtuous life through their own efforts. Jesus' brother made a claim on behalf of the counter argument. He said, "From where does war and fighting come? Oh, yeah, from the pleasures of humanity."
Religion is man's response to God, not God's plan for man. Like Paul God wants humanity to be transformed by His Spirit to find abundant and virtuous life, not in their humanity and not in religion, but in relationship with His Son Jesus whom God sent to us. For that purpose man's religion, his worship and his allegiance, is to God. The purpose of creation is to glorify the Creator.
Lots to ponder here ....
Everyone is born in a certain religion and he or she takes up that religion by the virtue of birth. But should this be the case??
We need a new religious code called 'Humanity'.
Being human is far from complications and intricate religious sayings. Being human is just about being honest, not cheating anyone, respecting others, accommodating what others say and feel, not forcing anything on anyone, letting go, help, be at peace and not hurt any one physically and mentally by your act or words. This is what it takes to live peacefully and happily.
So this blogger and contemporary voice of many people, who are products of globalization, comes to this conclusion:
This world does not need religious messengers at this point of time, we need messengers of humanity far from religious bias
Interestingly, this is not a new point of view, just discovered by enlightened young people in our world today. The question of whether religion has warped humanity or warped humanity has been relatively unaffected by religion has been around as long as recorded history. Are humans more likely to live a more abundant and virtuous life by being more human or less? Is religion some dark cosmic force that has infiltrated human nature to give it reason and cause to be evil and self-serving?
What is religion anyway? Basically the word religion means "worship". Religion is the focus of someone's allegiance. Over the years religion has come more to mean the practice of religion, or the exercise of worship and allegiance. Maybe religion has been hijacked by humanity to become the warping influence on humanity? Maybe religion is the victim of flawed humanity and not the cause of flawed human action?
In the first century there was another blogger. His name was Paul. Of course, he did not have the benefit of technology and social media. He traveled and wrote letters and he had an impact on much his known world. His impact has continued to millions upon millions of people for 2000 years. What did he have to say about these questions?
He wrote his testimony to his friends in the ancient city of Philippi. He basically said this:
I worked hard all my life to become smart and powerful.
My humanity was considered by everyone as 'Prime A', plus I was highly motivated and very successful. Everyone knew that i was really good.
I found the abundant and virtuous life as plentiful as my humanity would allow. BTW, to demonstrate my virtue I killed hundreds of people of a particular religious sect that threatened my beliefs.
I was knocked off my horse one day when I was full of myself in living out my virtuous humanity. I was on my way to persecute those who believed in a ridiculous idea that God's Son had come to save humanity from its warpness. Afterall, this impostor, Jesus, was killed by the good people, who were protecting the virtues of God by exalting their humanity.
Did I mention that the Jesus I was killing over and over again through killing His followers is the one who knocked me off my horse. His love transformed me. His unmerited favor replaced my self-serving, prideful humanity.
Paul concluded his testimony by making this point:
I consider my humanity just rubbish compared to the faith I have in Jesus, God's Son, for my abundant and virtuous life. This Jesus, who by God's choice, not mine, rescued me from my humanity.
Two testimonies, separated by 2000 years, blogged for all to see.
If we look much closer at this we will see that the young Indian woman's perspective of the source of the abundant and virtuous life versus the source of war and conflict existed 2000 years ago also. The human flaw then, as it is now, is that humans believe that they are good and can live the abundant and virtuous life through their own efforts. Jesus' brother made a claim on behalf of the counter argument. He said, "From where does war and fighting come? Oh, yeah, from the pleasures of humanity."
Religion is man's response to God, not God's plan for man. Like Paul God wants humanity to be transformed by His Spirit to find abundant and virtuous life, not in their humanity and not in religion, but in relationship with His Son Jesus whom God sent to us. For that purpose man's religion, his worship and his allegiance, is to God. The purpose of creation is to glorify the Creator.
Lots to ponder here ....
No comments:
Post a Comment