the pernicious, evil influence of religions not based on love,
all religious texts are theoretically 'based on love' (a major selling point) and all follow pretty similar guidelines as to how the common man, or woman might be a 'good' person. 'the cardinals' http://www.stanscafe.co.uk/project-cardinals.html demonstrates this perfectly imo. (useful film clips at the bottom of the link)
but all faiths are open to peculiar departures in interpretations too imo - especially by organisations rather than individual average believers. ie from the bible 'god helps those who help themselves' can be interpreted to mean that avarice can be excused since the opportunity for personal gain was placed in front of a person ....by god. this excuses theft....or so some 'believers' imagine.
most faiths preach that we should respect money and not be wasteful....yet this is interpreted as respect for money over and above people. 'not being wasteful' is a great cover for being a selfish penny pinching, exploitative scrooge.
i think from (escaped) afghan people i've met and worked with here, that they make a pretty good job of interpreting their faith in a moderate and communal minded way, as evidently do the malian people - (and as described in the article zola links to). no one in their right mind wants sharia law, apart from non believers with plenty of dosh/property ime (as it means more power and punitive remedies at their disposal).
'the taliban' preventing all manner of activities, including basics relating to health, is just a way of gaining superiority, extra power over ordinary decent folk. people whose pleasures, and identities are rooted in their spiritual commune, via music/dance/etc. (from a western perspective, surely there are some obvious parallels with the objectives of the financial crash here, as regards our health)?
taliban leaders, and the rich countries that supply funds etc ensure that the taliban's 'job' is to unsettle communities, so as to divide and rule. i think an apt comparison to the taliban is the italian mafia, as discussed recently on r4: people are fearful, and duped by petty thieves, their fate decided by opportunist non believers (or sinners) for personal gain....yet when caught, mafia crims may boast about doing whatever crime 'in the name of christ'.
never do opportunists question whether christ/allah/etc might actually want them as a follower, (as brilliantly described by bill hicks in his comic sketch about people who wear the crucifix).
in the uk, when steve wright murdered seven sex workers, he did so allegedly 'because god told him to' ....numerous instances provide evidence that there's a point at which a particularly anti social form of insanity doubles as a 'personal interpretation of faith'.
i suspect malians will do as afghan people have had to, (apart from when afghanistan was more progressive, or was communist ) and play 'illegal' music literally 'under ground' in their cellars, at night, for fear of getting caught. it's as well to remember on days when your own music choices are filling your home, and providing oodles of pleasure to the senses, that this leisure activity isn't always open to everyone. it's a 'rich', positive thought to contemplate, especially at a time when 'wealth' is interpreted only in terms of money, and power, by both govts, and hierarchies of religious orgs alike - eastern, or western.
musicians who escape their country, and petty opportunists of the taliban's lower ranks, with their talents, (fingers and throats), and musical instruments in tact, at least spread, and preserve culture. imo those who dare to be openly political about religious oppression are surely far closer to living out overlooked aspects of religious texts, than a bunch of saudi arms funders, or corrupt 'religious' obsessives at the top of some treacherous 'religious' regime. as zola's article proudly boasts, malians have won just about every global music award there is to win - so they have a positive head start in this sense. it's good to see malian arts attracting media attention due to current threats.... the world should know! long may it continue...though afghan musicians aren't as fortunate in this sense, barely having a profile..... other than the one provided by zealots, oppressors, opium dealers, and, of course, civilian deaths following western interventions. the fact that muzwell hill r3 listeners remain less aware of afghan music speaks volumes imo. though it suits baroness warsi etc who needs to keep her flock separate, in order to maintain her own power over their interpretation of islam. in this sense, religious moderation, and spiritual pleasure remain a threat - as is a rounded education, about others. the latter cuts both ways in a global context, which is presumably why the article about mali was written, printed and (finally) posted by zola.
all religious texts are theoretically 'based on love' (a major selling point) and all follow pretty similar guidelines as to how the common man, or woman might be a 'good' person. 'the cardinals' http://www.stanscafe.co.uk/project-cardinals.html demonstrates this perfectly imo. (useful film clips at the bottom of the link)
but all faiths are open to peculiar departures in interpretations too imo - especially by organisations rather than individual average believers. ie from the bible 'god helps those who help themselves' can be interpreted to mean that avarice can be excused since the opportunity for personal gain was placed in front of a person ....by god. this excuses theft....or so some 'believers' imagine.
most faiths preach that we should respect money and not be wasteful....yet this is interpreted as respect for money over and above people. 'not being wasteful' is a great cover for being a selfish penny pinching, exploitative scrooge.
i think from (escaped) afghan people i've met and worked with here, that they make a pretty good job of interpreting their faith in a moderate and communal minded way, as evidently do the malian people - (and as described in the article zola links to). no one in their right mind wants sharia law, apart from non believers with plenty of dosh/property ime (as it means more power and punitive remedies at their disposal).
'the taliban' preventing all manner of activities, including basics relating to health, is just a way of gaining superiority, extra power over ordinary decent folk. people whose pleasures, and identities are rooted in their spiritual commune, via music/dance/etc. (from a western perspective, surely there are some obvious parallels with the objectives of the financial crash here, as regards our health)?
taliban leaders, and the rich countries that supply funds etc ensure that the taliban's 'job' is to unsettle communities, so as to divide and rule. i think an apt comparison to the taliban is the italian mafia, as discussed recently on r4: people are fearful, and duped by petty thieves, their fate decided by opportunist non believers (or sinners) for personal gain....yet when caught, mafia crims may boast about doing whatever crime 'in the name of christ'.
never do opportunists question whether christ/allah/etc might actually want them as a follower, (as brilliantly described by bill hicks in his comic sketch about people who wear the crucifix).
in the uk, when steve wright murdered seven sex workers, he did so allegedly 'because god told him to' ....numerous instances provide evidence that there's a point at which a particularly anti social form of insanity doubles as a 'personal interpretation of faith'. i suspect malians will do as afghan people have had to, (apart from when afghanistan was more progressive, or was communist ) and play 'illegal' music literally 'under ground' in their cellars, at night, for fear of getting caught. it's as well to remember on days when your own music choices are filling your home, and providing oodles of pleasure to the senses, that this leisure activity isn't always open to everyone. it's a 'rich', positive thought to contemplate, especially at a time when 'wealth' is interpreted only in terms of money, and power, by both govts, and hierarchies of religious orgs alike - eastern, or western.
musicians who escape their country, and petty opportunists of the taliban's lower ranks, with their talents, (fingers and throats), and musical instruments in tact, at least spread, and preserve culture. imo those who dare to be openly political about religious oppression are surely far closer to living out overlooked aspects of religious texts, than a bunch of saudi arms funders, or corrupt 'religious' obsessives at the top of some treacherous 'religious' regime. as zola's article proudly boasts, malians have won just about every global music award there is to win - so they have a positive head start in this sense. it's good to see malian arts attracting media attention due to current threats.... the world should know! long may it continue...though afghan musicians aren't as fortunate in this sense, barely having a profile..... other than the one provided by zealots, oppressors, opium dealers, and, of course, civilian deaths following western interventions. the fact that muzwell hill r3 listeners remain less aware of afghan music speaks volumes imo. though it suits baroness warsi etc who needs to keep her flock separate, in order to maintain her own power over their interpretation of islam. in this sense, religious moderation, and spiritual pleasure remain a threat - as is a rounded education, about others. the latter cuts both ways in a global context, which is presumably why the article about mali was written, printed and (finally) posted by zola.
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