Back to the Dark Ages

I have shed no tears for the death of Ali Hosseini Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of Iran, killed in a joint attack by US and Israeli forces. He was, from what I gather, a ruthless fundamentalist, silencing those whose beliefs differed from his own. Fundamentalists are a menace, contributing little to our betterment. Invariably, they are misogynistic, creating a world injurious to women. I feel no obligation to listen to them, to understand them, to see where they are coming from. I know exactly where they come from, the Dark Ages, and I have no desire to replicate that era.For that same reason, I also despise Donald Trump, who gives little evidence of valuing women apart from the sexual pleasure they provide him, willing or not. He is far more like Ali Hosseini Khamenei than not, a privileged old man, wielding the levers of power for his own benefit and no one else’s. This, of course, is what prompted the attack on Iran, not to head off a planned attack on America or to achieve a lasting peace in the Middle East. Its sole purpose was to provide two amoral, unpopular men, Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu, with the distraction they need to remain in power. Now, rather than talking about Trump’s sexual assault of children and Netanyahu’s unprecedented corruption, we are talking about war. There is some evidence, according to The Guardian, that a girl’s school in the city of Minab was bombed, killing at least eighty-five students. Neither man, I promise you, will shed a tear for those children, caring no more for them than the children they have sexually assaulted and the adults they have fleeced.Here are three men who represent the absolute worst their religions have to offer; three men who embody not a single virtue their faiths claim to value. They possess not the slightest degree of charity, compassion, grace, or integrity. Using religion to seize and hold power, they are a moral affront to every sincere believer. Now one of them is dead, unable to harm anyone any longer. I impatiently await the deaths of the other two, believing it will improve our world, not diminish it. I will say it right out, some people care so little for others, they have forfeited the right to be cared for, and deserve the same misfortune they have visited upon others. While I take forgiveness seriously, I take accountability just as seriously, and when someone has proven themselves to be unapologetically evil, I do not believe their wickedness should go unanswered.I am weary of old men whose only priorities are power and wealth, who take so much and give so little. I am weary of old men who feign morality and virtue, decreeing the death and slaughter of innocent people. Bombing Iran was unlawful, a grotesque breach of international law. The order to attack it should have been rejected by American military leaders, but wasn’t. So now the monster masquerading as our president knows military personnel will do whatever he asks, whether it is entering a war without congressional consent, or meddling in an election that might show him the door. One ought never offer such a man their unquestioning cooperation, but now, without a whimper of protest, they have done just that. They have made a Faustian bargain, selling their souls to the devil, and there will be hell to pay.Philip Gulley is the author of the popular Harmony series and Unlearning God: How Unbelieving Helped Me Believe.Discover my books, stories, and more by visiting Books by Philip GulleyContact Philip directly at [email protected] PHILIP FOR SUNDAY WORSHIPYou’re invited to join Philip and Fairfield Friends Meeting online for our worship services (Sundays 10:30-11:30 a.m. EDT) via Zoom.https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89449897381?pwd=FebSgYxymy6rnRHMQth2DjXLfautTA.1Meeting ID: 894 4989 7381 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit philipgulley.substack.com/subscribe