Satan at work

Conflicts in Ambon and elsewhere are not a religious conflict, but a satanic one. Only Satan wants to destroy the mosques, churches and temples where the name of God is remembered.

Desperately needed is, in fact, a religious solution.

Muslim members of the Armed Forces (ABRI), supported by local God-fearing people and disciplined Muslim volunteers placing themselves under military command, should defend the Christian churches, with their lives if need be.

Likewise, Christian members of ABRI, supported by local God- fearing people and disciplined Christian volunteers placing themselves under military command, should also defend the mosques, with their lives if need be.

Muslim and Christian defenders would have a lot at stake. If they are successful, they would win the love and respect of the other community. If not, the satanic forces would be strengthened by allegations of collusion and the embers of hatred would again be fanned.

For Muslims and Christians to defend their own is expected and does not really mean much. But for the satanic forces of division to be destroyed, the only answer is to make sacrifices for each other.

This may be seen as a naive appeal. It is, in fact, the only practical solution and it is based on explicit Koranic and Biblical teaching.

As the general election draw nearer and everyone faces hardship from the global economic disaster created by greed and division, the only solution is selflessness and sacrifice.

As a Muslim I would certainly be ready to sacrifice everything, including life itself, for the freedom of worship of my brother Christians, Jews, Hindus and anybody of whatever religion. I am bound to this by the teaching of the Koran.

Christians, too, are taught to "love thy neighbor as thyself" and have the parable of the Good Samaritan to teach them the meaning of "neighborliness".

No, these are not religious riots. Religion, in the sense of God-fearing selfless sacrifice and true justice, is the solution, not the problem.

RAFIQ MAHMOOD

Edinburgh, Scotland

Note: This is a reprint of a letter printed in the Jan. 28 edition. Omissions were made in transcribing the original. We regret the error.

-- Editor