Bet there aren't that many blogs out there that has this as a headline for one of their entries... Someone has to be the first... Besides, with reference to the word "cow", I'm neither referring to any particular person of my immediate acquaintance, nor those exposed to me through the media. I'm not referring to any members of the animal species of the kind either, especially not those from back home. They're too strange (dare I say ignorant?) to even mention.
While we're still on the topic, I had a sudden realization a few years ago when I was with my family on a trainride through the English countryside; namely that it seemed as if the English cows were seemingly a lot more polite and discrete when they were... how do you say it... egesting. Back home, when cows did their stuff on the fields and someone was passing by (either on foot or by car or train or whatever) they'd always stare at you while they were doing it as if they were provokingly thinking: "I'm crapping/peeing on a field, and you can't stop me! Hah! Stupid human!" The English cows didn't seem to even mind us as the train whizzed by. Hm. English politeness apparently seems to rub off on the animals as well.
Then again, it could just be that this was a day wherein the cows had an exceptional lack of the need to crap at all. I don't know. I like to think that it wasn't a coincidence and that the English cows are like this by nature. But I know that it isn't really true. Not really.
Speaking of trains and other oddities I've observed in a train, one time when I was on my way back from ISS and heading home, I noticed that a goth was getting off at one of the stations at the middle of my endless route. As other goths he wore all black with, you know, some sort of anarchist sign or heavy metal band logo on his chest, and had black hair. He also wore headphones with music that was turned up to the max, to make sure that everybody on the train could hear that he was around. What made me notice this guy was that he actually listened to something I found familiar. I couldn't pinpoint it at once, but there was just something so familiar to what he listened to. Suddenly as the train slowed down and was about to come to a stop I finally realized what song he was listening to.
"Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" by Cyndi Lauper.
I'm dead serious.
That was one of the weirdest moments in my history of train traveling for sure. So my point is that taking trains regularly can expose you to the strangest characters if you just pay attention to what's around you. It may be dull as heck anyways, so why not?
But to a more serious topic. As I was reading VG (Norwegian semi-tabloid-in-denial newspaper) yesterday evening I noticed an article on Pope Benedict XVI's infamous citation from a previous Byzantine emperor's conversation with an educated Persian where the emperor said: "Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached". Of course, as we all know, there was an immense outcry from the Muslims themselves, who demanded an official apology from the Pope himself. This was issued earlier today, apparently. For some, however, this was not enough. Well, you can't please everybody - especially those with "drama queen"-like tendencies.
The Pope's aim of the whole speech seemed to be immediately forgotten based on this quote. His point was namely that of violence and religion not belonging together at all. Maybe that example was a little insulting to certain Muslims, but I'm sure that they know about the holy wars where Muslims were involved. I believe even Muhammed himself was involved in raids and warfare (cf. the Battle of Uhud and the Battle of the Trench). So in that sense I believe the Pope's statements are true and that this was a valid example.
HOWEVER, I'm not saying that us Catholics/Christians were any better. I mean, come on, the crusades in the 10-1200s aren't exactly coined as the golden era of Christendom! He could have used this example just as well as the other one (though since he's the "earthly head" of the Catholic Church I doubt he would). Still, I believe that Muslims should just take the statement for what it's worth - namely an example! What Pope Benedict said is not meant as something offensive!!! On the contrary!!! He knows full well about the tense relationship between certain Muslims and Christians (and Westeners in general, though this is a slight diversion) and does not mean to use that example as a provocation! I don't believe that a gentle man such as himself can possess harsh opinions of Muslims! I'm just gonna go all St. Thomas on this and say that I don't believe it until I see it for myself!
So I guess what I'm also trying to say here is that one should just regard the past for what it is - the past! So what if Muhammed was involved in warfare? So what if Christians were involved with crusades? Does that make a difference for us now? Let bygones be bygones and focus on the more important issues at hand. I.e. those at present. Perhaps taking a closer look at what was supposed to be Pope Benedict's main point of his speech could be a good start?
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