We first fought the heathens in the name of religion, then Communism, and now in the name of drugs and terrorism. Our excuses for global domination always change.
-Serj Tankian
These views, I am putting as eye drops, so that picture get visible to all. These came into my mind when I watched the movie "Khuda ke Liye". Something that Naseerudin (who plays the good maulana) says about religion gave a new direction about spirituality to my mind. He said that the external manifestations of religion like the way one dressed are not important. It’s the way one lives that is far more important. He said that many evil people use these external garbs that symbolize religious faith but are actually evil people. There are many things explained by him which is an education for non-Muslims like me. This movie is worth a see, particularly because it comes from Pakistan, a religious country.
One of the characters talks about the majority of Pakistanis being able to read Arabic, but not understand it. This is just same as Most of the hindus/even pandits don't know why they join their palms and use tilak while praying to God. They don't know what is the meaning of the sloks written in Geeta, but they can chant it for hours.
Lets begin a journey to the center of the matter. Origin of human being to the time we live in. How terrorism took shape and why this path of terrorism is taken by educated youths?
Civilization is a slow process of adopting the ideas and implementing them for the welfare of people.
-Simply Saying
If we look back to progress of human civilization, we find that at the initial stage for centuries man had to fight continuously with the fierce beasts in the jungle, for their survival. As a result man became aggressive, self-centered to save himself. When they learnt to live in groups, due to conflict of interest there were often fight between groups. Man did not hesitate to kill animals and also men of other groups. Then kingdoms came into existence and fight of strength and dominance spread all over world. Then countries divided boundaries which led to world wars. Thus violence and hatred became inherent in human character.
Religion is to do right. It is to love, it is to serve, it is to think, it is to be humble.
-Ralph W. Emerson
With the dawn of religions, smell of peace and calmness developed and man learnt to worship God for their benefit and also learnt to love others. The most powerful exponent for peace was Gautam Buddha. Millions of people of many countries were inspired with the preaching of Buddha that non-violence and peace is the most valuable asset of human civilization. Jesus Christ sacrificed his life for the cause of love, justice and peace. Hazarat Mohammed Sahab, founder of Islam religion, also preached for justice, peace and love. Each religion had the core theme of spreading peace in world. All these religions play a vital role in developing ethical values in the society and sense of natural justice.
Even the best of friends face conflicts, but that needn't mean the end of the relationship.
-Simply Saying
Who don’t have conflicts? Even feelings of injustice and discrimination give rise to conflict. Children fight over small things because of the conflicts they have on the number of pencils and toys. These feelings may have some real basis or it may be only because of some imaginary ideas. Something happens to somebody doesn’t mean it will happen with everybody. Sometimes false ego gives rise to conflict. And in that situation the egoistic person don't listen anything which can help him settle the conflicts. Conflicts are also created or imposed upon by person or groups for some evil motive to make some gain out of it. In a multi-dimension, multi-racial, multi-religious, multi-lingual, multi-cultural country like India there is always a challenge on ethnic, communal, language or cultural issues creating conflicts. The contradiction between the privileged and deprived sections of the people, educated and illiterate people, people of higher caste and lower caste within the same religion, social discrimination between men and women are the major sources of conflict. Resolution of conflict becomes easier when a sense of natural justice prevails in the society.
What our leaders never notices that the terrorists -- whichever religion they follow, how much educated they are, whichever state or country they might belong to -- might also be rational human beings; which is to say that in their own minds they have a justification for their actions. Most terrorists are people deeply effected by what they see as social, political, or religious injustice and hypocrisy.
-William Blum
If a person is mentally/economically/socially unsatisfied with society, feels boycotted by society, feels discriminated or simply feels lonely in fast moving world, then what he needs is a group of people who will offer him support. And the terror spreading groups offer them more than that, they brainwash the person to absurd levels and the victim is hooked. And religion is often used to do this because this is where all the conflicts ends and more than 95% of the population believe in some or the other super power/God.
If we go through the profiles of the offenders who have been arrested in concern with the terrorist activities are well educated and employed/established in a so called urban society. These educated youth become influenced by an Islamic activist/Hindu Extremist/Greedy Politicians. They begin to practice the extremist interpretation of Islam/Hindu/any religion, grows a beard/moustache and goes against/in favour of music.
The most ill and terrible thing about terrorism is that ultimately it destroys whoever practice it. Slowly but surely, as they try to extinguish life in others, the light within them dies.
-Terry Waite
They are educated men with loving families and therefore if they got caught as terrorist, they have to take some of the blame on them too. How can a brilliant mind take such inhuman steps. Ultimately they are not only destroying the world but themselves.
Its a great way to just say God told you to kill. But God never tell so to any of his followers.If there will be no religion to take as excuse, then these evil people of the world would find other justifications to kill. Did Hitler/world war used religion? his aim to capture the whole world was sufficient for him. Revenge is often another justification used to murder innocent people. Evil people always justify their deeds.
Thus the conclusion to curb terrorism is not to find terrorists (specially in particular community) but to find why people are taking such steps and make them come again to Life full of happiness and satisfaction. The reason, I think, why the educated people taking the path of terrorism is one word term "Falling out" (hearing or understanding what is going on around one but feeling powerless to change something, feeling alone due to discrimination which may be false impression, dissatisfaction with the way society works). All criminals need a brotherhood.
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
-Galatians 5:22 Bible
Actually, no religion justifies a behavior of killing people or suicide, and Islam is no exception. Islam is not just a religion but a beautiful poetry of God which spread love, care, bonding with God, peace and harmony. Religion is there to live happily and it should not be used as counter for peace. People who use this term for their self interest should stop such evil deed because this is not only affecting them but to whole mankind.