[Morganite]

As an uneasy truce between Israel and Hezbollah continues, millions of average men and women in the Holy Land are turning to the one simple comfort that has always seen them through the darkest days of their troubled history: the steadfast guidance of their religious faith.

Arabs and Israelis alike are embracing their faith as a way to make sense of the violence from which there seems to be no escape.

"I take solace in knowing that my faith is a sanctuary, an escape from the bloodshed and turmoil," said Haifa resident Yigal Taheri, who last week lost his wife and newborn daughter when a Fajr-3 long-range rocket launched by Lebanese militants struck the synagogue where his family was attending services. "YHWH, Elohim, whatever you wish to not call Him—His love comforts all those who are willing to open their hearts to Him. Praise be to G–d."

"Religion is the one thing that has never let us down," Taheri added over the low rumble of AK-47 fire emanating from the nearby home of a radical Israeli rabbi.

Taheri is not alone. In a time of seemingly unending conflict between Israelis and Arabs, a growing number of Middle Easterners are fervently embracing the unshakeable wisdom of Judaism and Islam.

Palestinian Omar Abdel-Malik, a resident of the Gaza Strip town of Khan Younis, credits his Islamic beliefs for preserving his sanity.

"The Israelis have fired missile upon missile on my neighborhood, but it has only made my trust in Allah that much stronger," Abdel-Malik said. "I cringe to think where the people of the Middle East would be right now if it weren't for our steadfast belief in one true, merciful, and loving Supreme Being."

Palestinian widow and mother of three Dareen Idriss agreed, citing the healing power of prayer as a way to cope with the relentless slaughter she and her family witness every day. "When the children cannot stop crying because of the bombs, we all gather our families in the rubble of the mosque to pray for justice," Idriss said. "During this calm meditation, we also pray for the annihilation of the Hebrew race."

An unidentified Palestinian man seeks a renewed resolve through prayer.

West Bank settler Ari Chayat, whose neighborhood has also been ravaged by violence, echoed this profound reliance on faith. "The world is so brutal and unfair," Chayat said. "Many days, my uncompromising belief in a vengeful creator is all that gets me out of bed in the morning."

"If it wasn't for my faith that the God of Abraham has given these lands to Jews and Jews alone by divine decree, I probably wouldn't even be here today," Chayat added.

Lebanese militant Jawad Hamid, who recently lost his best friend to an Israeli helicopter attack while the two men were on their way to pick up a Katyusha rocket, said his faith in Allah was the only way he could cope with the tragedy.

"Every time I want to give up hope, I just open the Quran to my favorite passage, Surah 2:194: 'Whoever acts aggressively against you, inflict injury on him,'" Hamid said. "Whenever I read those words, I am immediately filled with inspiration and a renewed sense of purpose."

Even political leaders have tapped into the public's reliance on religion and used it as a way to encourage them to never give up.

"In this time of strife, the only way to endure the unending suffering is through an unwavering, uncompromising faith in one's religious beliefs," Israeli hard-liner Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah went so far as to quote from the Quran in a speech delivered to followers the same afternoon.

"It's always frightening to be reminded of your own mortality, as we all were this past Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday," Hezbollah commander Mahdi al-Zaidi said. "But rather than react irrationally, I looked deep within my faith, consulted the Quran, and by the mercy of Allah, I gained the resolve to oversee a massive airstrike against the enemy."

"We will get through this, so long as we have God on our side," he added.

Is he right?

M:

[NeedKarma]

There will never be an end to wars waged because one thought their God was the correct one.

[ScottGem]

I just read an interview with the head of Hezbollah. He claimed that they had no idea of the consequences of kidnapping those two Isreali soldiers. Had they known they would not have done it.

I think this is actually a very promising statement. First it indicates that, at least with Hezbollah, someone is finally saying the price is too high. That war with Isreal may be too costly. This gives me hope that peace may be possible.

