My first question is which Bible? Governing the Western world, there are three great books of learning. First, there was the Tanakh (what we Christians call The Old Testament) the struggles of the ancient Hebrews, the holy book of Judaism; then came the New Testament (written primarily by Hebrew scholars about a wandering Jewish prophet who many claimed to be the Messiah) this book became the basis for Christianity; the third great book is the Quran, dictated by God to Muhammed and adopted by the Muslims as the holy book for the third great religion, Islam.
The Middle Eastern and the Western worlds have been governed and remain governed by these three great faiths and their great books of history, tradition, and learning. Bless us all for the guidance we receive from our God above. God, called by three different names: Yahweh, God, and Allah. Regardless of what name we call our supreme being, regardless of whether we call God Father God or Mother God, it is the same God offering the same love, asking us to follow the same love: TO LOVE EACH OTHER, to offering a safe place to sleep for the stranger in our midst. Is it too difficult to offer love for our neighbor, to offer an open hand of aid, not close a closed fist of anger? Know the Bible and the Koran. None but the great books of love to our deities. Who is the echo Chamber of hatred? In a sense. His or Her books of worship reflect past wrongs that we have done to ourselves. But they also show us a way out of these wrongs. Showing us a way to joy and harmony, goodness, and love.
Speaking as a Christian. And I can only speak as a Christian because that is how I was raised. I can never see God. Because God is the only Something that is within me. It is a feeling. That I share. I know that he is here when I see that person begging on the street. Knowing that I can help him. By giving him a few dollars. I am too poor to share something other than money. My quarters are too small to open my home to others. I AM Not physically capable. Spiritually, I can lift others up. Christian-wise this has asked me to love others. And treat them equally and I do that. God loves all of us. Christian, Jewish, Muslim. We are all brothers and sisters. I have read the Bible. I have read the Koran. All beautiful works of literature. All beautiful structures of faith! Can’t we live by what they mean? And not by what? Their history reflects mankind’s wrongs and God’s help in correcting those wrongs. Let us love each other. As Yahweh. Ask God. As Allah asks. Is that so impossible to do?
©Russell Kendall Carter, BA. MAT. Dlitt.
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