A Pause For Thought: Politricks And Imperialistic Positioning
By ChandiVaarahi Cinnathurai
19 December, 2015
Countercurrents.org
As Christmas celebration gets closer and closer, people in the West are often thinking silently and fearing the possibility of a terror attack somewhere. This fear some what disturbs the whole idea of Christ Jesus being the "Prince of Peace". The Holy Land: Palestine-Israel is plagued by holes on brick walls shattered by bullets. Shattering any chance for peaceful co-habitation of communities. Although, Christians around the world pray for the peace of Jerusalem, in accordance with the Jewish texts of the Book of Psalms. Lamentably, it is not the reality on the ground.
Yes, peace is not the absence of conflict. However, the mother of all conflicts in the Middle East is increasingly complex within the realm of Poli-Tricks. We tend to employ sophisticated arguments to trick our way out from the naked truth. We will do anything to hide our selves from Truth.
In the absence of real peace - the ground reality in any conflict-prone zone is a nightmare. In the name of international politics, what is carefully orchestrated is politricking the masses, if not the whole world.
People who claim to possess Truth only within their Holy Book or philosophy seem to be in an enviable position of monopolising truth, as they claim to know. That brings into conflict, with the Other, of another opinion. Such conflict is often mixed with ferocious violence and fanaticism. Any idea, philosophy, dogma, or theology stretching to its very extreme can find itself in a dark, dark place of "I am right, therefore anything opposite must be annihilated."
That is a dangerous position indeed. Charged with violence and violation. It can manifest itself in the shape of religion, politics, caste, creed, race etc;
The message of Christmas is Peace on earth and goodwill to humankind. Such a message is a universal message of all faiths.
Monopoly of truth - so called, has led to atrocious violence historically. When we claim sole ownership of god and divine revelation, by implication, such view point thrusts upon others to be converted to our way of thinking in order to be "saved" from damnation! Down the centuries, even to recent times, conversion history is not without bloodshed. Some extremists wish to accomplish their dream and version of God's kingdom through militant brute force. Such thinking tricks people sometimes for imperialistic positioning. It is not God's Kingdom that they are fighting for, in actuality.
It is, in their blinkered religious world view, fashioned by their brand of fanatical interpretation - it is their own kingdom, not God's, that they are fighting to install. It is from both mental and spiritual slavery one needs to be "Saved" from and requiring "Redemption".
When God said let there be light. And there was light, separating darkness from light.
Christ presented himself as Light of the world. Christmas therefore is a festival of light.
*"Whereby the dayspring from on high will visit us, to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace"
*St Luke Ch 1. (A translation of the Four Gospels from the Syriac of the Sinaitic Palimpsest)
The Rev Dr ChandiVaarahi Cinnathurai offered this Reflection to the gathered scholarly community at Cambridge on Sunday 13 December 2015.