THE APPALLING ABUSE OF WOMEN

I have been reviewing my blogs and I stick by what I originally wrote - that this is probably the most serious blog I have attempted to write.

I have been horrified this past few years by the incredible number of reports from all over the world in particular Asia and Africa, but by no means only in those continents, of the appalling abuse of women.

We read in horrific disbelief of a 23 year-old girl and her boyfriend who were attacked on December 16, 2012, she was viciously raped on a private bus and subsequently died of her injuries. This case generated widespread national and international coverage and condemnation. Major public protests took place throughout India and especially in New Delhi against the government for not providing adequate security for women. It was reported that rape was the most common crime against women in India and that marital rape for some extraordinary reason was not a criminal office.

Of course similar crimes sadly take place all over the world not only in India but we are seeing month after month more and more stories of abuse and of what I can only call “cultural abuse”. Arranged marriages that go horribly wrong, beatings, savage attacks on wives, so called "honour killings" that are a crime against humanity – we read of female genital mutilation (FGM) with horrific statistics in particular Africa, but spreading to many countries.

The way women are treated in countries like Saudi Arabia also in Afghanistan & Pakistan with the Taliban and other fundamentalist sects stoning women to death even if they have been raped and sexually assaulted – anyone would think we were living in the worst of the dark ages – indeed it seems that at one level we are heading into a dark and deep place for the human race.

It has been reported that more and more women in India are finding the courage to report sexual violence. But most of those affected still live in fear. Many women keep quiet because whom do they turn to? – their culture and local communities are often against them and unwilling to see only the male dominated perspective that the women must have encouraged the man or whatever. I read of a case of a women who had faced 15 years of violence at the hands of her husband culminating in an acid attack needing urgent hospitalisation – she was afraid to go to the police but in the end did so and the husband is now in prison – but why did this poor women have to put up with 15 terrible years because of cultural and religious beliefs – it is outrageous.

A recent article in an Islamic journal (Islamic Horizons) reported: “Wife abuse has hurt numerous Muslim women, destroyed many Muslim families and weakened the entire Muslim community – how much longer can Muslims afford to look the other way”?

“I recommend that you treat women with goodness. The best of you are those who treat their wives the best” (The Prophet Mohammad) and yet these kind and wise teachings are so often completely ignored.

The article went on to say: “Physical, psychological and/or sexual abuse in the home is rampant – how can this be the case? The most common form of abuse is emotional and mental abuse – intimidation, degradation, humiliation, insults, false accusations, dismissing and ridiculing her needs, telling her she is a failure - twisting Islamic teachings that make her feel worthless because she is a woman”. I am not personally reporting this – these words come from a respected Muslim Journal. “This is completely contrary to the example of the Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him)”.

Why does this happen? “For cultural reasons some Muslim men accept the idea that its normal for a man to hit his wife and that she is no more than a piece of his property”.

“Some abuse their wives and daughters because they want to dress more modern and removing the Hijab – tragically Islam is often used to “justify” their abusive behaviour – often wrongly using Qur’anic verse that says men are the protectors and maintainers of women to go on power trips, demand total obedience and order their wives around”.

The article goes on to say that “Abusive men are completely disregarding the Islamic teachings of kindness, mercy, gentleness and forgiveness, just as they are disregarding the example of the Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) who never hit a woman and was extremely gentle and compassionate with his family”

The purpose of this blog is not to attack Islam; the tragic abuse of women is global and occurs in many societies and must be stopped at all costs. We read of members of ISIS praying before raping a non-muslim girl as though it is some God given right! This sickness has to stop and stop now before we sink so low that the human race will never rise up again in decency and kindness.

I have never understood this absurd male dominated concept – if anything women are more important than men – that’ll surprise most men! But without the female there is no life – no reproduction of life – OK you need the male too – but in an all male society – it wouldn’t last long – think about it! We are talking about our mothers, our grand mothers, our adorable sisters, our sweet daughters, our lovely wives - being hurt, abused, raped, killed by rampant men out of control and in the name of desire, anger, pride, abuse, religious indoctrination of the most evil kind - enough is enough - STOP THIS NOW.

Female Genital Mutilation:

There is a significant campaign throughout many parts of Africa to stop Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) – I was horrified to read it is estimated that more than 100 million girls 10 years old and above have undergone FGM. How can this be happening in the 21^st Century?

According to official reports on FGM:

(1) There are no health benefits for girls and women whatsoever

(2) Procedures can cause severe bleeding, infections, infertility and all kinds of serious complications in childbirth and increased risk of newborn deaths

(3) FGM is a fundamental violation of the human rights of girls and women and must be considered and treated as an extreme form of discrimination.

(4) This practice also violates a person’s rights to health, security and physical integrity. The right to be born free from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment - and the right to life when the procedure results in death.

