These terrorists are not representing Muslims

I was sickened as I watched the news reports and discovered, not only the huge number of dead and injured, but the way in which they had been murdered. The random way in which these murderers attacked people clearly showed they have no regard for human life at all, not even their own.

The news reports that the killers were extremists, brainwashed almost, into believing killing innocent human beings and themselves, is what their God wants them to do. I don’t believe for a minute any God would approve of what happened in Paris on Friday, whether Christian or Muslim. It’s easy to say blame atrocities like this on religion, but I don’t believe that’s true; this isn’t a case of God speaking to people and telling them to do these awful things. These are terrorists who seek to gain power and notoriety by finding soft targets and murdering as many people as they can, and then claiming to represent the Muslim religion.

Well, I don’t know many Muslims, but I do know that every one I do know is just as shocked and saddened as I that these tragic events have attempted to be justified in the name of their religion.

The catalyst of this conflict seems to be the 9/11 attacks on the Twin Towers. Carla and I were on a plane on our way to Alcudia when the attacks happened and only learned about them when we landed.

I remember watching the news all the week we were away and thinking the Americans would exact retribution and the terrorists responsible would be dealt with and the whole situation resolved within a few weeks.

How wrong can you be? Fourteen years later and terrorist attacks are still happening and more frequently. Will this ever be over or is this going to be a part of our future?

I don’t pretend to understand the conflict between the Jewish community and the Palestinians but I know this has been going on for years and there doesn’t appear to be any sign of a long-lasting solution. Until all our leaders, whether government, religious or terrorist accept every single human life is precious and should be treated as such, there will always be hideous and horrific atrocities committed by so called extremists.

I wish I had an answer to all this, I don’t and it seems no one does. But I don’t believe the current policy of bombing is doing any good at all. Killing more innocents is only making it easier for the terrorists to recruit more potential killers so perpetuating the killing cycle.