Editor,
Secular-minded people who want to consider the Arab-Israeli conflict separate from spiritual issues will continue to be confused and confounded, and most often mistaken.
The true origins of this conflict cannot be found in 1948 or the 6-Day War, but rather, they can be found in the first book of the Bible/Torah: Genesis 16:11-12
"You are now with child and you will have a son. You shall name him Ishmael, for the Lord has heard of your misery. He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone's hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers."
This was not a judgment given by God, but a statement of fact. And although there have been brief interludes of cohabitation, the reality of this scripture has played out consistently.
In fact, if you take notice, it doesn't say that Ishmael will live in hostility against Isaac - from whom the Jewish people descend - but "all his brothers."
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Of course, as Ross Perot was so fond of saying, "the devil is in the details," and those details have meant a lot of violence - at various times - over the years.
One side claims this, and another side claims that, but it still comes back to the original prophesy made about Ishmael - and his offspring: the Lebanese, Syrians, Palestinians, Iranians, etc.
Let the pontificators pontificate, the humanists reason, the politicians negotiate, the hurt and angry rage, but let the people of faith pray for the peace of Jerusalem and that region because, this is - and always has been - a spiritual issue.
Cali Garcia
UNM alumnus