(5) It is currently estimated that 140 million girls and women worldwide are living with the health problems and day to day consequences of FGM

(6) FGM is mostly carried out on young girls sometime between infancy & age 15

(7) This reflects deep-rooted inequality between the sexes, and constitutes an extreme form of discrimination against women.

(8) The practice also violates a person’s rights to health, security and physical integrity, the right to be free from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment and the right to life when the procedure results in death.

These are powerful words and the strongest possible condemnation of this appalling and utterly barbaric procedure of Female Genital Mutilation and must be stopped at all costs.

What are the reasons for this suffering and misery?

The reports state that the cause of Female Genital Mutilation includes a mix of cultural, religious and social factors within families and communities.

Where FGM is a social convention, the social pressure to conform to what others do and have been doing is a strong motivation to perpetuate the practice.

FGM is (incredibly) often considered a necessary part of raising a girl properly and a way to prepare her for adulthood and marriage. A way of stopping the women having any sexual pleasure or having any out of marriage relationships, which would possibly result in stoning or death sentence.

FGM is often motivated by beliefs about what is considered proper sexual behaviour, linking procedures to premarital virginity and marital fidelity.

Though no religious scripts prescribe the practice, practitioners often believe the practice has religious support.

Local structures of power and authority, such as community leaders, religious leaders, circumcisers can contribute to upholding the practice.

International Response:

In December 2012, the United Nations General Assembly accepted a resolution on the elimination of female genital mutilation.

In 2010 the WHO (The World Health Organisation) published a “Global Strategy to stop health care providers from performing FGM and the in 2008 the WHO together with 9 other UN partners issued a new statement on the elimination of FGM…

Governments are responding some quicker than others – there is a determined campaign in many African countries to stop FGM – but there is a massive amount of work to be done – with more than 100 million young girls and women suffering FGM in Africa alone we are a long way off solving this ghastly problem.

Forced Marriages of underage girls:

When I started to research the information and statistics of forced marriages of underage and indeed all girls of any age I was horrified at what I discovered.

Let me begin by saying that a “forced marriage” is not quite the same as an “arranged marriage” although the difference between the two can be indistinct.

The UN views forced marriages as a form of human rights abuse since it violates the principle of the freedom and autonomy of individuals. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that a woman’s right to choose a spouse and enter freely into marriage is central to her life and dignity, and equality as a human being. Indeed a forced marriage is a criminal offence in many countries including the UK, Turkey, Austria, Germany, Denmark and Belgium.

Research shows that forced marriages under Sharia Law are taking place all the time. According to the Hanafi School of Sharia Law every wali, who is a blood relative, can force an underage virgin in marriage without her consent. But such a forced marriage by a wali other than her father or the paternal grandfather can be demanded to be declared void (faskh) by the qadi, when she “comes of age”.

As forced marriages are allowed under certain circumstances by orthodox Shari’a “Campaigners and support groups say forced marriages by young Bristish Muslims is becoming a bigger problem every day”.

Forced marriages can be made because of family pride, the wishes of the parents, or social obligation. For example, according to Ruqaiyyah Waris Maqsood, many forced marriages in Britain within the British Pakistani community are aimed at providing British citizenship to a member of the family currently in Pakistan to whom the instigator of the forced marriage feels a sense of duty.

In June 2012 the British Government declared that forced marriage would become an illegal 

offence in the United Kingdom.

Statistics:

Percentage of girls who were forced to marry before a certain age:

South Asia before the age of 18 – 48%

Bangladesh before the age of 15 – 27.3%

Africa before the age of 18 – 42%

Niger before the age of 15 – 26%

Kyrgyzstan before the age of 18 – 21.2%

Kazakhstan before the age of 18 – 14.4%

These figures are horrific and show the level of abuse and degradation so many young girls face in these regions.

A headline appeared in the UK’s Daily Mail on October 7, 2013:

“Clerics at 18 mosques are caught agreeing to marry off girls of 14: Four imams investigated after undercover operation”

The legal age for marriage in the UK is 16 – the same for sexual consent – but under Islamic sharia law, girls can marry once they reach puberty.

Campaigners claim that thousands of girls are being forced into illegal ceremonies every year, in a boom fuelled by the ‘moral blindness of cultural sensitivity’.

This reveals a complete contempt for English laws on marriage and indeed imams have been filmed and exposed on camera by reporters openly mocking English laws.

As another example a report by As-Safir in Lebanon for the Al-Monitor Journal reported that: “

Underage Marriage of Iraqi Girls rises”

This report stated that since the establishment of the Iraqi State Iraqi girls were betrothed to a stranger or a relative at the request of her father, who considered his daughter a sort of gift to offer to the suitor. They were also married off to other tribes as “blood money” in an attempt to settle disputes between the two tribes. I both types of marriage the girl has no right of separation or divorce!

