Quotes of the Day!

There is so much that is wrong in the world. Not a day goes by that I don’t hear of some terrible tragedy that has happened and it breaks my heart. What hurts even more is that the good people don’t get much coverage, it’s always the baddies. Everyone knows who they are and then they generalise and make EVERYONE bad. What about the good guys who are striving to wipe them out? The latest hashtag, killallmuslims – really gets to me. Just because a bunch of fanatics who are uneducated, illiterate and caught in some power tussle decide to lose their marbles and act like animals does not, by any standard, mean that every and all muslims are like that. Take me for example… I’m a open-minded, liberal, skin-showing, jeans-wearing, dog-loving muslim girl. I have friends from various faiths and religious backgrounds and we’re quite tolerant of each other. I don’t propagate hate or incite violence against ANYONE else. Sure I have fantasies where I can beat the crap out of terrorists and anyone who hurts or causes damage to animals or humans, cos every life is precious… but I would never in a million years desecrate someone’s religion or beliefs, mock them or if someone did the same to me, kill them. I’d be kind and patient and try to treat them the way I’d like to be treated rather than stoop down to their level. Food for thought, eh? I think this one here is enough…

Quotes of the Day!

“Live a good life. If there are gods and they are just, then they will not care how devout you have been, but will welcome you based on the virtues you have lived by. If there are gods, but unjust, then you should not want to worship them. If there are no gods, then you will be gone, but will have lived a noble life that will live on in the memories of your loved ones.” – Marcus Aurelius

I hate judgy people. Especially when it comes to religiously judgy! That stuff is personal. Keep it to yourself! Anyway… just thought it was a nice thought, and that I’d share. The tiredness continues… I really can’t wait for the weekend. Two more days of hard work, well three if you count today. Rumours of a strike in Karachi, mean maybe I can wriggle out of coming in to work on Friday, which means an extra day of relaxation and fun! Woo!

Heartbreak Warfare

Not to talk in John Mayer songs but I feel like I’m tired of waiting on the world to change. A man and his thirteen year old son were shot dead yesterday, most likely for belonging to a different sect than the majority of Muslims in this foresaken country. Hazaras are dropping like flies; people who are so gentle, kind, amiable, being targeted because of their ethnicity and beliefs… we will turn them, too, into monsters. I can’t wrap my mind around it. I know I’m no one to judge, but hey, at least I have that sense. I know that even if I want to skin these people alive and torture them till I see a hint of soul in their eyes, I can’t, because that’s not my call, it’s not my place. But here they are tearing my country to shreds, killing innocent men, women and children, stripping families of loved ones, spreading shrapnel and hatred amongst communities which at the very root of it, are happy.

They’re too illiterate to come together, build on love, preach unity, faith & discipline – the three words this nation was founded upon, and instead yearn to take matters into their own, uneducated, crude, hands, eliminating anyone they think is different. These thoughts keep me up at night… how will I raise a family here? Sure, this place has moulded me, the sea breeze is something that has sculpted me and become a part of me, the earth has coloured me and the warm sunshine has made me feel at peace, but really, is this the same Karachi, the same Pakistan that I grew up in? Is this where I’d be comfortable sending my children off to school? Unfortunately… no, I would not. That saddens me, but it’s a reality I wish had dawned upon my parents before things got so out of hand… I wish they had skidaddled when they had the chance.

STOP KILLING!

Never at peace

Quotes of the Day!

Speaking of religion

Speaking of religion

This is a good one. 

Quotes of the Day!

So I struggle with the coming together of relationships (between parents and children, spouses, siblings, friends etc.)  and religious beliefs because a lot of the time the person who has a stronger belief is hard to rationalise with, they tend to have narrow-minded visions and are so staunch and firm in this view that should you say anything logical which would appeal to any other mindset it only infuriates them (and makes them even more stubborn). The same goes with religion and the state. I believe none should actually ever mix because it causes a conflict of interest and also does more harm than good – driving people apart rather than bringing them together as it tends to highlight differences rather than similarities. 

I like to think of myself as a good person. Sure, only God can actually judge me, but I tend to follow my heart and instinct and listen closely to my conscience. I try to keep my moral compass attune to what is right and wrong and seldom stray off the path. When I do I can usually forgive myself and/or justify my actions. The rest is between me and my God. Yet people love to judge, don’t they? Everyone thinks it’s their business…

Well that led me to these quotes today…

Live and Let Live…

i LOVE this bumper sticker!

So I don’t want to start any kind of debate here but I find it increasingly difficult to sit and listen to people go off on a tangent that is disrespectful to another point of view be it religious, cultural, sectarian, racist or even political. Sure tolerance means that we listen to what everyone has to say, but then other people need to be vigilant too, of what it is that’s coming out their mouths. Do they purposely say things to jab or hurt another party? Are they trying to get a reaction out of them? Will any good come of this? Why can’t they just agree to disagree?

Sure, sometimes, curiosity gets the better of me, and I like to read up on, or ask questions about beliefs that vary from my own. After all, what I believe too was taught to me. I wasn’t born with that point of view, but I was moulded to see things in that light. I’m open to the possibility that perhaps how I see the world is faulty, maybe another opinion makes more sense. However, for me to learn, I need to keep an open mind, and being defensive about other people saying things otherwise will only make me dogmatic and in a way, illiterate.

I pray to God to give me patience and tolerance so that I can hear everything without being infuriated and without letting it get to me. And I ask God to keep me strong so that I cannot be brainwashed or easily misguided. And most of all I pray to God to surround me with people who, though may challenge my opinions and beliefs, are respectful, and accepting of me as I am.

Life is short… let’s coexist in peace and harmony with each other, and learn along the way. Let’s laugh and sing and be happy. Let’s LIVE.

lack of tolerance is the root cause of all evil?