I vest a lot of my views on different people on how individuals treat one another, in spite of group size or any belief system, etc. I do fail to see how many Muslims answering a call to prayer peacefully and quietly in a UK park is oppressing Britons; England, along with other continental Christians that had the same grotesque idea, sent early Christian soldiers to the Holy Land to deal with Muslims by the sword , but never mind that, it's history. Anyway, I actually went to Youtube and treated myself to some videos of Christmas shoppers on Black Friday in America beating the crap out of each other for kitchen appliances and TVs after watching the large Muslim prayer ritual that was so calm, quiet, meditative and peaceful, and frankly --right there my brain kind of broke.
I don't follow any religion (remember, I worship trees and cats, though not necessarily cats in trees), even the Buddhists can't have me because they have their own bickering and squabbles. I will honor and respect others beliefs when they adhere to the one tenet EVERY religious doctrine has had in one form or another: "Do unto others as you would have done unto you." "Show kindness." Even indigenous peoples have this kind of teaching within their moral codes and belief systems.
So, for those of you who are able to see an individual stripped of any dogma or bias or, as the late Marshall Rosenberg who founded a school of peaceful communication would say, not seeing only enemies in your exchange with others, I will share a video slideshow I created (practicing to do similar things for small businesses like the ones you might run, gentle lads and lasses--or in the case of
@FreeFallin, whichever one you feel like on a given day! HA! I do like your chicken, by the way.)
A few notes for you to decide if you want to watch: this is a visual story of a Syrian in Aleppo who has already been much admired in other stories and videos for his determination to live under siege for 6 years to care for abandoned cats and dogs and other animals when others fled Assad's bombs. This "Cat Man of Aleppo" also has volunteered as an ambulance driver and rescue worker for Syria Charity, a Paris-based nonprofit. The story of all the cats (which, sadly, half of the 150+ cats and kittens were lost in a suspected chlorine bombing in November) that Mohammad Alaa Aljaleel had provided food and sanctuary has been the main focus, but he also has rescued children and adults, provided a playground for local children (many orphans) to come forget the war when the bombings abated periodically, and used his pre-war skills as an electrician to help get people basic running water and electricity. In the slideshow, you also see him with elderly people: these are Syrian Christians who were too frail, old and sick to leave Aleppo and were abandoned in a monastery. Alaa always ensured he visited them regularly, bringing the children to help him and to get to know their Christian neighbors, as well as food and drink. He visited an asylum to ensure those there with severe mental disorders had medicine and care. When the evacuation of Aleppo came in December, Alaa arranged for the remaining cats to have caregivers (either families leaving the city or a few who have remained behind) and as an ambulance driver, he and his colleagues escorted the sick and wounded to Idlib for Syria Charity to get care to them. He is not done. There is an Italian-based charity that is raising money for him to rebuild a new pet sanctuary that will also include a playground, a medical clinic and an orphanage. He has seen the positive effects of traumatized people when they get to cuddle with the cats and he wants to use pet therapy to help restore victims' emotional well-being.
Not asking anyone to financially support this except if you are interested and want to give from your heart. I just want to put this out there as a statement that, in the end, people can come through horrors and still not hate nor want to kill. I know there are all kinds of people of every stripe who are also just like Alaa that we never hear about (he has a better PR service, perhaps?LOL!) Alaa probably is a mediocre Muslim who isn't too rigid about practice, who takes the commitment to provide charity to those in need and to "do unto others" literally. Who knows how many other Alaas we might be able to welcome? What I have seen, I would entrust this man with my life--don't care what his nationality or religious practice is. He only is angry with those who choose to kill for power, Assad, the Russians, the Hezbollah, the Islamic State adherents, extremists who break a lot of the Islamic covenants. He is a Muslim and an Arab, but he is not "them". He gives many of us hope for our world. See if you might agree. No need to say anything, just mull it over inside of you and quietly make your choice. You see, no one needs to answer to me or anybody about what they feel inside. You own that. I own mine. We can still live in peace, too.
[Warning: I do include some brief images of carnage in Aleppo]
