Marble Composition

A Glimpse into the Synagogue

I don't go to Synagogue because I'm not Jewish, but Eric Alterman does, and he shares this with us today:

I saw a marvelous movie the other night at Synagogue called “The Syrian Bride.” It was an Israeli film, released in 2004, about a Druze family on the Golan who must say goodbye to their daughter forever because she is marrying a Syrian. Once she crosses the “security zone,” she can never come back. Everybody in the place identified with the shame and hardships inflicted on these brave and proud people by the occupation—even though there was never any violence in the film. And yet in the very same room, weeks earlier, I felt like I would have been run out of town had I mentioned that Israel was killing innocent civilians for no good purpose. This sort of thing drives me crazy. Anyway, see the film if you can.

It drives me crazy too. And this is why I believe religion is hooey. I'm not sure anyone can ever convince me that all the good that religion does in this world is worth all the violence and destruction it causes. I'm pretty sure I won't see it in my lifetime, but I hope my son will see The End of Faith in his.

posted by FuzzFinger @ 8/23/2006 05:39:00 PM