Hawaiian Sky

On a recent trip to Kauai, I spent some time staring up at the
nighttime sky...peaceful, beautiful, vast, humbling.

Can anyone have the arrogance to "know!", "for sure!" there is
a God (or not)?  Can anyone presume to "know!", "for sure!" the
answers to eternal and unknowable questions?

And, if a person is not free to answer, for themselves, basic
questions regarding God, the purpose of life, the nature of
morality, etc., is there, truly, any freedom for individuals?

Isn't the current world conflict a titanic clash over the
perception of this basic human freedom of choice, values, and
rights?  A conflict between Theocracy and individual freedom?

I am neither Mormon nor Muslim, and I am certainly not an
expert on either religion, but it seems to me that their different
approaches to proselytizing are striking.



Mormons ask young believers to travel the world attempting to
persuade others to become believers.  They do not attempt to
gain political power to force their beliefs on others.  They
attempt to convert by demonstrating their personal commitment
and character.

Maybe I'm a Pollyanna, but I believe that most Muslims could
co-exist with, and have no problem with, the way that Mormons
attempt to recruit new members.

But within the Muslim faith, a significant number of militant
Islamists go much, much, further in recruitment.

They rightly criticize the sins of the Christian Crusaders of the
past, but the militant's goals and tactics mirror those of the
Crusaders they say they hate.

If your goal is to create a government Theocracy, or a
Caliphate, and your tactics are to kill or intimidate any and all
opposition, then you are not religious, you are dangerous...at
least to anyone who believes in human freedom.

You are using religion as a cover to attain political power and
crush all opposition, just like all other tyrants of the past.

A charismatic speaker can be very spellbinding, but if you are
a young person in Saudi Arabia, America, Yemen, or anywhere
else, think hard before you buy into such a program.


You are turning your life, your dreams, and your future over to
hateful people who will manipulate and sacrifice you to their
own political goals.

Religion can give purpose and meaning to your life, if you choose
to believe...and you are willing to allow others that same freedom
to choose.  It can destroy your life, if you are forced to believe,
or try to force others to believe.

Funny where the mind wanders when you're looking at peaceful,
beautiful, star-filled Hawaiian skies.