Those words of Love

Submitted by Michel C. Zala (Switzerland), Apr 23, 2011 at 10:39

Since our discussion has to some extent gone on to a spiritual dimension and you seem to be, what I truly consider as a "true American", the kind I always aspired to become, allow me to ask you the very same questions, I asked Imams, Mullahs, Preachers and Priests throughout my life.

First, my salute and respect goes out to your great-Grandfather. No matter, which side he fought with, the Civil War was a catharsis for America. Out of those greatest sacrifices, a truly blessed nation emerged. I whished I could have lived in those times, when there was a distinction between good and evil, right or wrong, righteous and sinful. I could have navigated those times, whereas I find myself so immensly confused and torn nowadays.

All world religions claim that their WORD is of love, forgiveness, peace and cooperation. Albeit, all those most atrocious acts throughout history have been committed during the promotion of religious doctrine.

Why is it, that our omnipotent GOD allows for so much injustice? All those tears, the misery, the violence, those so many innocent victims every single day - why does he not interfere?

I have asked that question to every scholar of every religion I ever encountered and never got a satisfactory answer in return. The bull aside, the best was of free will. But, if he gave us free will, to do as we please, never priotecting the innocent, so why do we need a GOD at all? Where is the free will of the people of Misrata, Tianmen, Prag or Budapest? Where was the free will of the Jews being slaughtered in Auschwitz, where my father barely escaped from? During his one generation, my father suffered from the free will of Hungaro-Nazis, then Germans, then Sovjets. Where was GOD?

If GOD created this planet, then watched it self-destruct without ever lifting a finger, what kind of a GOD are we thus praying to? If I have those questions to my GOD, how could Allah possibly get away with so much misery inflicted upon the world in his name?

How do you, a true believer, resolve these cognitive dissonances?

I told you that I am angry. If ever I should find out that there is indeed a GOD, and he could have done something to prevent those crimes against humanity, but preferred to remain on the sidelines, an observer, as the onlookers I mentioned watching a rape in a NY subway, I could never forgive him.

If the other answer to my question applies, where GOD is to us, what we are to ants, then GOD is as irrelevant to us, as we are to ants. Then this is only a matter of dimension, not of greatness.

My own individual spirituality leans towards the Buddhists, where we must come back and back again, until we get it right. At least that would make some sense.

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