The other point is that it justifies Isreal's reaction. Isreal was criticized for overreaction and a disproportionate response. But when you have a small country, surrounded by countries that have publicly sworn to eliminate them, can any reaction be disproportionate? In my opinion Isreal's best defense lies in making it too onerous to continue to try and harass them.

[aqua@home]

I don't know if I am over simplifying or not but I believe you are asking is he right when he says "we will get through this, so long as we have God on our side"? If this is the question then I believe it depends on your beliefs. In reality, we will get through everything whether we have God or not, and whether we know it or not? People do not just curl up and die or cease to exist because of any situation. I think it's instinct to endure. I realize that some people commit suicide and such, but for the most part, our only option is to make it through. I'm not sure religion needs to be a part of it.


However, I think if you choose to believe in a God, and have Him in your life then I think things become a lot simpler. We will still be tested, but somehow, knowing we are not alone and we are heard is comforting. Having the Bible, Quran, Book of Mormon or whatever we believe, and using it as a guideline helps us in the same way. For whatever reason, all of this can give us guidance, hope and faith in something better and to know we are always loved and taken care of. I guess I believe it helps. It does not decide, but it would definitely contribute. If given a group of people who were optimistic and hopeful versus those who were not, I'm sure there would be many findings to show that the former would be better off.

Like I said, I don't know exactly what you meant by your question so I thought I would answer it in this way.

[LUNAGODDESS]

NO,. RELIGION WILL NOT STOP THE PROBLEM... Recognizing each other and respecting each other will stop the war... the issues are not to be in servitude to man... God is not on any-one's side that kills...

[talaniman]

"

We will get through this, so long as we have God on our side," he added.

Is he right?

M:

Of course he is not right but he wants everyone to think he is to justify attacking Isreal. It is well known that some interpret the holy books as an excuse to further their own agenda, and this is exactly what muslim extremists want you to believe. Without attaching God to their cause who would follow him?

[31pumpkin]

I have to agree with ScottGem. Hezbollah's comments now sound promising for peace in that region.
But the religion part when it comes to the Muslim extremists in general is almost the whole problem.(Political reasons are a factor too) For these militants are interpreting the Quran in a destructive way. If the Quran is very similar to the Old Testament, then why wouldn't Muslim's accept that God gave that land to Israel? And where in the Quran does it say that they should annihilate Israel & western society? They keep using the "if anyone acts aggressively toward you, inflict injury upon them" as an m.o. Hello, lawless society if you just go & kill because someone says everything was an aggressive act?
That maybe fine now for peace in Israel/Lebanon. But when you look at the charismatic face on Bin Laden when he spews so calmly the hate & murder on that same face, makes me think that his religion is beyond hope & his intentions are all political now. Where is there so much hatred in the Quran? I think religion might keep some peace in Israel, but I think for the other regions near there, are still under the influence of extremists & a corrupted Quran.

[Credo]

That's a really good question. Well, religion can and cannot answer the question, and I mean both the "no" and the "yes" as total answers, not half-and-half. But things must be right for both of the answers for either one to work.

Religion can solve the problem gloriously, even better than political measures, not if Muslims and Jews start respecting each other or tolerating each other's faith, but if each side truly started examining their own faith. One of the major problems with humanity and religion that has been a constant for thousands of years and is prevalent in all the major religions is that people want answers spoon-fed to them. Christians want to know what they need to do and believe, so they ask their pastors and priests; Jews want the same thing, so they ask their rabbis; Muslims also want the same thing, so they ask their umams at mosque. If Middle Eastern Muslims and Jews started 1)taking their scriptures more seriously and 2)knowing what their holy texts say for themselves, then you would find many more better informed Jews and Muslims.

Once this is done, if Muslims and Jews consciously realized that they worship the same God (because they and Christians all claim to do so) and recognized that that same God has told each religion different things for their mission and purpose on earth, I think Muslims and Jews would be a lot more understanding of where each other stands in relation to God. Basically, they would understand that each religion was being faithful to the revelation given them by the same God about Himself.

