Israel

What place in the world do you never want to visit? Why?

WARNING – MAY BE UPSETTING

All my life I’ve wanted to walk in the footsteps of Jesus, to stand somewhere his feet may have stood, I don’t now.

This blog could be quite controversial, but it is genuinely how I feel, and the why feels important too.

To me, religions should bring us together. As I’ve said before, God is spelt differently in each language, yet we humans think that because we say the word one way there is a difference. It’s a false god.

How utterly ridiculous is that when bread is pronounced and spelt differently in every single language? Yet no one would scream ‘that’s NOT bread you terrible liar!’

Time changes things

Jesus was a Palestinian Jew, so the same race as those in Gaza, just a different way of worshipping his god by his own spelling, in his own language. Were he alive he would probably be buried under rubble somewhere.

We also don’t quite know how Jesus would have worshipped as it was a very long time ago, the records of his life are not accurate as much was written 75 years after his death by people who did not know him. Ever asked yourself who wrote the gospel of Luke?

Some say it may be Lazarus. Certainly not a disciple.

The Greeks played with the story, removed books from the ancient scriptures such as the gospel of Peter and Mary Magdalene. So what we know isn’t real.

There is no doubt though that this man was written about and recorded because he was something special. And whether the recollections are accurate or not, it is lovely in the Christian Church to revere The Lamb of God, the God of Love, and in the Catholic Church the almost unthinkable, yet highly enlightened, reverence of his mother!

What beautiful things to focus on? How special to respect the woman who gave birth to an amazing individual, in a stable.

Not an expert but…

I was taught about the Muslim religion by a respected professor in the UK. Sadly we did not have time to go into in the depth I would have liked, but one impression remains strong in me, the beauty of the Koran. The respect for women. It’s an honour to know even a little, and I mean that.

I respect differences. What I don’t respect is not coming together to do the most important thing in the world, keep it safe. Keep the people safe. Keep the children safe.

Is fighting over god the deity’s intention? I would say no.

Surely all religions should be putting their foot down right about now?

So where does this lead?

I could not go to Israel now because I cannot help feeling that the atrocities their government has committed would have Jesus incandescent with rage!

Note, not their people, their government.

“Suffer little children to come unto me”? Can you imagine Jesus saying ‘not those children our children?’ I can’t.

How could I stand in his land, in his footsteps, knowing how far is it from what He would have wanted?

It is said that He died on the cross so that others might live. What a betrayal of that sacrifice this is.

Obscuring the innocent

When I think about Israel now and the Jews, my first thought is not what it used to be, the Holocaust. It’s the utter destruction of Gaza, and now Lebanon.

I don’t think first about the disgusting October attacks, I think of Gaza, and I think of how the appalling treatment of those people has almost disappeared from the mind, to be replaced by so many innocent bodies. Yet I cried for the people who suffered that terrible attack, woman to woman I screamed for them.

Those people mattered, the Holocaust is sacred, yet they’ve been obfuscated by something so, so much worse.

I can’t stand in a land that would do that. It’s not the land of my all-time hero and guide. I just wish he were alive right now and standing next to my new all-time hero, the Pope. We really need him.

I hate being in any way controversial but..

I am sincerely sorry if this blog is upsetting, but so is the awful situation in this world at this time. The 168 schoolgirls killed in Iran will never be forgotten by me. The hurt I see on the news makes me wish I could go there and tell them how much this matters.

I have signed up to an organisation, with a monthly donation, which works in war torn areas clearing rubble (20 years worth in Gaza), defusing ordinance, and generally helping to rebuild.

It’s called Humanity & Inclusion UK if anyone is interested. What they do is amazing.

Amorah – Deb