The Apocalypse - Letter by Letter: Is there gratitude in Islam?
The Apocalypse - Letter by Letter
Blog to discuss the book "The Apocalypse - Letter by Letter: A Literary Analysis of the Book of Revelation" and current events that point to the events described therein.
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Is there gratitude in Islam?
The proper response when someone does something for you is reciprocity. Here are some examples of nice things people did.
In the early 1980's there was a terrible civil war in Lebanon. Christians and Muslims were slaughtering each other. The UN, with US troops sent peacekeepers to stop the bloodshed. Terrorists used a truck bomb to kill 300 US Marines in Beirut and the US left.
In 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait and proceeded to rape their women and kill their men, some led off never to be seen again. The US led a coalition of forces to free the Muslim people of Kuwait. Usama Bin Laden used the presence of US troops in Saudi Arabia to justify the terror attacks that ensued throughout the 1990's culminating in the 2001 attack on the World Trade Center.
In 1995, NATO with a strong US presence sent peacekeepers to stop the slaughter of Bosnian Muslims. Strong leadership by the US president brought the bloodshed to an end.
In 1998, the US led a force to stop the genocide of Muslims in Kosovo. Nearly a million Muslims had been forced from their home and their villages burned. The strong action by the US allowed for the return of the Muslims to their villages. In return, they proceeded to initiate a reverse ethnic cleansing of Christians, burning down their churches.
In 2004, there was a terrible tsunami in Indonesia that killed thousands and leveled many villages. The US rallied to send billions of dollars in aid. Our military sent ships and planes to aid in the relief effort. Within a month the Indonesian government demanded that all US troops leave their territory.
In the 1980's and 1990's and right up to present there have been major earthquakes in Iran that have always resulted in massive aid from US government and private sector. The Iranian government calls us the "Great Satan" and is working to build a nuclear weapon.
So, the question remains. Does the concept of gratitude exist in Islam? What do I expect a civilized people would do? How about allowing religious freedom in their countries for Christians who are largely there to help their people? How about letting them openly express their faith and build churches? How about not beheading people for freely converting?
I think this is what the Pope may have been referring to when he brought up reciprocity.
