The Night of Power…
Oct 6, 2007
There is expectation in the wind tonight. Among other things, an expectation of rain and violence; the wind brings a warning of moisture and the dust rises up as if to meet the rain halfway. The thunder rumbled from beyond the horizon all day long and the sun hung on in its dry threatened sky until the cool of evening sent the sun downward… then lightning laughed a harsh crackling snap of a laugh that split the darkness open to reveal storm clouds mounting against the moon. Muslims call this the Night of Power.
It is a night near the end of Ramadan when each prayer counts as a thousand prayers and attacks against the Coalition Forces has traditionally risen during this time . But in this war, the very talk of the Night of Power reveals another weakness of the religious fanatic mentality.
If your efforts depend upon the favor of some deity who is either too deaf or too apathetic to hear your prayers on a normal daily basis than what does repeating or multiplying the same things a thousand times do to help the situation?
But it could be a night of power. Not in the way it is intended by those who have submitted to ignorance, but for all those who continue to struggle and work for the rational values so desperately needed in this sand pit of a country that could be the jewel of the middle east. Iraq used to be the oasis for the region – ancient stories tell of the land between the two rivers as being a land of wealth -- plentiful in agriculture and art and a diversity of peoples living together. But of course that was before Mohammed and his followers destroyed the tolerance that existed between cultures. Now the poison of religion and its fanatic followers has made the entire region into a place where women are oppressed, children are abused, class discrimination is an openly practiced scourge and a prevailing mentality of inferiority among the male population causes a pettiness of spirit and a self-hatred that manifests itself in envy and misplaced anger toward the West.
It could be a night of power if there could be a courageous stand by those in positions of influence to say they were implementing measures to ensure a complete separation between religion and government as well as absolute protection for individual rights regardless of gender, creed or race.
Do this and you would quickly see a new Iraq form and there would indeed be cause to celebrate – and you could do away with useless and repetitious prayers to a non-existant monstrosity who purportedly values monotonous chanting over self-enriching action.
There is expectation in the wind tonight. Among other things, an expectation of rain and violence; the wind brings a warning of moisture and the dust rises up as if to meet the rain halfway. The thunder rumbled from beyond the horizon all day long and the sun hung on in its dry threatened sky until the cool of evening sent the sun downward… then lightning laughed a harsh crackling snap of a laugh that split the darkness open to reveal storm clouds mounting against the moon. Muslims call this the Night of Power.
It is a night near the end of Ramadan when each prayer counts as a thousand prayers and attacks against the Coalition Forces has traditionally risen during this time . But in this war, the very talk of the Night of Power reveals another weakness of the religious fanatic mentality.
If your efforts depend upon the favor of some deity who is either too deaf or too apathetic to hear your prayers on a normal daily basis than what does repeating or multiplying the same things a thousand times do to help the situation?
But it could be a night of power. Not in the way it is intended by those who have submitted to ignorance, but for all those who continue to struggle and work for the rational values so desperately needed in this sand pit of a country that could be the jewel of the middle east. Iraq used to be the oasis for the region – ancient stories tell of the land between the two rivers as being a land of wealth -- plentiful in agriculture and art and a diversity of peoples living together. But of course that was before Mohammed and his followers destroyed the tolerance that existed between cultures. Now the poison of religion and its fanatic followers has made the entire region into a place where women are oppressed, children are abused, class discrimination is an openly practiced scourge and a prevailing mentality of inferiority among the male population causes a pettiness of spirit and a self-hatred that manifests itself in envy and misplaced anger toward the West.
It could be a night of power if there could be a courageous stand by those in positions of influence to say they were implementing measures to ensure a complete separation between religion and government as well as absolute protection for individual rights regardless of gender, creed or race.
Do this and you would quickly see a new Iraq form and there would indeed be cause to celebrate – and you could do away with useless and repetitious prayers to a non-existant monstrosity who purportedly values monotonous chanting over self-enriching action.
posted by Joe at Monday, October 08, 2007
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