Egyptian Coptic Christians and Muslims protesting Empire together (after military coup)
the Lord's Prayer and the Fatiha (The Opener), side by side:
“Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name” (opening to The Lord's Prayer, the most frequent prayer in Christianity)
“In the name of Allah, the Most-Beneficent, the Most-Merciful. All praise is due to you.” (opening to The Opener, the most frequent prayer in Islam)
We direct ourselves to the ultimate concern of life (explained herein:)
“Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
“Please grant us guidance on The Straight Path. The path on those whom your grace is bestowed.”
Narrow is the way; may real recognize real so we have signs that we are on the right path. Let us be agents of the Kingdom that is already among us, let us manifest your divine qualities.
“Please give us this day our daily bread.”
“Cherisher and sustainer of all the worlds. the Most-Benevolent, the Most-Compassionate.”
Your abundance is twofold- in the peace of your serenity when one has wisdom’s perspective and the daily moments of inspiration and courage which keep us going without succumbing to despair and stagnation, but also in the solidarity you ask of us to give bread (symbol for all sustenance) equally, to combine our resources and feed the poor with the bread of food, homes (for every homeless person in America, there are seven vacant, bank-owned homes. For every hungry person, America throws away enough food to feed them and then some), education, vocation, and healthcare (which people only lack in America due to policy choices).
“And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.”
“the most-Benevolent, the Most-Compassionate- the Master of the Day of Judgment. To you we pray; thine aid do we seek.”
Merciful Forgiveness and Compassion are inseparable from the dispensing of Judgement and Justice. Not just when it comes to not-obsessing on the faults of others, or the need to forgive one’s self, though these are both important. But in the criminal justice system.
You are not a private God of mere individual conscience, but a God of social justice, and we need to copy your example. Empire always has existed, but the Day of Judgment is every time Justice seeps into the cracks of Empire’s Iron Kingdom, and culminates in the uprising of the people in solidarity with one another and in the name of God. Yet each individual has a piece of Empire in them- that is – an Inner Tyrant. Lifelong cooperative struggle, in recovery from dominant culture/Empire, and from our own unique Inner Tyrant (ego), that is repentance.
“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from The Evil One”
“Please grant us guidance on The Straight Path…not the path of those who have earned wrath or gotten lost”
Our human impulses can get us carried away when our wishful thinking and greatest suspicions meet the whisperings of The Evil One ("it's true and right, act on it, don't stop and think about it!"), we are apt to do things we regret.This is Day of Judgment seeping through into this world- fruitless consequences of actions stemming from the tree of our mindsets; culminating in whether we die in a mindset of scarcity/deprivation (which leads to acts of desperation), or in one of fruitful abundance (knowing you are whole and complete, here, now, as God is here, now).
Our ego, where the withholding, grasping, proving, selfish control-freak lies in wait, needs self-knowledge, and maintained plans of action against its negative patterns in our lives, and possibly professional help or support groups, to keep it balanced and healthy. Mental "personal" problems are inextricably tied up with Empire/dominant culture (social problems), because it caters to our potentially-out-of-control instincts to hijack our dopamine/reward center in our brain, it makes us act in unnatural and overly-contained ways, and places some forms of intelligence over others in order to make us good citizens, well-adjusted to a sick society. The Evil One is whims, ego, tyrant, and the whole entire culture of death we live in. We are responsible for following Satan's words when we do, because on some level we wanted to believe him.
“For yours is The Kingdom, the Power and the Glory, forever and ever. Amen.”
“Lord of all the Worlds… Master of Judgment… Guider to The Straight Path. Ameen.” (paraphrase)
Temptation and The Evil One are strong, and claim some lives in the short run, but God’s Kingdom of Truth, Love, Beauty and Joy are stronger.
Christians protecting Muslims during protests in Egypt
****the Lord's Prayer and the Fatiha, side by side**** #ChristianAndMuslimUnityAgainstEmpire
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