Easter is an important festival for Christians. It happens when spring is in full blossom & is a symbol of renewal for many, even if, like me, they are not believers. Hindus have the festival of Holi which celebrates the victory of good over evil among other things. Jews have Passover which commemorates liberation from slavery. The Persian new year, Nowruz, is the rebirth of nature. Buddhists have Songcran new year which symbolises purification.....
Yet at this wonderful time of year, when everything is literally springing into life, death & destruction is marching through huge areas of the world. In many cases not literally marching, because war today is death fought like a computer game, by missiles & drones. You don't have to look your victims in the eye & experience actually killing them. You do it from a bunker or from behind your own lines. You are removed from the reality of actually taking a life, seeing the blood, seeing the spirit depart, seeing the injury you have inflicted.
All of this at the behest of despotic & deranged leaders, who often claim some sort of religious belief, like Trump, Putin & Netenyahu. Weirdly they claim belief in Christianity, Orthodoxy & Judaism. Three religions with basically the same fundamental beliefs. All are monotheistic and Abrahamic. Anyone claiming to believe in god is also held to the same necessity to behave in a morally good way. The commandments of Christianity for example. Thou shall not kill & Thou shall not bear false witness spring to my mind. All 3 of these leaders routinely break those commandments. Shame on them.
If there is some spiritual being, some presence outside of our understanding, these men will surely face some sort of judgement & punishment. I sincerely hope they do, although I cannot imagine what punishment fits their dreadful crimes against humanity & our beautiful planet.
Spring reminds us all that there is the possibility of renewal. It arrives every year & is an opportunity to reflect. I don't have much hope that the truly morally deficient leaders in our world will take the opportunity to reflect & be renewed in a better way. But I do hope that the people everywhere who oppose them & what they stand for will find the courage to oppose them & bring them to face justice.
