Janus was according to ancient Roman mythology the god with two faces. He was also the god of entrances. What do I mean with my headline? I mean that every religious belief or secular ideology has two faces, one positive and constructive and one negative and destructive. Religions – be it Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, or any other religious faith, they all have good intentions. The underlying message in each and every one is to be good humans, find good ways to live our lives and treat each other well – the general message of love. We humans need a system to believe in. The same we can say about most political or other secular belief systems, such as conservatism, liberalism, socialism, communism or any other -ism. Of course they differ from each other since they have various outlooks and perspectives. The ideologies and monetary systems, the way to view humanity, the own group and each other. Nevertheless the basic idea behind them all are good. We must never forget that.
On the other hand almost every religious faith or secular ideology also have traits of intolerance of dissidents, hatred against those who do not share the same views and beliefs as within the own group. This hatred and intolerance has led to many conflicts and wars ever since the beginning of human existence. In this way we humans are plain, destructive, selfdestructive creatures that destroy the world we live in and destroy each other. This is very much so even today.
We learn now for example that the Palestinian Hamas leader Ahmed-Al Jabari was killed by the Israeli security service Shin Bet in Gaza yesterday. Israel also attacked Gaza and six more people were killed. Hamas seek revenge and the Palestinians are in uproar. Al-Jabari was on the Israeli army’s death list since he initiated the kidnapping of the Israeli soldier Jilad Sharit. The IDF at the same time harrass, abuse and kill Palestinians and the tensions are building. Not good at all!! The UN has suggested to give the Palestinian Council the status as observers, which vexes the Israeli government. The decision will be taken two weeks from now. Israel has been attacked both from Gaza recently and tensions are also building up with attacks over the Syrian border at the Golan heights in the north east. Syria is an old enemy of Israel, but the two countries would be wiser to seek peace for both themselves and for our general human existence.
In Syria the civil war continues. City after city, town after town, village after village has been destroyed by governmental troups and secret police. Thousands of men, women and children have been tortured, jailed, surveiled or killed by the own leadership.The rebels who oppose the Syrian government are irritated because of the lack of international support, and enclave after enclave arise in opposition against the lack of justice and basic human rights in their own country.
What I’m saying now is that we can continue to pursue, destroy and kill each other, but when we think we have won, the climate on our globe will take the lifes of the survivers. Therefore I continue to plead for a better form of human co-operation. We need to see and accept each other as fellow human beings, focus on what we have in common, instead of getting stuck on our differences, and be so immensely resentful and hateful against those who do not live and think exactly as ourselves. Try to love instead, roll up your sleeves and work together!!
Anders Moberg, November 15th 2012
swedish heart and soul 