Something is stirring in the undergrowth on the tangled bank...
You'll find my evolving thoughts here, but not those of my employer, and certainly not any medical advice...
I guess trying to found agreement over arbitrary religious rules is pretty much doomed to failure anyway, but it's a valiant (and catchy!) effort.
At any rate, I think people grossly overestimate how much of the Israeli-Palestinian (or Israeli-Arab) conflict is about religion. Religion helps fuel the discord, but it's not a Jewish-Muslim conflict. Rather, it's a conflict between extremists on both sides who think their side can "win", and the moderates on both sides who just want to live peacefully. Unfortunately it's always easier to grab headlines when you're an extremist :-/
Hi P, yep, it's like us in Northern Ireland in that sense; not about religion per se, but about in-group and out-group relationships. I love Israel, but sometimes it's like having a reLly good friend who keeps getting drunk and whacking someone in a bar: you want to help your friend and modify their behaviour, even for their own protection, but they then turn on you, and accuse you of not really being their friend at all. It's a bit tiresome, but I live in hope!
I guess trying to found agreement over arbitrary religious rules is pretty much doomed to failure anyway, but it's a valiant (and catchy!) effort.
ReplyDeleteAt any rate, I think people grossly overestimate how much of the Israeli-Palestinian (or Israeli-Arab) conflict is about religion. Religion helps fuel the discord, but it's not a Jewish-Muslim conflict. Rather, it's a conflict between extremists on both sides who think their side can "win", and the moderates on both sides who just want to live peacefully. Unfortunately it's always easier to grab headlines when you're an extremist :-/
Hi P, yep, it's like us in Northern Ireland in that sense; not about religion per se, but about in-group and out-group relationships. I love Israel, but sometimes it's like having a reLly good friend who keeps getting drunk and whacking someone in a bar: you want to help your friend and modify their behaviour, even for their own protection, but they then turn on you, and accuse you of not really being their friend at all. It's a bit tiresome, but I live in hope!
ReplyDelete