What God Wants, God Gets!

I have tried to steer away from the mind-numbingly dull subject of religion of late in this blog, but the cave men had a day out again today.

The news of the attack in London today was so sad, for everyone concerned, even the cavemen that perpetrated the act! There has to be a point, when you have a belief system, when you must question it. I think when you find yourself driving down a pavement at speed and mowing down screaming school children as they try to flee, that has to be the time.

I am running a project here in my local town of Huddersfield at the moment. The guys who call into the project are from all walks of life and of all different abilities, which is why I love working there. We have a group of young Iranian guys attending at the moment and they don't speak any English, but they are still wonderful company. We all laugh as we try to communicate through the great god of misinformation, Google! There are guys who call in just to help and pass on skills, whereas others just want a place to be safe and enjoy some company, all are welcome.

One of the guys who comes down, Ali, is a devout Muslim, I mean devout. But having said this, I don't recognise his version of Islam from the one that the cavemen want us to see. He is a gentle, witty, charming man whose company I really enjoy. He knows my views on religion and it makes no difference to him at all, “ You are a son of God, and my friend” he always says. There's no malice, no silly clothing, no preaching, just warm friendship. So what kind of Islam were the cavemen studying, where was the love and tolerance that Ali insists is the basis of Islam? The problem is, as usual, politics.

Most of the Islamic world abolished slavery decades before we did here in the west. Egypt was one of the most secular countries in the world until the nineteen twenties. Most Islamic nations welcomed discussion about faith and belief and were happy to talk to other religions. I'm afraid that the puppet masters are always looking for something to unite people in hate behind. Whether it be race, religion or nationalism! Once you are united under their banner they can manipulate and twist facts until people are blinded by hate. The whole of the Islamic world was decimated by the rise of this kind of politics. Forward-thinking countries that were developing well became third world backwaters, just like Pol Pot did with Cambodia. The cavemen that have done the heinous acts today would be happier if we all lived in caves praising a sky full of empty promises!

The same techniques have been used in the Christian world. Just look at America and its bizarre Bible belt. Also we have Northern Ireland, where neighbours killed each other because of a juvenile belief system. Again the troubles in Northern Ireland were also political, but it was easier to have sectarianism to control the people. Some of the bombers of the seventies and eighties must have been able to see the scene of their targets when the set the bombs off, so they too knew there were children about! By the way; killing anyone, man, woman or child is wrong, its just that. I cannot understand a person that could harm a child for whatever reason.

So when we criticise a religion for spawning such imbeciles, as I certainly will be doing, we also must stop and think about people like my friend Ali and the countless other Muslims that live and worship like him. Who believe that all humans are brothers. Also all the hate-mongers mustn't think of all Christians as war merchants I know lots of people that are working hard to find homes for Syrian refugees. I know lots of Christians like my father, who donated a large part of their wages to help people in the developing world (whatever that means) to have a better life.

Remember, what God wants, God gets, and even if your God doesn't want it, he will still get it! The hate preachers will see to that!