Indeed, freedom is very limited to the perception that all people share the same rights. In reality, we all share the same responsibilities. We have to find jobs, pay bills, find medical benefits and avoid bankruptcy. We do not have the right to fail in this respect or we hit rock bottom.
There are so many people in any country that are frustrated by the daily challenge of keeping their shit together. The challenge gets greater as you get older. Whoever said that things will get easier are out of their mind. The people in the ME may not like the concept of being held accountable for their medieval social order. However, their external involvement in foreign affairs by declaring jihad against the Jews and Christians have achieved the exact opposite of their intention. They will never be left alone again. They will be held accountable for their actions inside and outside of the ME.
One of the biggest lessons I learned from 911 was that freedom is completely limited in scope. A person can never be free to act without recourse of the people around him. Islamic clerics have tried to encourage a course of unusual independence by telling their believers to carry out acts of holy murder or jihad. This religious treachery is a form of anarchy. The lack of rule in anarchy depends upon the principles of freedom, but with no upside to human accountability. Not a good way to hope for the future.
Ironically, all religions have this wonderful vision of cooperation and love. However, they also have a very negative message for man. Love or perish. This passage from Rumi is a great insight into the haunting aspect of all religion and order. (Rumi: Gazing at the Beloved, Will Johnson)
"If you don't have a beloved,
Why don't you go out and search for one?
If you've reached the beloved,
Why don't you rejoice and sing praises?
O, one who has reached maturity,
choose another mature one.
Stay next to him.
Go together to the land of timelessness and
spacelessness.
To avoid that is a big mistake."
Why do all religious leaders and political leaders feel it is their position to give out advise? This passage is not encouragement. It condemns people for not following the beloved. This is kind of where I think that a lot of people get turned off by religion or politics. Every religious message is filled with this assumption that there are both positive and negative energy or good and evil.
All Rumi had to do was encourage people to rejoice the beloved. At the point that he criticizes anyone for NOT finding the beloved, he becomes a oppressor out to maximize his following to his vision and ego. He has to find a cause so great as to justify all of his own sacrifice. Why does he have to sacrifice so much to convey such a simple and elegant message of hope?
It's the religious paradox of order. The biggest conundrum for all peace and hope is how to unify people without oppressing them. |
