October 10, 2023
Dear Friends,
Day 4—I woke up at 3am with my heart and mind on Israel. I am following i24News, which I highly recommend (internet or YT)—it is fair, balanced, and reliable. The first story I watched was of the report of over 100 bodies recovered from Kibbutz Be’eri…and scores from Kfar Aza–both including many babies. They are just now this morning going through all the kibbutzim and towns that were ravaged on Saturday. I am filled with fury, sadness, love, and stunned silence. The Hamas charter is almost identical to Isis in its goals for the Middle East and the world…these horrors have nothing to do with the rights of Arabs living on the West side of the Jordan. It is about human rights, freedom, democracy, and decency.
The horrors unfolding this weekend are unspeakable. Many write of behaving like “animals” but we need another category. Those animals who kill almost always do it for food, except in cases of social or individual anomalies…and many “do no harm” to other creatures at all. In Hebrew a good term is אֲנָשִׁ֣ים רֵיקִ֔ים–lit. “empty people.” I think the venerable KJV used “worthless fellows,” which also fits, but does not pick up on the sadistic evil.
I believe this is the Valley of Decision for our world—people, groups, religious communities, and nations are being separated. Russian, Iran, North Korea, China and others—of varying degree of culpability—plus each and every person who learns what is happening, is being judged…
I wish peace to all humans of good will…always–as all good people do. But we all know we live in a world “outside the Gates of Eden” (thanks Bobby Z), with that horrible mix of “the good, the bad,”–and yes, let’s add “the ugly,” (thanks Clint Eastwood).
My life has come to a halt this week. I am not posting videos on YT, blog posts, or anything else–I don’t have the presence of mind right now. I am following the news and unfolding events. I am closely connected to several of the dead—and one of the abductees–and since Israel is such a tight knight country, from those I know I am immediately told of untold others that those friends are connected to. I lived through 1967 and 1973—and two intifadas and five Gaza attacks—with 73 trips to the Holy Land, sometimes staying for two or three months. I know and love Jews, Christians, and Muslims…but I tell you this is different. It is a watershed. We are back to 1936…and the nations are being weighed in the balance.
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