Is religious tolerance breaking out all over....
Are we entering a new Golden Age, where everyone will be secular politically and religious privately? Well, we can only hope. But, this could be another FALSE DAWN.....
Consider:
The world is now CHOOSING UP SIDES BASED ON RELIGOUS BELIEF......if you look at it more closely.
Even in the US, religion is MORE a part of politics now than ever, not less.
So too, the recent "Night of the Purple Finger" gave everyone a "feel good" moment. And, the recent assassination in Lebanon has created a unity against Syria that may or may not produce a tolerant government.
The problem is that those who are pushing for a "New Era" in the middle east, are also the ones most vested in the NEW RELIGIOUSITY.
People like Bush. Sharon. Sistani. These people did not get where they are today because they were broad-minded, wise and tolerant! Just the opposite is true!
STILL, LET'S ENJOY ALL THE "HAPPY TALK" WHILE IT LASTS.....KNOWING FULL WELL THE SOMETHING MUCH LESS HAPPY MAY COME OUT OF THESE RECENT MOMENTOUS EVENTS......
THERE IS NOW A MOOD OF "CHANGE" IN THE WORLD AND IN THE MIDDLE EAST.....
BUT THE LEADERS WHO HAVE CAUSED THIS PRECIPITOUS CHANGE HAVE YET TO PROVE THAT THEIR MOTIVES AND GOALS ARE TOLERANT AND ENLIGHTENED.........
Give it all a few weeks for the dust to settle.....stay tuned.
Postscript: There is an interesting argument that all of these "intolerant" leaders could be so afraid of "what comes next" that they will suddenly become "tolerant." And back off from the abyss. Well, maybe..... But that will take some doing.