However, this is a rather utopian way of viewing how effective relgion can be (and it's putting a lot of faith in the reasonableness of people). If religion can't solve the problem, then we might be faced with political measures or outright war. If the different political bodies in the Middle East came together and decided to seek productive compromises for the good of all, Palestinians AND Israelis, then we might see the problem solved. Otherwise, the Middle East might have to experience a devastating war that kills so many people, those who are left alive are resolved to stop the fighting and to make sure that this does not continue or start again--ever.

Either way, there is enormous potential for religion to stop this Islamic-Jewish fighting, but from what those whom you quoted have said about religion, it looks very unlikely. Their attitude corresponds more to the idea of absolute correctness to the exclusion of how the same God has spoken to "the other" or "the enemy" in the past. Hope this helped.

[31pumpkin]

On the Glenn Beck Show (CNN nightly) he had a former Jihadist (terrorist) that lives in the U.S. now (even though he was coming through via satellite) This former terrorist was asked what was it that made a change in him. He replied that it was because he began to read the Bible and began to see how God did assign that land to Israel. It was an amazing interview.
Also on another Beck show Beck was saying how the 1st Muslim Miss England had just been chosen but that her message regarding stereo-typing all Muslims was actually why young Muslim men were giving in to the stereo-type Islam these days. Beck commented (just about what she said & not to her) How could we not "profile"? These terrorists have crossed a line from peace to murder. Beck's guests have been saying that what is needed is strong spokesperson from the Islamic communities to step up and "challenge" the extremists on their views, and state loud and clear that the religion of Islam DOES NOT promote murder.
I feel this way too. Strong peaceful SPOKESPERSONS FROM THE ISLAMIC COMMUNITIES is what is needed!!

[valinors_sorrow]

When the two most popular religions (Christianity and Islam) both forecast an end to the world in which a great battle of good and evil occurs, it seems to me that it's a direct conflict of interest for them to resolve things so the world may finally know peace, especially when some of them consider the other side to be evil?

It may very well be the diminishing of these kinds of religious beliefs, or the fostering of respect for religious diversity that overrides these kinds of religious beliefs, that stand a greater chance of solving the problem by demanding an end to the conflict in numbers that cannot be ignored.

Until then, its just fitting the forecasted script, isn't it?

[JoeCanada76]

John Lennon,

Peace.

No country, No religion, nothing to die for.

That sounds pretty good. If there was no country or religion to die for would this be a better place. Or would humans with their violent nature would find something else to fight over?

Joe

[31pumpkin]

I'm really learning the meaning in Matt 5:9, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God". I notice Jesus doesn't say peacekeepers. But peacemakers. It reminds me of us in the war on terror.

[NeedKarma]

The Gospel of the Flying Spaghetti Monster has some words to ponder.

From the book of JoannaB, verse 23:
"Everybody have fun tonight
Everybody Wang Chung tonight."

This demonstrates that we are all of one mind and soul and that we should enjoy life and each other.


'nisi globi fartis frustra'

[Morganite]

John Lennon,

Peace.

No country, No religion, nothing to die for.

That sounds pretty good. If there was no country or religion to die for would this be a better place. Or would humans with their violent nature would find something else to fight over?

Joe

A nice idea, Joe, but I don't swim all that well and so must have some country under my feet. It is part of our animal nature to fight over almost anything. Jesus invites us to rise above the natural (animal) level of existence, and enter a new life with him.



M:)

The Gospel of the Flying Spaghetti Monster has some words to ponder.

From the book of Joanna Bassil, verse 23:

"Everybody have fun tonight
Everybody Wang Chung tonight."

This demonstrates that we are all of one mind and soul and that we should enjoy life and each other.

That everyone does not always enjoy life or each other demonstrates that we are not all of one mind and soul.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:T..._Appendage.jpg


M:)

[talaniman]

Religion will never solve humanity's problems, we have to do that ourselves.

[Morganite]

Religion will never solve humanity's problems, we have to do that ourselves.

Without ourselves there is no religion.



M:)