The Way They Do It

UPDATE 28/01/2010

Here's a joke (unknown author) I've just received. I edited the name of the country (a muslim country) originally written by the author and replaced it with "Mid-easterner".

A man is taking a walk in Central park in New York .

Suddenly he sees a little girl being attacked by a pit bull dog.

He runs over and starts fighting with the dog. He succeeds in killing the dog and saving the girl's life.

A policeman who was watching the scene walks over and says: "You are a hero, tomorrow you can read it in all the newspapers: "Brave New Yorker saves the life of little girl".

The man says: "But I am not a New Yorker!"

Oh then it will say in newspapers in the morning:
"Brave American saves life of little girl" the policeman answers.

"But I am not an American!" - says the man. Oh, what are you then?"

The man says: "I am a Mid-Easterneri!"

The next day the newspapers say: "A Terrorist kills innocent American dog".

Below is the original posting.

I remember receiving an email long time ago which I tried to dig out from my email vault, but I could not find it. It was written something like this:-

- A muslim girl with a headscarf is a religious extremist whereas a christian girl with a head scarf is a nun.

- The suicide bomber was Ali, an Islamic terrorist, whereas, the building was bombed by a terrorist named John..

Nevertheless, the following was received recently:-

Killers - The way they reported it (if it was Muslim)

Muslim killed daughter for the "dishonour" of having boyfriend

Muslim husband who killed his wife and children because of their western ways

Devote Muslim father kills daughter

Killers - The way they reported it (if it was non-Muslim)

Fathers who kill their children

 

Father arrested for killing 13-month old daughter

Father killed his sons to make his wife suffer

Man killed wife, two young children

Man who allegedly killed his wife at YMCA was under court restraint.

Iowa man killed wife, 4 kids, then self.

Incest Crime (if it was Muslim)

A Muslim who married his 15-year old daughter.....

Incest Crime (if it was non-Muslim)

John Earnest Deaves and his daughter, Jennifer Anne Deaves

are at the center of incest scandal.....

A south Australian woman who has an infant daughter

after having sex with her father gave birth to another...

Now let us look at terrorists (if it was Muslim)

How many Americans have been killed by Islamic terrorists since 1960?

Muslim terrorists killed in China raid

And the terrorists (if it was non-Muslim)

US university shooting kills 33

6 shot dead, including gunman, at Northern Illinois University

The Muslim suicide bombers

Islamic suicide bombers attacks Jerusalem bus

Muslim bomber found guilty of worst attack on India's day of terror

Suicide bomber (if it was non-Muslim)

Suicide bomber kills President of Sri Lanka

Suicide bomber kills official and 13 others at Sri Lanka race

Bomber kills police officers in Sri Lanka

Let us look at some statistics of Suicide Terrorism in Lebanon

and Religious Suicide Attackers versus Secular Suicide Attackers (between what was "known" and what was "estimated")

 

 

And who are the "Terrorists" again ?
(credits to the unknown/untraced photographers)

 

And a bit more statistics....

 

And lastly, closer to home reporting....

They have to resort to these very biased, dirty tactics when describing Muslim or Islam?  What does it take to continuously smear Muslim / Islam names in the eyes of the world?

What can you tell then about the "inner strength or faith" of a muslim when they have to resort to such seemingly desperate smearing tactics?

The Name, Jesus and the Fools

What Jesus Runs Away From

The son of Mary, Jesus, hurries up a slope as though a wild animal were chasing him. Someone following him asks,

"Where are you going? No one is after you."

Jesus keeps on, saying nothing, across two more fields. 

"Are you the one who says words over a dead person, so that he wakes up?"

"I am."

"Did you not make the clay birds fly?"

"Yes."

"Who then could possibly cause you to run like this ?"

 Jesus slows his pace. 

"I say the Great Name over the deaf and the blind, they are healed. Over a stony mountainside, and it tears its mantle down to the navel. Over non-existence, it comes into existence.

