Middle East thoughts

I'm going to apologize in advance if this is hard to follow. Its one of those where you know what you want to say but you can't always do it in a clear and orderly sentence. Its probably really two separate blogs but I wasn't sure how to separate them cleanly since it all pertains to the Middle East.

Right now we have three religions fighting each other in the Middle East because they all feel that their way is the right way and the right cause. To me all of this conflict is pointless, helps no one, advances nothing, and proves nothing. Christians, Jews, and Muslims have all been fighting over the "holy land" since their religions were founded. Right now its the Jews and Muslims (Israelis and Palestinians), in the past it was the Christians and Muslims (the Crusades), and tomorrow who knows. With so much bloodshed and constant attempts for sole control of it, can it truly even be called the "holy land" anymore? I think not.

War and blatant killing violates the belief system of every single religion. How can a religion fight to solely "claim" the "holy land" when by doing so involves the taking of life? Why should anyone follow a religion, or any god look upon a religion favorably, that can't even follow its own rules? How can a religion claim that abortions are murder on one hand, and involve itself in "holy wars" on the other?

The way I see it is either all religions are wrong, or they all are right (including the beliefs of Atheists, Agnostics, Buddhists, etc) and there is no single "true religion." It would be pointless for multiple religions to exist if only one was "true" because it would create precisely the conflict we see today. Each religion claiming and fighting that they are the one "true religion". If all religions are right, then fighting (I include trying to gain converts under this) and slaughtering each other only condemns everyone rather than prove who is right and who is wrong.

Israelis and Palestinians have been fighting each other for centuries and this most recent spat made me wonder. Do they even know or remember who or what started their war? For all anyone knows it could be petty as one man stealing another man's wife! This latest fighting only makes things worse and continues the cycle. Each side blames the other for atrocities that the other committed, and yet can't admit to their own. Israel accuses the Palestinians of fighting out of schools, mosques, etc and yet who is to say that Israel isn't, or hasn't in the past, done the same thing. Palestinians accuse Israel of committing atrocities and yet often commit the same ones against Israel. Both sides are only making things worse for themselves the more they fight. If both have forgotten what truly caused the war, how can either side claim victory? Both sides are wrong and until BOTH sides are condemned and have action taken against them in the international community it will just go on, and on, and on. Yes, the Palestinians may have started this most recent fight but Israel can't be free of blame either. The whole thing has devolved into a disgusting and seemingly endless war of retribution. If their land is truly as holy as they claim they believe then they should be willing to release their claim on it. If it is holy then that land should belong to everyone and to no one.

Again, it all comes down to what I feel is the simple truth: 1) either every religion is wrong and is something created by society to cope with the world; 2) all religions are right and all this fighting to prove which religion is "true" is pointless; or 3) the answer is something else entirely that no one knows or understands.