And in the end...

What happens in America doesn't really matter. What happens in Europe, in Russia, in Asia, in Africa, none of it really matters. The personalities, the sanctions, the militarizations, the famines, the massacres, the injustices, the starvations, the empires that rise and fall-- all of these things are mere effects stemming from one root cause. Ronald Reagan conservatives like to call it the battle of good versus evil. It's generic. It's non-sectarian. In a subjective society, it can't really offend anyone, because anyone can decide for themselves whether they're "good" or "evil" so nobody needs to feel bad about anything.

It really isn't about good versus evil.

It's about HaShem versus Satan; it's about Israel versus the rest of the world.

You know, if people dared to comprehend simple allegorical statements, human beings the world over would understand the Biblical nature of what's going on a lot more clearly. Think about it: Pick up a scripture and read it. What do you read about? Here's the Cliff Notes version:

HaShem created human beings. They screwed up. HaShem realized he'd have to set up some rules. Human beings still screwed up. HaShem realized he'd have to give us a visual, in this case, a living example of the success we can achieve when we follow the rules. Knowing that even the most simple example wouldn't be enough, HaShem even decided to use this living example as a channel through which he would save the entire world. HaShem calls on Abraham and establishes his chosen people to be that "light unto the nations" type of living example of what we're supposed to be doing while we're hanging out on this planet. As a bonus, HaShem even sets it all up so that the Messiah will come straight through the family line.

Israel-- that living example-- follows HaShem's rules and is blessed. Instead of following the example, the rest of the world grows jealous and hates Israel. In the meantime, Israel gets a bit too big for her britches and decides she doesn't need HaShem anymore. HaShem says "Fine, you wanna be like everyone else? Go ahead." Israel screws up and gets in trouble-- big time. We're talking famines, wars, and even exile here, people. Why? Israel disobeyed the covenant, therefore, HaShem's protection is gone. The world sees a soft spot and takes advantage, attacking Israel out of jealousy and sheer rage that they should be so blessed by HaShem.

Israel gets scared. Big time. Everything they try to do to save themselves fails. Israel prays. HaShem, having seen all this, hears their cries and, true to his word, answers. Israel's blessings are restored, and the cycle begins anew. The world sees this, and continues to hate Israel's guts.

Why else would such a tiny strip of land on the edge of a barren desert be so freaking important in this world? Provinces in Africa that are twice the size of the Gaza Strip have been warred over for kajillions of years and we're never, ever going to hear about it on the 7 o'clock news. Why? Because that little strip in Africa is not part of the land that represents the covenant between HaShem and the people he set apart to be an example to this entire world, and through which he would save this world from eternal damnation!

Now comes the part where you tell me that I can't be right, because your religion tells you this, or your pastor tells you that, or your imam has programmed you to believe the other. Yada, yada, yada. I'm going to take a cue from HaShem and give an allegorical answer to all of your complaints. If all this talk about Israel in the media is pure hype, if all of this concentrated world-wide hatred of Israel is over exaggerated, then why did a bunch of Muslim Turks feel the need to close up the Eastern Gate of Jerusalem in 1530? I'll give you one guess.

This entire fight is about more than Islamic nutcases blowing themselves up in public. It's about whether you as a human being are willing to admit that there's a boatload of wrong in this world and there's no way you can fix it on your own. It's about admitting that alliances aren't formed on political or religious or national grounds, but are grounded in your faith in HaShem. It's about whether you're brave enough to admit your faith in Him. It's about whether you're as chicken as Orpa, or as brave as Ruth. It's about fearlessly proclaiming I AM ISRAEL, not only for the glory of HaShem, not only for your own sake, but for the sake of this entire, miserable world.

The battle isn't going to change. It isn't going to suddenly get better. In the end HaShem will win, no matter what. So you can continue to be the ostrich with your head in the sand and your ass sticking out like a target in the open air, or you can do your duty on this earth and be a witness to the truth. As Mordecai once warned Queen Esther, "For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?"

Stop picking at the scab and start disinfecting the wound. Until the good guys in this world acknowledge the reality of this battle, we have no hope of winning the war.