Jerusalem

Religious wars are very confusing to me.  I had an idea about the tension that existed in the ‘Holy Lands’ and a brief understanding of the extreme lengths that the different religious groups would do to preserve their landmarks, but I didn’t fully realize the violence that was happening because of this.  Being that the basis for Christianity, Islam, and Judaism originate with the same stories, thus taking place in the same physical place on Earth there is constant fighting for ownership.  Because these religious sects believe in the same stories but have a different ideas about the outcomes and their own faith there hasn’t been the opportunity for peace in this region.  The ethnocentric bias that we discuss in class plays a major role in these wars.  Each religious group thinks that their way is the right way and they compare their practices and beliefs as the standard to the Others’.  Of all of this the standout complication is that there is a stress on tolerance, understanding, and loving your neighbor in the religious practices yet there is constant isolation, discrimination, and killing amongst the people in this region for ownership of these properties.  The power in faith is extremely strong and I can’t imagine living in such a way as the family that can only share a meal together once a week because they were not granted permission to share citizenship and live together full time without making sacrifices.  These are great extremes that are very hard to understand coming from a country where these freedoms are granted by law.  I suppose it is the separation from the physical places that helps with this religious and cultural freedom; there is a distance that can cater to the tolerance.   Also, these religious wars seem to be never ending.  The principles behind the battles are the same as centuries ago, yet people are still dying everyday.  The holiest place on Earth should one day be able to find peace.