The Nobel Peace Prize for.....

The Nobel Peace Prize for ….....

The shackles of the Church state, broken by a period we refer to as the 'Enlightenment', a period of philosophers who saw man as the end game and what we did here on Earth relevant to the here and now, rather than to some hereafter (although that was not discounted). Different schools of philosophers approached things differently, the rights of man, the role of religion and God in society. Some went so far as to declare God dead in so far as influencing how we are ruled. The Church lost its role as 'the' power-broker (although maintained its vast lands fortunes) and ultimately control of the military. Nationalism replaced religion. This of course, did not reduce the risk of war, but did allow society to develop differently.

Could it be that the philosophers totally overestimated mankind. It seems that if the 20^th Century saw a massive turn away from religion, the 21^st Century is seeing that trend reversed at an alarming rate and level. Islam is on the rise and promoting itself as the working man's religion, fighting for the underdog. The Church and Judaism especially, who have always seen themselves as the underdog, or at least in that corner, are being painted as the schoolyard bullies.

Europe is behaving like it has gone through therapy, accepting that it had been a bully in the past and going round giving out lollies to all of its perceived victims.

But the victims are playing a game. They put their hand out take the lolly, then kick you in the shin, so hard as to break your leg and runaway, saying they felt threatened by you, because of the past. They do this repeatedly. Luckily there is no shortage of people that want to keep supplying lollies in the “knowledge” that this behaviour was their fault initially.

Today, while we still see value in separation of church and state, radical elements in Islam are calling for exactly the opposite; Shariah law states, like Iran or like Afghanistan was. They want a Calipher through the middle east and Africa and Israel (which fits into Tasmania 3 times) is like a splinter in that vision. It is why non-Muslims in Africa and throughout the middle- east are under threat.

Islam does not see itself as one of the three monotheistic religions. It sees itself as 'the' religion, having superseded both Judaism and Christianity. However, as opposed to other religions, Jews and Christians are seen as 'Children of the book' and therefore, not infidels (depending on who is ranting at the time).

The reaction of the west to what is going on has largely been a return to religion for solace and guidance. In a mainly Christian west, this means turning the other cheek and asking for forgiveness. Of course today's understanding of those words are very different to what was meant. Yet it was the nationalism and philosophy of democracy and 'the rights of man' that have given us the moral guidance and the fortitude to protect what is ours. We should not be doubting the rightness of our way of life.

Interesting lines are drawn in the sand. When then is it okay to interfere in someone else's domestic affairs? Everyone wants to talk about what is happening in the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, but what about Sudan,Chad,Nigeria,Afghanistan, India and Bali, just to name a few. If you know of cases of domestic violence, do you report it to the police or let everything sort itself out? If you suspect domestic violence what are your responsibilities? The truth is we let it go by most of the time, because it doesn't concern us.

But it does concern us! Everything concerns us. It is after all a global village now. We do have the right to pass moral judgement and feel confident enough to say, while sorry for the past we will not let that interfere with our world view. Of course conciliation is preferable to confrontation; however it requires goodwill from both sides of the table. Naivety led Chamberlain to announce “Peace in our times”!

President Obama could possibly go on and prove a worthy recipient of a Nobel Peace Prize that seems to be based on intentions and therefore, of which I am no less deserving. Iran is a huge test case for this President and his adversary in Ahmedinajad is a wily man. He sees the west as naïve and I am sure he sees Obama that way.

I hope he is very wrong.