Not my normal blog ...

I don’t understand so many things.  I’m not talking academics.  Although admittedly I’m on the low end of that spectrum as well. 
 

When I have free minutes I try to find out what is going on in the world.  And the latest deaths in Pakistan near the Afghanistan border just makes me sad.  I grieve for them. 

There is so much I just don’t understand.   Of course I can read about what physically happened.  Who did what and when and to whom and the ‘why’ and the blame is on this one or that one and they are evil and they are …          Good Lord.

In my heart I don’t understand.  Why do we fight and kill in the name of God or religion?  Why do we fight or kill in the name of political ideologies?  Why do we fight and kill for power?  Why do we fight and kill for ‘what is right’ … and who is to say what IS right???? 

I have been blessed with a very … shall we say … eclectic extended family.  I have a Catholic sister (I’m Presbyterian), I have a Muslim brother-in-law, niece and nephews.  I have sons who have explored a variety of faiths, Buddhist nephews and nieces, and Jewish ex-laws. There is probably more variety in that mix that I don’t even know about.   We are Irish, French, Korean, Italian, Pakistani, Philipino, Vietnamese, German/Hungarian/Austrian, and even a wee bit of Native American.  And again – there is probably even more variety than I am aware.  God only knows where our political ideologies are!  I could make some guesses – but you know what?  I don’t care.  It isn’t important.  I love them all.  In spite of – or maybe even in part, because of – all our differences.

Granted, I’m talking family.  But let’s include neighbors.  Again – there is a huge variety. 

Well –not so much here in El Salvador, you are either Catholic or ‘Evangelical’ (or with no faith) and you logistically belong to one of the 4 major political parties … everyone is pretty much Salvadoran so there are no ‘race’ issues here.   But even with those few variables – there is quite a bit of rivalry, hatred and even some violence.

I understand not agreeing with something.  There are many things I object to, don’t agree with, and don’t fully understand (etc.) either regarding our diverse faiths, politics, life-style or whatever.  But who am I to judge other’s beliefs?  Who am I to try to change them?  Who am I to KILL them? 

Good Lord. 

This is a big planet – but a small world.  And the world is getting smaller. 

Our commonality is our humanity. 
Where does all that hatred start? 

It’s become a cliché and almost a joke … buy why CAN’T we all just get along?