Fidem

Many people are led to believe that most Western Europeans and Americans have lost faith. They are no longer conscious of their root religion, and they are persuaded that it's true, although it's not necessarily they who affirm this.
It reminds me of when, after giving a particular, watercolour portrait to a French Diacre for whom I had great respect, I apologetically mumbled that 'I'm not particularly religious'. He immediately replied, 'That's not for you to say'.

It was a good reply. And since then I realise that, in my own way, I am religious. I have faith. Perhaps many of us are 'religious', and do have faith without even realising it, simply because it's so firmly enrooted. Isn't this another good reason why one should reject the false argument that Islam fills the vacuum of our alleged 'faithlessness' and 'infidelity'?

Is it not rooted in us to obey the ten commandments? We don't have to keep referring to them to be reminded that it's wrong to kill, to steal, to bear false witness, to covert, to dishonour our parents. We know that adultery is wrong. We are aware of the evils of cult and graven image worship. And we still hold Sundays as special.
For most of us, Easter and Christmas are not only for the children's pleasure in receiving chocolate eggs and gaily wrapped presents. We are still very conscious of how particularly important these dates are, amongst others. They will always be.

But what of Islam? Does it really qualify as a 'religion' to fill the vacuum of professed 'faithlessness' and 'infidelity'? How does Islam compare to Christianity regarding the Ten Commandments, for example? There are already seven of them that Islam seems to dismiss, or openly defy.

Criticism of Islam, especially its Medina decrees, is not the purpose of this simple, little homily. Our root religion has ingrained in us the understanding of what is right and wrong. A reasonable amount of intelligence and humility takes our perception and understanding further. The respect for life, the profound appreciation of what is, in fact, a precious loan. The extraordinary, intricate, geometrical but fathomless beauty of nature and the cosmos from which we still have so much to learn. The love, trust and faithfulness expressed by our animal friends, that could certainly put to shame certain 'inhuman beings'.

The beauty of the world, and the knowledge that paradise can be here, on Earth, for those who can see, feel, sense, and love. But hell can be here, on Earth, too, and eternally, for those who are devoid of sense, and devoured by hate.

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Text and image (Shrine in the Alpes Maritimes) © Mirino, August, 2018