When I learned of the horrific desecration to a Jewish cemetery near St Louis, I’ll confess that the first reaction I had was anger that anyone could commit such an atrocity in anyone’s sacred ground but that this Jewish cemetery had been targeted was even more outrageous.
And I’ll confess I had some rather unpleasant thoughts for the individuals responsible for this act of hatred.
But there’s a reason one ought to lay angry thoughts to bed and see what the morning brings. Giving in to the anger and hatred and wishing for revenge and punishment is easy and it may even seem emotionally satisfying. That is until the revenge is actually exacted and then there is this regret that we as a species really not learned anything beyond an eye for an eye.
That’s why I would rather that the people responsible for desecrating the cemetery come to understand WHY their actions were evil and perhaps even find some flicker of remorse and conscience in whatever passes for their soul. Society will demand retribution and punishment if they’re ever caught but punishment without enlightenment won’t ever break the cycle of violence and hate.
Perhaps that hope is in vain…in my life, I’ve seen enough dyed-in-the-wool bigots and people so far gone in hate that they will likely never find their way back but that doesn’t mean I can’t hope for them and their redemption just the same.
Personally, I think the idea of Muslims crowdfunding the funds to rebuild and repair a Jewish cemetery (just like the Jews in Victoria Texas handing over the keys to their synagogue when the Muslim mosque was burnt down three weeks ago) is what we should be concentrating on rather than seeking revenge which does no one any good.
THIS is the way we stand together regardless of faith…this is the way that we show the world that you can burn our churches and desecrate our sacred shrines and even hurt or kill us but that the evil will not be allowed to defeat us.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-39049102
Chesed Shel Emeth is also accepting donations to repair the damage through their website and I would ask that you might consider a donation to them so they may continue their mission of providing dignity to the departed: