I wrote this in 2001 before we went into Afghanistan. Kind of timely wasn’t it?

Religion and terrorism?  It is nothing new I am afraid.  Religious groups have used terror to help obtain their ends for millennia. The Romans fed Christians to the lions because of their religion.  Pharos killed Jews and terrorized them to keep them in slavery.  Christians terrorized Native populations during the crusades, Spanish Inquisition, populating the new world to name a few.  Christians killed Jews during the holocaust.  They also killed Catholic priests in the name of God. 

Protestants and Catholics terrorize each other to keep them out of each others schools and neighborhoods. All this done in the name of G-d.   The followers are told G-d is on their side.  Terrorize and kill those who oppose them.  Hate the blacks because they are a different color.  Hate the people not of your religion because they are different.  Hate people of the same color because they spell their name different or speak a different language.  It is not about religion but power.

Power uses religion like a tool.  Just like it uses soldiers, bullets, bombs and yes planes.  Religion is a way to make people use terror against their neighbor.  IF G-d says it is OK to kill the infidels, Jews, Native Americans,  Protestants, Catholics, Muslims etc.. it must be right.  Isn’t it?

No folks it is not right.  Every religion has had it zealots.  A zealot is not a religious person even if they are a person of the cloth for that religion.  The Koran does not advocate killing innocents.  Nor does the Bible or the Torah.  Yet people have used these religious books to entice followers to kill others in the name of G-d.

We should not attack Muslims because of some zealots.  This is a war for power not religion.  Religion is just one of the many tools used by those who want more power or to keep what power they have.  Killing Muslims for the sake of a few power hungry “religious” leaders would be as wrong as them bombing our cities.  It would show their followers that they were right in killing innocents.  Because we will return the act by killing innocents of their religion in return. 

It is not religion folks.  It is power.  Targeting all Muslims  would be like targeting the Ku Klux Klan to get back at the Pope.  Both are religious groups.  The Pope a Catholic and the head of one church.  The other uses religion to teach hate to their followers against all that are not white Anglo-Saxon protestants.  They are miles apart in ideology.  But the concept is the same.  Kill the Afghans because a person in their country killed our people.  Yes in the case of Afghanistan the ruling power is using religion to obtain their aims.  But the country of Afghanistan has over twenty million people.  The Talaban is only fifty thousand strong in numbers.  Yes they are the leaders.  Yes they rule the country.  Yes they help sponsor terrorism.  But to kill the innocents of their country because of the leaders is a scary proposition.

They need stopped  I wish there was a way we could tell the people of Afghanistan that we are not against them.  They need to stand up against the powers that be and say enough.  The leaders are bastardizing the word of the Koran for their own ends.  Like I said they are the latest in a long line.  Wars were usually the end result to stop the madness.  But sometimes just the people standing up and saying “NO MORE” was enough.  If it comes to war we are ready.  Our resolve is great.  We will not go to war in the name of G-d.  We will go in the hope of stopping others from killing innocents again. 

The Great Spirit made all living things.  He did not intend us to kill each other over what we call him or how we worship him.  I can assure you the Great Spirit has not whispered into my ear or given me a vision telling me to kill those different from me.  My Great Spirit does not think like that.  Life is precious.  Muslims of the world, stand up for what is right.  Your holy book does not advocate this.  Do not let some zealots dirty your religion.  Your religion deserves to be practiced not persecuted.  Stop those who are killing in your name.  They are responsible not you.  Help to stop them.  I wish you well my brothers.

Jake George

Lenape Tribe, Turtle clan