“Crying Shame”

It’s such a tired game
Will it ever stop
How will this all play out
Out of sight, out of mind

By now we should know
How to communicate instead of coming to blows
We’re on a roll
And there ain’t no stopping us now
We’re burning under control
Isn’t it strange how
We’re all burning under the same sun
By now we say it’s a war for peace
It’s the same old game
But do we really want to play?
We could close our eyes it’s still there
We could say it’s us against them
We can try but nobody wins
Gravity has got a hold on us all
We try to put it out
But it’s a growing flame
Using fear as fuel
Burning down our name
And it wont take too long
Cause words are burning same
And who we gunna blame now?

And oh, it’s such a crying crying crying shame
It’s such a crying crying crying shame
It’s such a crying crying crying shame, shame, shame

By now
It’s beginning to show
A number of people are numbers who aint coming home
I can close my eyes it’s still there
Close my mind be alone
I can close my heart and not care
But gravity has got a hold on us all
It’s a terrific price to pay
But in the true sense of the word
Are we using what we’ve learned?
In the true sense of the word
Are we losing what we were?
It’s such a tired game
Will it ever stop?
Is not for me to say
And is it in our blood?
Or is it just our fate?
And how will this all play out
Out of sight, out of mind
And who we gunna blame?
On and on
It’s such a crying crying crying shame
It’s such a crying crying crying shame shame shame

When they make this desire known among their own people, the Nephites, their decision is met with derision and scorn as depicted in the following words:

“Do ye suppose that ye can bring the Lamanites to the knowledge of the truth? Do ye suppose that ye can convince the Lamanites of the incorrectness of the traditions of their fathers, as stiffnecked a people as they are; whose hearts delight in the shedding of blood; whose days have been spent in the grossest iniquity; whose ways have been the ways of a transgressor from the beginning?”

The solution to the constant warring between the two groups suggested by the residue of the Nephites was: “Let us take up arms against them that we destroy them and their iniquity out of the land, lest they overrun us and destroy us.”

In the years since Sept. 11, 2001, what has the Western view concerning Islam been? In fact, starting in the 11th century A.D. what has been the view of Christianity towards Islam in general? Has it reflected the desire expressed by Ammon and his brothers to love and serve those who had tried over many years to exterminate the Nephites, or has it reflected the hatred, bigotry, and bloodthirst of the residue of the Nephites who wanted to “destroy” these “stiffnecked” peoples?

In the Book of Mormon, there is no record of any missionary effort to the Lamanites prior to the attempt by these brothers and their friends to teach, preach, love, and serve their enemies. How shocking must this desire have been to the other Nephites!

I guess, then, I can understand the disbelief expressed by those around me who question the effectiveness, rationality, or saneness of loving one’s enemies.

However, former U.S. Congressman and U.N. Ambassador Mark Siljander, has come to believe and apply the injunction of Christ to love one’s enemies. In his book A Deadly Misunderstanding: A Congressman’s Quest to Bridge the Muslim-Christian Divide, Ambassador Siljander describes the evolution of his feelings from a near-militant anti-Muslim in the U.S. Congress during the Reagan era to sitting down with the Foreign Minister of Libya while that country was on the “do not contact” list. He describes his experiences among Muslim world leaders and diplomatic successes he has attained through expressing love, asking forgiveness, and building on common spiritual and moral beliefs based in the teaching of Jesus Christ and his personal study of the Qur’an.

The similarity between Siljander’s story and that of Ammon and his “brethren” struck me. Siljander has been called a traitor and a Muslim-lover. He has been indicted for violation of the Patriot Act. Ammon was probably thought of similarly, and if there had been a Patriot Act in his day, he would have been in violation of it, giving aid and comfort to the enemy. Isn’t it amazing that it is considered “treasonous” to follow the teachings of Christ?

The Fearless Path is about choosing good because it’s good, not because it’s convenient. It is about following the teachings of the moral path along which all cultures travel, be they Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, atheist, secular humanist.