Invoking God's Name

History has a unique position in humanity, precariously perched as a guide, a beacon and also an excuse. Funny you might say, an excuse, but think about it and you’ll see, an excuse of ridiculous proportions.

When Hitler rose to power certainly not our greatest hour, we stood by for a while to see. While building outlawed armies, reclaiming treaty lost land and shipping Jews out of his Aryan land the rich tapestry of history was used to incite the people. He used history as a weapon more powerful than the atomic bomb for his seething hatred became full only in his propagandas success to win German’s hearts and minds. History was a great source of power and he wielded it as if it was his own.

He spoke of the rise of the Third Reich with great fervour and precise ammunition as he claimed it was his mission to reclaim the greatness of the Fatherland. Behind his rhetoric, the Aryan rants he assured his people of histories favour.

That with time all things would come to pass and that history would shine on the Third Reich for a thousand years. The world now rejoices that his maniacal rants were just that and further that history bears witness to the horror of that, one of the darkest chapters in our history. He invoked the name of God to champion his brutal goal.

History is now knocking again, loudly and distinctly on the door of humanities conscience and again is being used as a reference of justification for our current hostilities.

Around Baghdad in the ravaged country of Iraq, Saddam beams out his message to all who will listen This tyrant in the same vane as Hitler, uses history and God as uplifting evidence of the righteousness of his cause. So I wonder - Am I the only one that sees?

The American sanctioned despot, once friend, now enemy, is using the same tactics Hitler did. Calling for the destruction of the invader as God instructed, topple the infidel and God will reward you: The empty words he uses now, the timing is suspect. Saddam only knows one God: Himself!

But it is not only Saddam debasing God. No, our friends to the south are just as guilty. Bush also uses God and history to justify his actions.

History should not be used as a tool and God is not rhetoric, one sheds lights on our current state, the other light to guide us.

SDM