Thursday, September 13, 2012

When Mobs Rule

A U.S. Ambassador and three others have been killed in Lybia.  Protests in Yemen, Cario and other Muslim countries at U.S. embassies is all over the news.  It's all because an anti-Islamic film produced by someone with a questionable background with which the United State had no part. 

We are seeing the rule of mob mentality.  No reason, no logic, no rational thinking despite the words to the contrary at the high levels of government:

“The U.S. government had absolutely nothing to do with this video,” Clinton said at a meeting in Washington with a delegation from Morocco. “We absolutely reject its content and messages. But there is no justification — none at all — for responding to this video with violence.”

You cannot reason with extremists and ill-logical people.  You cannot talk to people who are bent on defamation, hate, and destruction.  You cannot reason with irrational people.  When mobs rule (regardless of the cause whether religious, ideological, religious, political, or philosophical) people cannot talk, discuss and diffuse because emotion rules the day.   Extreme is exactly that, extreme.  It does not agree to disagree.  It cannot discuss issues dispassionately.  It reacts with anger and emotion.  It makes hate take center stage.  

In my 50 short years I have heard Christianity insulted on more than one occasion, but I never sought to burn the flag of a another country, attack an embassy, or kill someone attacking my belief system.  And most of those opposing my faith have been within my own country.  This is absolutely sad.  

My prayers are with our leaders, diplomats, military and the leaders of these Muslim countries.  May calm, mature, reasonable people take a long view at what's happening and act with intention not emotion.  Ironically, the very person (Ambassador Stevenson( killed by these terrorists fought for their independence from the tyranny of the Gaddafi regime!  My prayers are with the families of our diplomatic corp who have lost loved ones and friends.  

May God help us to be wise and mature in our reaction and response! 

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