There have been efforts to improve this situation but as long as politicians depend upon tribal sheikhs to drum up support for their electoral campaign little changes and the girls continue to suffer.

There are so many examples on-line that I could report in this blog but I will finish with a report of an Indian woman who chronicled Taliban abuse of women and who was shot dead in Afghanistan – this is in memory and tribute to a brave and courageous women who wanted the world to know about the appalling abuses carried out by the Taliban:

Rob Crilly, Islamabad and Zubair Babakarkhail, Kabul reported on September 5, 2013 that: “Sushmita Banerjee, who only recently moved back to the country to be with her husband, was killed by Taliban gunmen outside her home, according to police in Paktika province”.

“Her body was riddled with more than 20 bullets and some hair had been ripped from her head”.

The report continues: “it is the latest in a string of attacks on prominent women. The Taliban and other militant groups have kidnapped high-profile politicians, murdered female police officers and killed campaigners as they try to enforce their brutal form of Islam.

Mrs Banerjee 49 became well-known after writing A Kabuliwala’s Bengali Wife, an account of her life in Afghanistan after marrying an Afghan businessman in 1989. At first life was tolerable, she wrote but a Taliban crackdown in 2003 soon meant she was no longer allowed to run a dispensary or leave home without her husband.

It describes how she fled to Pakistan when her Afghan husband was away on business in India but was forcible returned by relatives.

She was kept under house arrest by her in-laws before she escaped by burrowing through the walls only to be caught and interrogated by the Taliban.

“Many of them said that since I had fled my husband’s home I should be executed. However, I was able to convince them that since I was an Indian I had every right to go back to my country,” she wrote in a magazine article, detailing the terrors of life under the Taliban.

Mrs Banerjee had lived in the provincial capital Sharana, employed as a health worker, since returning.

The Police Chief of Paktika said “Taliban fighters arrived at her home on Wednesday night, tied up her husband and other members of her family, before marching her outside” – “Her body was dumped at Madrassah with some hair ripped out”.

This killing is murder – and a reminder of the ruthless tactics by the Taliban to impose their violent and abusive form of Islam – its of course all about power, control, money, male and tribal domination – an outrage and appalling abuse of life and human rights.

Conclusion:

There are so many global examples of the abuses of women in today’s world that as I said earlier – it is hard to believe we are in the 21^st Century. Approximately 50% of the world’s population are women, although if the one child policy of the Chinese Government continues the male population will exceed women bring all kinds of additional horrific social and sexual problems to this troubled world of ours.

It is hard to truly understand from any intelligent perspective why this abuse is escalating in an age when equality and human rights are supposed to be respected. The problem is that whilst many countries have high standards of living with quality education for men and women the illiteracy and lack of any proper education in many African countries, the Middle East and parts of Asia, are abysmal.

The rise of fundamental Islam is also undoubtedly playing its role in this domination and ultimate abuse of women in direct contradiction of original Islamic teachings and the hundreds of millions of moderate Muslims who do not agree with this fundamental creed.

We live in a world that is increasingly being torn apart by the collosal movement of cultures and mass immigration clashing with established laws and customs of old democracies.

We are witnessing the clash of Sunni and Shia branches of Islam throughout the Middle East, in the tragic war in Syria, Iraq and other parts of the globe – just as Christianity tore lives apart with  appalling breaches between Catholicism, Cathar, Orthodox, Protestantism and of course the Crusades, destroying millions and millions of lives. The human race learns nothing it seems.

Women are our mothers, our grandmothers, our aunts, our sisters, our wives and girl friends – we would not be alive without our mother – women provide life and sustain life – and they represent around 50% of the world’s population.

It is beyond any reason to consider a woman less important than a man – indeed as I stated earlier – if anything women are MORE IMPORTANT and need to be protected, valued and nurtured as the only provider of life.

Education, literacy and a complete change in thinking has to be achieved if we are to protect women from this tide of hate and suffering that swarms all over us as fundamental religious, tribal and cultural illiteracy, ignorance and hate consumes so many of us – and sends millions of girls and young women into the hell, purgatory and suffering of a forced marriage or the horror and degradation of female genital mutilation – or the imprisonment of all women in a Taliban vision and life of misery and suffering – all in the name of God who cannot answer back – very convenient – its called power grabbing and abuse of the very worst kind.

