Focus on 'The Good', People

I have, on several occasions, stated on these pages that ‘extinguishing someone else’s light does not make your light burn any brighter.”

It is still, sadly, far more effective to slander or denigrate someone than it is to give them a pat on the back or, indeed, praise them for their efforts.

One of the ways of this propagandist methodology is to take something that someone else has said, or written, and distort it; this can be done by subtly changing the words or by selective editing.

Let me show you an example of this and then we shall move on to the other side of the coin:

The quotes given are hard to find because whoever constructed this picture has no clue how the Qr’an (‘Koran’ here) is laid out.

The first one, for example, is actually ‘Juz 2: Al-Baqarah (Ayat 2) Verse 191.’ Ayat 2 is split between Juz 1 to Juz 3.

What it actually says is this:

“Kill them [the enemy—whoever that is] wherever they confront you in combat and drive them out of the places where they have driven you. Though killing is bad, creating mischief is worse than killing. Do not fight them within the precincts of the Sacred Mosque unless they attack you there; but if they attack you, put them to the sword; that is the punishment for such unbelievers.”

Note: ‘…wherever they confront you in combat…’ This means that you are allowed to defend yourself with deadly force. Of course, in a time when there was no police force or civil defence organisations.

We shall just look at one more. The second quote says that Muslims must not take non-believers (infidels) as friends. Bear in mind that Christians are not ‘non-believers’.

“Let not the believers make unbelievers their protectors rather than believers; anyone who does so will have nothing to hope for from Allah—except if you do so as a precaution to guard yourself against their tyranny. Anyhow, Allah warns you to fear Him: because with Allah is your final refuge.”

I should point out here that the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was sheltered, and protected, with his people by Christians during a time of strife where they escaped to prevent themselves being wiped out.

Conversely, the Christians are supposed to be protected by Muslims. This was an agreement between the Prophet (pbuh) and the Monks of Mount Sinai; it was called the ‘Ashtiname’.

A translation exists here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashtiname_of_Muhammad

Hatred exists everywhere. It is easy to try and drag someone down to your own level of bigotry without checking the facts. It is easy to just ‘share’ or ‘cut and paste’ your argument because it suits your mind-set with no consideration about those for whom this could be upsetting or insulting.

I do not cast aspersions or trade insults with Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Hindus or, even, Atheists.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and belief.

“There is no compulsion in religion,” the Holy Qr’an says.

So we shall return to the original point. We are, as a species, hell bent on bringing others down to ‘our’ level. It is easy. Maybe, at some stage, it is satisfying some primeval urge. It makes us feel superior.

But it does not make us superior. It makes us look small and bigoted.

We seem less inclined to pat someone on the back. Even less inclined to laud others for their efforts.

I find it extremely easy to pay silent homage to people like Isaac Asimov, Arthur C Clarke, Kurt Vonnegut, et al. Even to the point, on occasion, of telling others how much I enjoy their stories.

Indeed, in one ‘Blog’ I mourned their passing because there will be no more stories from these great minds.

Notice I said, ‘their passing’!

They are all dead.

What about paying homage to living writers? Are they not a threat to my success?

No. They are not.

I write Science-Fiction. I am good at it. See? I pat myself on the back—a socially unacceptable action but if you don’t blow your own trumpet who will?

Ray Owen wrote a story that is called ‘The Hole’. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It is not Science-Fiction it is a modern love story that uses humour and pathos to convey an excellent message.

R.B. Clague writes a story called ‘Whitefella Dreaming’. It is an interesting and absorbing story with supernatural leanings in accordance with Aboriginal beliefs. It is definitely not Sci-Fi.

Robin Gregory’s story, ‘The Improbable Wonders of Moojie Littleman’ is also not sci-fi but edges towards it here and there in the ‘alternate universe’ aspect. An intriguing and moving story.

I recommend all these three stories to you. There are others like the children’s books written by 'The BFF Crew' (‘Chele Sellman) that are available on Amazon.

Have I harmed myself and my popularity or success by revealing how good these tales are?

No.

Just like our beliefs and faiths there are versions for everyone. There is something that will make you comfortable and at peace with the world. Writing will do that. I am comfortable and at peace with those stories whereas I am less content with other stories—that I will not mention; you will discover those for yourselves and they will be different from mine, no doubt.

Next time you look at your keyboard and think of something really clever and disparaging to say about someone—or something, think first:

Is it true?

Does it change anything?

Will it hurt?

Is it necessary?