In one of his songs John Lennon asked us to imagine a world without religion. Though I`m observant I can understand his point: the narratives we learn from our religious traditions often seem to be an inspiration to violence against the `other.` Think of the consequences for us of the Christian narrative that laid the blame for Jesus` death on Jews; or of the Muslim narrative that Al Quds is the place where the Prophet began his night journey.
The Palestinians have suffered for some time now because of a Jewish narrative we are fond of repeating: the return to Zion and settlement of the land is for us a re-living of the Exodus, of the entrance into the promised land, and, tragically, also of the conquest of its inhabitants.
I`m not very hopeful that this current peace initiative will be any more successful than previous ones, as long as these are the narratives running round our heads. |
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