But when I speak lovingly for hours, for days, with those who take human warmth and mock it, when I say the Name to them, nothing happens. They remain rock, or turn to sand, where no plants can grow. Other diseases are ways for mercy to enter, but this non-responding breeds violence and coldness toward God.

I am fleeing from that."

As little by little air steals water, so praise dries up and evaporates with foolish people who refuse to change. Like cold stone you sit on a cynic steals body heat. He doesn't actually feel the sun." Jesus wasn't running from actual people. He was teaching in a new way.

(Version by Coleman Barks, "The Essential Rumi",

HarperSanFrancisco, 1995)

image credit : modaruniversity

Flee from the foolish;
even Jesus fled from them.

Much blood has been shed by companionship with fools!

Air absorbs water little by little; even so, the fool drains you of spirit.

He steals your heat and leaves you cold,
like one who puts a stone beneath you.

The flight of Jesus wasn't caused by fear,
for he is safe from the mischief of fools;

his purpose was to teach by example.

(Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski,
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance", Threshold Books, 1996)

New Year - Let's Have A Dream

Wishing all the readers, HAPPY NEW YEAR 2010.

This new chapter, another new linear year, let us have a dream.  Let's wake up and dream.

Now, let's talk about dreams...!

Ever dreamed that you were being chased by something frightening? Being chased by a tiger, perhaps? Or something called a ghost?

(image credit : rohit)

Did you remember the dream well enough to describe it after you awake? Did you remember the colour of the dream? Or was it colourless? Or could not even tell whether the dream was colourless or colourful? Could not tell if it was colourless even !!

When awakened from the dream, did you feel the heart thumping, perhaps you were sweating too?

Let us ponder...

Who was having a dream ?

In the dream, who saw you being chased by the tiger ? (take your time now and perhaps you want to read the question again)

Who saw You ? saw Who ? Who again, was watching you being chased ? !!

Who felt and experienced the fright moments ? You again ?

Who was then, sweating ? well.. You ?

Who was there sleeping in the bed ? You ?

So... which one is (or are)... YOU? 

Thou Art the Sky and the Deep Sea 

When you fall asleep,
you go from the presence of yourself
into your own true presence.
You hear something and surmise that
someone else in your dream has secretly informed you.
You are not a single "you."
No, you are the sky and the deep sea.
Your mighty "Thou," which is nine hundredfold,
is the ocean,

the drowning place of a hundred "thou's" within you.

 Mathnawi III: 1300-1303, Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski,
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance", Threshold Books, 1996 

image credit : ManiacWorld

"I am He whom I love,

and He whom I love is I:

We are two spirits...

dwelling in one body.

If thou seest me,

thou seest Him,

And if thou seest Him,

thou seest us both.

(al-Hallaj)

I'd like to end this post with a song and lyrics from my favorite artist, M. Nasir.

Di Balik Cermin Mimpi

Di balik cermin mimpi

Aku melihat engkau
Di dalam engkau
Aku melihat aku

Ternyata kita adalah sama

Di arena mimpi yang penuh bermakna

Bila bulan bersatu dengan mentari

Bayang-bayang ku hilang

Di selebungi kerdip nurani

Mencurah kasih, kasih murni

Mencurah kasih

Di balik cermin, cermin mimpi

Adalah realiti yang tidak kita sedari

Hanya keyakinan dapat merestui

Hakikat cinta yang sejati

Hakikat cinta yang sejati

Dengan tersingkapnya tabir siang
Wajah kita jelas terbayang

Dan terpecah cermin mimpi

Menjadi sinar pelangi

Pelangi

and one more from Rumi.....

The Beloved is all, the lover just a veil.

The Beloved is living, the lover a dead thing.

If Love withholds its strengthening care,

the lover is left like a bird without wings.

How will I be awake and aware if the light of the Beloved is absent?

Love wills that this Word be brought forth.

If you find the mirror of the heart dull,

the rust has not been cleared from its face. 

(Mathnawi: I:30-34, Version by Camille & Kabir Helminski,

"Rumi: Daylight", Threshold Books, 1994)