Twisted scriptures

Patrick Lejtenyi's interview with Irshad Manji was thought provoking, to say the least ["The troublesome Muslim," Oct. 9]. The author exhibits courage by questioning some of the religious tenets that she was taught, and must be saluted for her guts.

In fact, the problem often is not religion but man's interpretation of religion. Different authorities twist the scriptures to suit their own ends. (For more info and feedback on Manji's latest book, please visit the www.muslim-refusenik.com, which the Mirror forgot to mention).

In a free country and in any civilized society, people brought up with religion must have a right to question some or many of the religious beliefs they are taught.

The truth is often relative. As Lebanese-American author Khalil Gibran once said, "Say not ‘I have found the truth,' but rather, ‘I have found a truth.'" Muslims, as well as people of other religions, ought to keep this in mind. Then we would have a much more peaceful, progressive world.

» Manish Patwari

No end in sight

In his letter to the editor [Oct. 16], Ken Frankel writes of the persecutions and expulsions suffered by Jews at the hands of the Arab states. Such things did indeed happen as anti-Jewish feeling rose in the Arab world upon the establishment of the Israeli state, a powerful enemy of Arab nationalist aspirations.

Whatever the reason, these actions were a great injustice that has yet to be rectified. It is up to the Arab states to rectify it. As required under international law, all those states are obligated to allow for the refugees' safe return, as well as appropriate compensation.

By the same token, Israel is obligated, under international law, to return to the Palestinians what it has taken from them, and certainly to not grab yet more land and more resources with its de-facto annexation of parts of the West Bank by means of its "security fence" and the expansion of its colonies, as it is presently doing.

None of these injustices can be rectified without a significant de-escalation of the conflict. Both sides need to question their tactics. Each side's violence has only increased the intensity of the other's violence.

Apologists for Israel often warn that its existence is under threat. But from what? Not the suicide bombers - however criminal their actions may be. Not its neighbours, whom it has thrashed in every war fought since its creation.

The true nature of the threat was also identified in the Mirror's Oct. 16 edition ["Warning against the wall"] by Israeli peace activist Oren Medicks. Consider: Israel is in the process of creating a situation in the Occupied Territories where there are wealthy enclaves (settlements) that are extensions of the Israeli state with the best infrastructure, land and resources. Meanwhile, impoverished and disempowered Palestinian communities are left to fester. That kind of scenario, which Medicks described as "apartheid," would make a two-state solution difficult, if not impossible, and thus, he warned, the fall of that "apartheid" would most likely lead to a one-state solution and the end of Israel as we know it.

There are people on both sides who thrive on being resolute, relentless, ruthless and unwavering as wartime leaders. Their idea of peacemaking is to kill and bring suffering to enough of the enemy to force them to capitulate. With such people in command, there is no end in sight to the conflict. They also make rectification of past injustices utterly impossible. Now is not the time for anyone to support any of them.

» Paul Beaulieu

Immigration inspiration

"Israel has straightened the back of every Jew... He is serene and unafraid..." - Rabbi Usher Kirschblum

Through use of the above quotation, Mr. Merson has inadvertently provided cannon fodder for every bigot around the world to use against immigrants, particularly Jews, and their children [Letters, Oct. 23]. If we all believe that we are stronger because of our ancestral lands, then it behoves one to wonder why we are here. Why have we not returned there in order to feel stronger and to further strengthen the land that strengthens us? Why should we live weakly in the land of another, under another's control, in fear of another? As the descendants of immigrants and slaves, when will we stop considering ourselves impotent outsiders or, for that matter, allowing others to consider us as such?

Our sense of individual and collective self-worth as Canadians and our sense of belonging here, not the existence of our ancestral lands, should be the basis for our strength. We are Canadians, whether we came here only today or 300 years ago. Our contributions - social, cultural, linguistic and economic - to the development of this country and society cannot be diminished simply by the amount of time we, our families and our communities have spent here.

Given the history of the Jewish community in Montreal and Canada, it is obviously not helpless, despite the efforts of some to enfeeble, if not destroy it. As the son of immigrants, I have certainly learned and benefited greatly from the Jewish community's experiences and efforts and am most-certainly thankful to it. For if not for its efforts, our society and its institutions would still be quite exclusive, and we would still be truly third-class citizens. The Jewish community has not achieved all this because it was weak or because of Israel but, instead, because of itself and its strength.

» Deepak Awasti

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