World Terror … don’t leave the sunshine – Bop Poem – November 15, 2015

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“It is a mistake to refer to Muslim terrorists. I believe no religion endorses terrorism. The essence of all major religions is compassion, forgiveness, self-discipline, brotherhood and charity. All religions have the potential to strengthen human values and to develop general harmony. But individuals twist religious beliefs for their own ends. There are people who use religion as a cover to achieve their vested interests, so it would be wrong to blame their particular religion. Religious divisions have lately become dangerous once more, and yet pluralism, under which everybody is free to practise his or her own faith, is part of the fabric of contemporary society.”  The Dalai Lama

Bullet holes and marks are seen on the windows of the Cafe Bonne Biere restaurant - one of those targeted by gunmen last night

Photo from the Daily Mail

World Terror

and power struggles kill more innocents
in the name of some ideal or religion
sarin gas, hand grenades, un-intelligent bombs
a kamikaze in the night
all in the name of  “right and truth”
all in the name of “God and justice”

don’t leave the sunshine and move into the fog

killers of peace – destroyers of harmony
then, innocents lay on a school room floor – dead
now – bombs at a football match
a death concert in Paris
a missile falls on a sleeping child
this time – bloody minded crusaders yell:
“Allahu Akbar” (الله أكبر)
guided by l-shayāṭīnu* (الشَّيَاطِينُ) – by hate

don’t leave the sunshine and move into the fog

now the beauty of Islam is diminished
now Christ’s wisdom is dimmed
now the Bodhisattva cries more tears:
here in this valley of darkness
looking for the light seems hopeless
yet the sun shines still – it can’t be put out

don’t leave the sunshine and move into the fog

© G.s.k. ‘15

*devils

B&P Shadorma and Beyond – The Bop – November 14, 2015

(I didn’t use the prompt words …)

36 thoughts on “World Terror … don’t leave the sunshine – Bop Poem – November 15, 2015”

  7. Your last stanza is wonderful. These terrorist don’t realize they are pawns being manipulated by people who won’t ever put their lives on the line. When will they wise up and realize the lost of their “sacrifice” doesn’t even matter to those who ask it of them.

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    • I’m afraid you’re probably right, when we humans live by our baser emotions there are no reasonable voices that can be heard but only the cries of passion which speaks to our fears, hatred and the feeling of being abused … and the key to the problem is just that …living according to our emotions without sound reason … ideologies and religions can be so beautiful and alluring … but movements based upon the interpretation of these thoughts usually end up with an elite group in power and the people just as downtrodden as when the movement began.

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  8. “now the beauty of Islam is diminished
    now Christ’s wisdom is dimmed
    now the Bodhisattva cries more tears:”

    Wonderful words. I do think that terrorism has no religion. These people, they don’t actually respect their own religion and understand the true essence of it…

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    • Thanks Maniparna … history would teach us many things, including that religion has been the font of terror to “unbelievers” of every age and in most nations. The prophets have transcribed beautiful words … but the believers choose to interpret these words as they choose.

      In this age of rapdi communication, where the planet has become truly a small blue marble, this hatred should have no place to exist … but medieval thought of conquest and imperialism … like we find in IS (but not only there and certainly not only in the Muslim World, rooted in certain extremest sects want to set the clocks back … we must not mistake their intents … but neither must we believe that all Muslims are our enemies … I’m very afraid that it’s a lot more complicated than just right thinking and understanding the essence of what the prophets have said.

      But the people who can see beyond this hatred must try to communicate something different … something constructive and not destructive. Even if, in the maelstrom of emotional reactions these words go unheard.

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  9. A difficult subject! From the standpoint of an ideology even Christendom has fought wars (the Crusades), but the intent or motive and means to the end count too. In the end I believe love will conquer all.

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    • All throughout history, some have used religion or ideology to justify the most harrowing deeds … it’s no exclusive to our times or culture, unfortunately. The emotions that flame up in these situations are far from love … and this creates a spiral of vengeance, hatred and the killing and harassment of yet more innocents.

      I would like to think that love will conquer all … but for that to happen, we must in fact feel empathy and affinity with those we now inevitably see as our enemies, we must reflect upon our responsibilities and they on theirs … we must have a collaboration of reasoning, loving beings to guide us in these dark times, when vested interests are just too ready to profit from the emotional backlash of terror and vengeance – which leads to more terror and more vengeance.

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      • Well said! But I have hope enough people will grasp that love can conquer evil, while evil cannot conquer love.
        Was just reading on Facebook an article that moderate Muslims finally speak up, and on Twitter quote several verses of the Koran that one cannot kill innocent people, with the hashtag #not in my name – finally! Just wonder why they waited so long.
        Again, it’s good of you to address this subject!

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        • Nice to hear this good news … perhaps the reason for the seeming silence until recently is that IS has been operating in Muslim countries … perhaps much was said but we never heard it. And these are ruthless people … remember what happened in the “revolutions” in Iran and Afghanistan when extremists took power. Thanks for your info and your encouragement.

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  10. now the beauty of Islam is diminished
    now Christ’s wisdom is dimmed
    now the Bodhisattva cries more tears:

    ~I’m speechless, this is just… brilliant and heartfelt. Thank you.

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  11. None of these events are strange, unusual or foreign to our experience. They are, rather, part of a long history of tribal violence, stretching back into the days before history was recorded. Yet, we are always surprised and outraged, and we “forget” the lessons we learned like the ones you quote. We need healing, not more violence. Will killing civilians in Syria bring back the civilians in France? Did the killing in Northern Ireland bring resolution to the centuries of hatred? Peace and love brought a ceasefire.

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in shadows light - walking under weeping pines - spring rain

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