For a good part of yesterday it rained torrentially. One of my nodding acquaintances told me this morning, as our paths crossed on this fine sunny morning, that her little dog had refused to go out for a walk in the late afternoon, simply turning round at the door and walking away, back into the house. Phil and I managed to find a point late in the day when the rain had stopped and went for a walk round the village. As the evening went on the sky mostly cleared but the temperature dropped: September getting started!
In Peru archaeologists have discovered a 3D mural that could date back 4,000 years. One of the experts said, “These were people who lived from agriculture and from the sea but they already show the first signs of social hierarchy.” The most influential and powerful people would have been shamans, male and female, or priests or priestesses, she explained. “They possessed important knowledge about medicinal plants and also about astronomy; they could predict the weather conditions through observation of the stars and the sun. They acquired knowledge and began to perfect it. They were, in a sense, scientists as well as spiritual and religious leaders.”
That was 4,000 years ago, a civilisation that perhaps went into decline before we had even begun to advance very far in Europe. And then we went over and “discovered” their countries and set about teaching them to be civilised Christians.
As I read this article earlier this morning about Syria, I found myself reflecting on religion and how strange it is that Christianity, Judaism and Islam, three connected religions, all have schisms within them. You might think that something like believing in the same god should unite people. Instead, as well as having Christians against Jews against Moslems we have long had Catholics against Anglicans (though without actual fighting these days), different kinds of Jews disagreeing with each other, and Sunni Moslems against Shi’ite / Alawite Moslems, with the kind of violence described in the article I linked at the start of this paragraph.
Fortunately we no longer have crusades where “good Christians” go out to kill or convert infidels of one kind or another. But antisemitism still exists and the continuing chaos in the Middle East goes on from day to day. And there are still many who believe, and try to persuade everyone, that every country should live a “western” lifestyle.
I am currently reading “The Map of Love” by Ahdaf Soueif. Set in Egypt in 1997 and in the early years of the 20th century, it tells the story of relationships and friendships against a background of ongoing conflict. Some of the descriptions of political events and violent events and struggles for freedom could have been lifted from today’s news reports, with just a few name changes! At one point Lady Anna Winterbourne, married to Sharif al-Baroudi expresses her feelings of being ashamed to be English. Reflecting on our country’s history in the Middle East I could echo her sentiments.
And of course I am aware that today’s conflicts are mostly political with just an overlay of religion.
Life goes on. Stay safe and well, everyone!
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