The Danger of Religion

Religious laws are gaining ground in the governing of regions around the world. We in America believe in freedom of religion. You can worship whatever God you wish. This is the holiest week for Catholics who celebrate Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday and the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead on Easter Sunday. The Catholic Religion has the Pope in The Vatican as their spiritual Leader and they abide by their rules and laws found in the Ten Commandments. This is the week where Jewish people celebrate a special meal over Passover. Most religions are from the basis of peace, hope, spirituality and kindness. Not Sharia that punishes people who do not follow the religion. Sharia is gaining ground and is frightening to most non- believers.

Sharia is a strict code of law based on the Koran. It is the underlying philosophy of ISIS that believe that all countries of the world should follow their type of governing. ISIS has been bombing innocent people all over the world simply for not believing in their way of life. Indonesia has the most concentration of Muslim people in the world and is a peaceful place but now in the province of Aceh, Sharia has taken over the place. There are   men in military outfits with signs on them that say MUSLIM POLICE. Their job is to go around town to make sure people are obeying Islamic law. If they see couples just sitting and talking together they will interrogate them and make sure they are married. People run away if they see the police coming.

The strict Islamic code of Sharia is most common in Saudi Arabia the place where the 911 bombers came from and the place that is very friendly with all our recent Presidential administrations especially the Bush administration. Why isn’t anyone looking for ISIS there? If you wear western clothing, are a homosexual, socialize or drink booze it is a violation of Sharia law. Punishments can range from 100 acts of caning to the death penalty. Punishments is harsh and done in public places for all to see. Do they really think they can beat the gay out of someone? Are we back to the age when people would be subjected to the Guillotine in medieval France? Animal species don’t even do to their own kind what humans do to each other and we are supposed to be the smartest living things on earth.

The town shows up to see an individual suffer. Sounds like what Jesus suffered carrying his own cross before he died. The people whose job that is to inflict pain or death on another human call it their call to duty. It is just a job. When the Tsunami happened in 2004 the people of Indonesia looked at the natural disaster as a message from God and so Sharia law flourished. Everything that surrounded a large Mosque was destroyed but the building survived. The water wave Tsunami killed over 230,000 people. The people then decided that their “evil” ways must be stopped and that it was God that punished them with the giant wave of water.

Sharia is now gaining influence in all parts of Indonesia. Up to 72% of the population support Sharia law.  They believe that both Iraq and Syria have the best of Sharia law. Is this going to be the basis for World War lll? There are rallies encouraging people to join the Islamic state. Their excuse for all the violence of ISIS is simply that they are following the laws of their chosen religion. Their law denounces democracy.  Many people from Indonesia have left to join the fight in Iraq and Syria. There is a battle of the minds raging in Indonesia causing a civil war there too. There is still a fight to retain the secular ideals that was founded in Indonesia but now it is a fight with the violent Muslims. How is this world of our going to survive all these customs and religions?

We need to revert back to Greek Mythology where we had the God of the sea Poseidon and the Gods and goddess of the earth and sky and worship the planet and save each other and our planet. Pray for that don’t prey on each other!