Out of Many, One: E pluribus unum

Last updated on: June 5, 2009 at 3:50 pm by Desh Kapoor

Out of Many, One: E pluribus unum 2009-06-05T15:50:34-05:00 Desh Kapoor

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

It is telling and indeed intriguing that three religions, coming from the same root have such deep-seated animosities. Even though all the three religions acknowledge half a dozen protagonists as their founding fathers, still Judaism, Christianity, and Islam have developed such deep rooted enmity. In fact, every strain of these religions in turn has led to more animosity that even after 15 centuries, it remains fresh and potent! Protestants vs Catholics or Shia vs Sunnis. I can understand if for some time, there may be misgivings… but there seems to be no end to this enmity!

All the morals of Moses, or Love of Jesus or revelations of Mohammad are of no use if all these can inspire is nothing more than hatred and cruelty. A Sunni feels no compunction in hanging an Ahmediya simply because the latter added another protagonist to the long list of Prophets. A Jew feels little love for a Palestinian and vice versa.

Nowhere and in nothing else has a “Past” had such a profound and debilitating effect on such a vast mass of humanity and for so long as the “Past” of Jerusalem. Sometimes, I wonder if there indeed could be anything “holy” about a place whose most practically felt contribution to the contemporary world has been hatred and wars! Holiness should inspire men and women to rise FAR above their stature and mind. Between the Demon and God, lies the Human. Holiness should take this humanity towards the realm of Godliness, but instead if that journey takes the humanity to demonic coordinates, then how profound can it be?

Yesterday, Barack Obama gave a speech in Cairo. It was a speech that many in history SHOULD have given. He said what many SHOULD have said over the centuries since Mohammad but sadly and unfortunately DIDN’T! These were words that were resting on the Lips of Eternity to be uttered…. but there wasn’t enough of a humanity available which could get over the bondage of that “Past” to even say these things as unequivocally as Obama said it now.

Make no mistake. This speech was not just a political speech. It was an obligation of an entire humanity….. that aspired to take the path to Holi-ness and Godliness to speak out in order to challenge a humanity that had reveled in the safe confines of the narrow but morbid path to demonic ends. When we hate, we are demons. When we love, we are Gods. Between this Love and Hate, we remain Humans. If one Human can acknowledge another Human and the obvious frailties of being so, then there is no meaning of Hate and Love. Man, at that moment transcends God and Demon both, out into a realm all his own.

Until now, either people of wisdom and power past didn’t have the sagacity and will or the courage enough to take this step.. a leap really. A leap of faith that Humanity can be one. E pluribus unum, (“Out of Many, One”).

He is being criticized as many people making such efforts are. Some say he didn’t go far enough, while others believe he went too far. Some say he is all rhetoric, others accuse him of giving away too much. Dwarfs have seldom in our history understood what a Giant can see at the horizon. It is no different here.

As much as he took a difficult and unprecedented step, and exhorted others to do their bit, there are people on all sides who are “waiting’. Waiting for his “next step”. Little realizing that the “next step” in this entire game of giant reconciliation has to be taken in THEIR hearts and minds.

Indeed it is damning for the entire humanity when it keeps waiting for Prophetic figures to extricate it out of all the sins that it commits willingly and nonchalantly. Even something as simple as a inward look in the hearts, beyond the facade, is not possible. Even that needs a Papal or Prophetic nod. Slavery is not always a physical phenomenon. It is mental as well.

Today, if we all can find it in our hearts to take the “next step”, then maybe humanity can turn the corner and move the pendulum of our existential movement to a Holy and Godly direction. Then who needs Jerusalem?

Previous Post

June 5, 2009

Wordcloud of Obama's Cairo speech

Next Post

June 6, 2009 Acorn and a Sheep

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Aarti Achievement and Leadership AfPak Africa Annual and Year-end Asia Audio Australia Behavioural Sciences Bhagwad Gita Bhagwad Gita Blogging Blogs Business Business Intelligence Business Strategy Cannes Careers Chanakya China Conservation Corruption Creative Daily Links Desh Poems Development & Welfare Devotional Audio Devotional Songs Drama Earth Economics Education Entertainment Environment Europe Everyday Quotes Featured Articles Featured Songs Finance Flickr Pictures Food Geo-Political Global Warming Globalization Health & Medicine Hinduism Historic History Humour India Indian Culture Indian music Indian Weddings Israel Issues Legal Link Love Minorities Misc Motivation and Personal Development Movie Lists Movie Reviews Movies Mumbai terror attacks Natural Disasters Nature News Outsourcing Pakistan Parenting Personal Philosophy Poetry Politics Poverty Quotes Recipe Regular Blog Post Relationships Religion Religious/Spiritual Audio Sciences Showcase Slideshow South Asia Special Stories Spiritual Quotes Spirituality Sports Stories Strategy Technology Technology Terrorism Travel Uncategorized US Video Women Women_s Rights Worship Yoga

Select a Month December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 June 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 September 2014 August 2014 January 2014 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What does "Beersheba" mean?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Blessed Field Valley of Water Well of the Oath House of the King