Institutional competition and the want of supremacy inducing wealth by subscription has brought to the world an immense grief. A system devised and parlayed as perfect for one both expresses and guarantees “all against all” where what we all need and must have is “all for all”.
Hillel around 0-CE may have inspired early Christianity — just my thought but his outlook fits that new religion — but while striving to explore the law — Torah — to produce a more embracing and inclusive Judaism, he could not have foreseen the development of General Constantine (272-306-CE) or General Muhammad (570-632-CE). The resulting supersessionary warfare, broad at times as with the Crusades, narrow as on the Iberian Peninsula, sometimes on the surface (perhaps Turkey and the Armenian population suit that description), sometimes burning underground and erupting like volcano (about where we are today) has been ugly in every century. This is where to stop it.
One cannot blame scripture — Jewish, Christian, or Muslim (or other) — for this state of affairs but rather perhaps the ascent to power of men whose ambitions combine venality with grandiose aspirations.
The Colossus of Constantine lays on the ground in Rome, a ruin, and the Brotherhood affiliates (is their another umbrella?) purport to be building new civilizations wherever they have their adventure, hold themselves together, and get away with their crimes. The secular dictators are no better — in fact, I suggest they are mirror images in personality and that whether language promotes a secular ideology or a religion, in the hands of such men, the results are the same. WE need to get them off the stage.
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I will distill all of that down to 140 characters.
It’s all about axis in power – dictators, dictatorships, and despotism vs listeners, open conversations, mutual constituent-leadership risk.
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I have just finished perusing the art treasures of Ravenna (Life magazine, 21 Dec. 1959). One section is titled “Imperial Deputies of God” and the images of Emperor Justinian and Empress Theodora are remarkable. The West Roman empire took refuge there due to the accessibility by sea to Constatinople, the east Roman capitol. But it seems that protection of the faith, as opposed to expansion of the faith, were of greater concern during that era. The concept of the Kingdom of Heaven is vastly different between Christianity and Islam. Hence, General Mohammed put into play a template which is still followed today by his adherents. The play bill is the same. The only thing which changes on the stage is the latest cast of characters.
Tammy
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Tammy, the concept of the Kingdom of Heaven has poured blood out on the streets practically to this day if one takes in Ireland’s “Troubles” as perhaps the end of those troubles. Europe has had its bloody Christian history. Now, perhaps, it’s Islam’s turn to churn up the body counts until an epiphany dawns that suggests that but for the parochial among Jews, Judaism following from Hillel the Elder makes a great deal more sense of God and life and love than even the schismatic spasms generated by generals placing themselves in the path of their own Next New World. –Jim
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