Screaming Bloody Murder: A short essay

After watching an alarming, intriguing and eye opening program on CNN titled, Scream Bloody Murder, I asked the universal question, what causes war? Not so easily identified is my gut instinct. Yes.
The show documented the cry for help , from Rwanda, to Iran, Iraq to Darfur, to the slayings and brutal mutilations, torture and human subjections in Cambodia. Genocide, holocausts, HISTORY repeating itself again and again. But these stories are all too similar. One religious group wants to demand freedom from another so there is war. Or one political ideal wants to free from another political ideal. At the expense of human rights, justice and morality.
Ambassadors, public servants, civil officials see it happening and blow that whistle– and no one believes the stories at first, “they must be imagined because they are far too inhumane.” “These atrocious acts can’t be real.”
We turn a blind eye. As Eli Wisel, holocaust survivor states, “it is easier not to know because then you don’t loose sleep at night, you can continue sipping your wine ...”
Once there is knowledge of something, there is accountability. We are responsible for what we know. Do we realize this weight?

1.7 million died in the Cambodian killing fields during the 1970's Khmer Rouge Coup.
More than 2.5 million are displaced from the Southern Sudanese vicious thugs plundering villages across the region. A 300,000+ death toll rises just as the ferocious tactics increase.

I think wars come down to humans choosing not to see the issue from another perspective. Choosing NOT to walk in the shoes of another viewpoint, lifestyle or ideal, because... they just might see it their way?

Are we the only animals that kill each other intentionally with no purpose but to inflict harm, hate, and death?

There is a good scene at the end of the movie, Kingdom. To sum it up, there was a terrorist shooting on an American military base in Saudi Arabia, killing some Americans and many civilians. Four American’s are selected to go investigate the scene, one woman (whose significant other was killed in the attack) and three men. When the woman finds out her boyfriend was killed, of course emotions and dislike for the Arabians are building. Her colleague whispers comfort into her emotional ear, “ don’t worry, we’ll kill them all.” Then fast forward to the end of the movie, all four detectives break into the terrorist cell leaders home. To find him dining with family. A shoot out begins, the leader is shot and as he is slipping away he whispers into his concerned grandson’s ear, “don’t worry, we’ll kill all of them.” Okay. If only both sides knew how similar they really were. Those words created comfort for both constituents, further initiating a wall between understanding and common ground.

Hate is bred. Hate is birthed. Hate grows up. Hate becomes a hormonal teen and Hate, in its purest form, sees the demise of its host.

Any act of love is an act of peace. – Mother Theresa

Why do we love the war movies so much? The epic hero or heroine risking their life for what they believe and willing to die for it. There is something in that trait that sparks us, invigorates us and inspires us to live a life of fortitude and meaning. Fighting to the death of something, an issue, an ideal, a religious point of view. Yes, those are good things to stand up for. I ask, when does the value of a human life become invaluable? When does a humans motive, belief, ideal and purpose become more important than a HUMAN LIFE?

Do unto others what you want done to you. Insightful, basic, and pure. You would not want a gang of thugs coming into your comfortable home and saying what you have been believing is leading to hell, you are wrong, and I’m going to cleanse the evil from you and this land you call home. Occupation. Control. Ownership. Claim. Captive.
But at the same time its not in a humans heart to sit back and let less fortunate humans get bullied, humiliated, defiled, tortured and killed. We want to stick up for the underdogs. That impulsive instinct to die for an honorable cause kicks in. I think it is innate. War is inevitable in this existence we claim for only a temporal amount of time.

Its harder to live for something than die for it.

Moreover, a life well lived and sprouted with acts of love lives long after death. The memory lives on in its loving carriers. And any human can be a carrier of a memorable life, and sometimes the memory of that life is stronger than in flesh form.

Don’t you want to leave a legacy?

***

The evolution of religion.
When we were nomadic wanderers, we did what we needed to do, what was based on instinct, need and desire. As we became more populated in numbers, order began to take shape. This is where you live, this is where you grow food, where you keep your livestock, where you conduct business, etc. Then began the growing numbers of groups; this clique and that clique – you would converge around people who hold up your similar viewpoints and ideals about life (how to live, work your land, grow your food, treat people, raise your children, etc). People that make you feel uplifted, edified, and validated. Why would you want to associate with a group that made you feel less than? Of course, the beliefs grew, took on more meaning and deeper definitions.
Also at this time, the perception of self began to take off. ‘I am a human, I deserve this, I deserve better treatment than the animals that work for me. I should get this, live here, eat this... We are becoming civilized.’ So then began our self-awareness, or possibly our self-deception. Greed and ownership flourished.
So, the cliques or groups formed naturally began to asses order within themselves; pinpointing a leader and the assumptions of followers. Of course, from the beginning of time and for the rest of our existence, humans look above and question a creator, and seek to walk closer to that god(s). We have some knowledge that a creator exists but not all of the knowledge and our minds are not satisfied until that time. So these religious groups were just groups at this time. And then they began drawing their own semblances on the beginnings of time, the creator, and how a human should live (a set of guidelines and rules to protect them from suspected or studied harm).
Then began the divisions.
Groups did not agree with one another. Groups thought others were outwardly walking in lies, talking of gibberish. So they think, ‘let’s just forget about it and forge our own belief and following of like minded individuals.’ So they did, and secretly their misunderstanding and in cohesiveness eats away at them, creating a bad taste in their mouths for the other groups.
Skirmishes began.
And they were justified – by both sides.
‘In the name of our belief, our destiny, our lives, our ideals, our humanness, we deserve to feel this way.’

And on it goes, and on it comes, and will continue to come.

Misunderstanding and a narrow minded, ‘I don’t want to see it from their view, they are wrong, I am right ’ will ever perpetuate the world war scene.

I don’t think religion is single handedly responsible for the wars we engage in. Wars happen based on the need for necessities, money, revenge, and any other ideology worth fighting for.

Religion gives people a hope and a purpose in this, at times, troublesome world we live in. And what is wrong with hope and purpose? It is what we are all after. (Everyone achieves this in different forms, and for many it is through religious discipline).
But I don’t think there is a right/wrong way or an equation to “the right life.” I think there are many paths to finding your purpose and hope. Many paths that lead to a good, meaningful life.
I think wonderful things get done in the name of religious organizations. Missionaries, pioneers (of the Ba’hi faith), and aid workers, partake in highly urgent humanitarian needs. Does their pushing of their beliefs perpetuate the war scene? Maybe. It might have minor effects of being ostracized, incredibility and loss of camaraderie in villages as conversions of community members are rumored of.
I think there is a difference between religion and faith in a higher power, for me personally. And isn't that what life is about – finding your personal truth? Your personal purpose and hope?
Whether it is a personal relationship with your god or a personal nirvana achieving mediation, I think that everyone’s truth is different. Of course, I think it important to surround yourself with others that believe and edify you in your truth, but allow equal access. Surround yourself with others of opposing views so that you can have a more rich perspective, a more open-minded approach.
The religion you are following should bring you to an open consciousness that there is more than what you are doing, what you are believing, and that you are a minor thread in the fabric of existence. If your religion does not do this, than it is just promoting ignorance and division among humanity.

Don’t religions exist to promote love?

Why do religions claim war in the name of their religion? They are defiling the god they seek communion with.

Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that. – Martin Luther King Jr.


Hmmm...
[ Any act of war is the antithesis of love. ] (These is a strong statement and I’m not sure if this is true. There is a teeter-totter between knowing that war will exist yet disagreeing with its devastation. I do think that sometimes war is necessary. And that is just the world we live in. We can’t be spreading acts of love always? )