calling Martin Abdullah Luther

A million plus gather in Paris.  God says live in peace, so speaks a Jewish man who was given a white rose by a Muslim. 

Here’s an idea:  the majority of Muslims condemn violence in the name of Islam.  We haven’t heard a word from Saudi Arabia.  Why? 

Saudi Arabia sows seeds of vengeance among the disaffected, no matter how excluded people may feel in their hometown, when they are so easily misled into the horrors of war, it comes from the mullahs and the government, a theocracy, tightening ever, holding hostage in the name of Islam, holding for power via rules that make Saudi Arabia one of the most oppressive countries on earth. 

Muslims of the world need to rise up against the leaders of this oppressed country, they need to, as believers, stand up against the interpretations that spew out in hate.  Islam needs to reform and the world’s Muslims are the ones to do it, with a consensus that looks at the interpretations which breed the extremists and they need to remove the legalists, the scribes and the Pharisees, they need a collective Martin Abdullah Luther to nail their 95 or fewer theses into the heart of Mecca and demand change.

Yikes, liberty doesn’t have to be such touchy subject among the Saudis and Pakistanis and Nigerians and Chinese, but it is all about losing power, right?  Islam is a social contract and Moslems in the west find the balance between freedom of speech and their faith, maybe it’s harder to assimilate in France or elsewhere in Europe, but they have a right to press for their rights as citizens first.  In Saudi Arabia there are no rights, you’re flogged if you question authority of any kind.  HEY!  If your beliefs were true and from God then you shouldn’t worry what others say about you.  If you are afraid of dissent then it isn’t the faith that is under attack it’s you! 

If your faith comes from God then it doesn’t matter what others say.  If someone blasphemes then you go on the offensive with love.  If someone paints an offensive caricature you go on the offensive with love.  Killing is not going to persuade, flogging is not going to convince, the Saudis demonstrate time and again their insecurities.  They are protecting the faith?  If it is from God then it will not fail.  Islam is flawed because man is flawed.

I watch a colleague consider an offer from a publisher who wishes to publish his thesis.  Then he talks of a conference he will present at in April.  What the hell am I doing?  It is very depressing to be stuck.  Other teachers talked about the teaching age limits in Oman, some saying 58 is the ceiling.  God almighty am I headed for homelessness?  I have no physical home.  I don’t have much saved up and what of that?  Will I have enough in six years to buy a house I won’t be able to afford ten years after that?  I can see myself scrounging for quarters and nickels in a park selling photos I printed out long ago.  Will I be saved when my services have expired?

A little Mozart please. 

A little rum with Dr. Pepper please, just a little.  Cloudy skies, strong winds, students were anticipating rain, ‘teacher no class, rain.’  It never rained but it was chilly.  And my office is constantly cold; one colleague says he is hot because of his diabetes, another colleague is hot because he could lose a few pounds.  This isn’t the Soo, dude.  So I freeze.  I have an old sweater, mysterious stains on the arms.  The sweater was left by tourists at the Superview.  Maya gave it to me and I had it dry cleaned but it didn’t remove the stains. 

Should I stay where I am?  Lord.  I know this place lacks a lot but it isn’t the place is it, it’s you.  A colleague of long ago figured I don’t have a place to call my own because something in me anticipates a place I don’t know about.  Well when am I going to know about that place?  That place will find me, rest assured and that’s where I’ll be.  And will that place be warm?  Will I have a bed, a window, a chair to sit next to the window to look out and say, God thank you for keeping me out of the elements. Thank you for the bed I am going to climb into right now.