Peace in the Middle East

I was hoping to start this website with positive topics, but I felt that this subject had to be touched on.  Countless times have people attempted to express their views on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, so maybe this attempt will be different in the sense that it will ask more questions than it answers.  

There is no stronger force in this world than belief, as evidenced in the bloodshed that has been shed throughout time under the premise of religion or someone's belief system.  I would like to add that I do not view myself as a religious person.  I am of the Jewish faith, but my lack of bond to the culture, religion, etc. has distanced me from having a true Jewish identity.  I view myself more as a person who is out in search of the answers, and to be good and do good.  These are views that most religons preach in one form or the other.  Common once said that "you gotta read all of them books [Koran, Bible], as there are truths in all of them.  I do believe that most religion's fundamental teachings are positive guidelines onto how to live one's life.  I also believe that the danger with religion is giving man the power and control to guide the masses and interprete positive teachings however they want.  Whether it be Priests, Rabbi's, etc., allowing man to control one's interpretation of belief systems turns out to be very dangerous.  Thus, we have the twenty-first century's version of our world, a world in terror.

I titled this blog "peace in the Middle East" because I ask the question, will we ever see it?  I propose that we will not ever see peace in the Middle East while religion plays an important role in the region.  Now, that might seem like a silly statement because of the history and origins of religion in the region, but I truely believe that.  There are issues that people discuss and can sit on the fence, but when it comes to this conflict, everyone seems to have a strong opinion.  There seems to be no separating the underlying religious undertones from the human destruction that is going on.  Instead of looking at what is happening as a moral right and wrong question, people's viewpoints are created by their religious followings as well as religious discriminations.  

I might be able to help you realize that Common's new cd is far from his best and that the Dark Knight was a superior film, but getting someone to change or open their eyes to another belief system is much more difficult.  How can we ever have peace when people will commit suicide and kill hundreds because they feel their god or Allah will approve?  

I'm not here to say that one side is right and one side is wrong.  What I do believe is that death and destruction is wrong.  For most of us, we believe in this notion only when it is our side dying or when the we believe the death is warranted or serves a larger purpose.  I get very frustrated when people's viewpoints are so strong towards one's side and cannot see the other side of things.  

Maybe this makes me an idealist.  Maybe I am waiting and wishing for a world that we can get along and agree on wrong and right.   Maybe I want to believe that we are all humans living on this planet all looking for the same things.  Until all or any of these things happen I will continue to attempt to look at this situation with an objective eye, hope that  peace can be found and continue to seek the answers.