Solution:

As I have written previously we need to go back to the basics of human love, caring, kindness, compassion and decency

We have to teach people who should know better that:

We are all equal

No one is better than anyone else

Nobody has the right to hurt anyone

No one has the right to cause pain and misery

We must learn to give help and caring for people less fortunate than us

We must provide quality education where none is available

We must bring in laws and sustain them to stop forced marriages and female genital mutilation

We have to change people’s ignorant views on how to treat women

Women are not chattel to be disposed of by fathers or family members

Women cannot be used as gifts to settle disputes

Women are not sexual objects to be used at will by men to satisfy their lust

It always comes down to the ultimate human mantra:

LOVE, KINDNESS, COMPASSION, CARING brings HAPPINESS

HATRED, VIOLENCE, ABUSE, JEALOUSY, PRIDE, IGNORANCE and INDOCTRINATION all bring SUFFERING

Until people realise that all humans and animals suffer there will never be peace and harmony – we all feel pain – we all die – we all become sick – we all want to be happy

We have no right to hurt anyone

We have a right and duty to do everything we can to make people happy and to avoid suffering

I hope this blog will make people think and to ultimately bring happiness and most important awareness of what is happening here and now.

Thank you for reading

ELEVEN WAYS OF HELPING OTHERS

I found this list on a blog on Tumblr.com posted by Dancing Dakini

The list of eleven ways of helping others deeply impressed me and I thank Dancing Dakini for their wisdom and kindness in posting this list for all of us.

I have written my own thoughts under each line item and hope these are helpful - I should point out that my comments are very much my own and not those of Dancing Dakini, but I hope that our dancing friend will approve :)

1) Alleviating the suffering of others and offering assistance in their work

When we meet people we never really know how they are feeling - are they suffering in any way - are they in pain either physically or mentally - maybe they are feeling fine and happy, which is great - but the bottom line is that everyone we meet at some time in their lives will suffer - be it depression, loss of family and friends, illness, loss of a job or position, an unhappy marriage or relationship - there are thousands of ways that we can suffer, therefore when we meet anyone it is so important to think kind and loving thoughts about them - why? Because they are just the same as you and me - I know its not always easy to think like this  - you get a parking ticket and you want to shout at the traffic cop - someone at work takes credit for something you have done and you want to scream - a manager gets angry at you for something you haven't even done - believe me we've all been there! 

Its not easy to be kind and compassionate to everyone you meet, but we can try and it becomes easier every time you think to yourself this guy or gal may be in pain or is suffering - try to be maybe a bit more understanding and show a compassionate front whenever possible - your own happiness will grow and grow - there is nothing more important than helping others to find happiness in their lives - and it brings happiness to you too..

2) Teaching worldly or spiritual skills to others

This is never easy unless you follow a deeply spiritual path yourself - this point is NOT about saying I am a Jehovah Witness or a Shia Muslim or a Pentecostal member, Mormon, Catholic, Protestant, Shia or any organised religion saying you must join us! - What this means is entirely about your deep inner values and the things that are more important than anything else in this world - LOVE, CARING, COMPASSION, HEALING.

Its not about indoctrination into some sect or even mainstream religion - its about how you live your life and about how you relate to everyone you meet - Its also about how you look after animals and caring about this incredibly amazing planet we live on - if we do not develop our compassion towards all living beings from the smallest ant to the largest elephant - to the poorest humans to the richest and most powerful - caring for black, white, red, coffee or yellow coloured people - who cares what people look like from the outside - this is not a fashion parade. party prom or media frenzy - its what is inside you and everyone that matters. 

We all have blood, we all get hurt both physically and mentally from time to time - we all suffer - no-one is better than any other - when I hear fundamentalist Christians, Muslims, Jews, Hindu's or whomever shouting from the roof tops that they are RIGHT and THE ONLY PATH - this is utter nonsense - THINK ABOUT IT - the ONLY PATH is LOVE, CARING and COMPASSION - that is the heart and mind of any religion and of any human being - you can have faith and belief - that is your choice, but faith and belief WITHOUT a peaceful, loving, caring, compassionate path is no path at all.

Teaching people this, from a young age to old is a gift and a blessing to all sentient beings.

3) Returning the kindness we have received

This is so important - think of the love our mother gave us when we were a baby - I know there are terribly sad exceptions when babies are abandoned or treated cruelly, but most times a mother loves us completely and unconditionally - it is the most powerful love of all - and yet when that mother becomes an old lady and needs our help to look after her how many times do we read of abandonment in old folks homes - terrible loneliness, deprivation and cruelty - of course there are many loving families who look after their elder grandparents or great grandparents but it is so important to return the kindness we have received.

On a day to day basis even a returned smile matters - helping someone who has helped you - all these things matter enormously - they foster love and kindness in peoples lives and you can't do better than that. Bringing happiness is the greatest gift you can bestow on anyone - please remember this.

4) Removing dangers that threaten others and eliminating the causes of fear

This is not always easy but you would be amazed at the things people fear - it can be a fear of spiders or mice - or a fear of flying - a fear of speaking in public - a fear of crossing the road - a fear of open spaces - a fear of enclosed spaces - a fear of living… There are so many fears aren't there? People get scared of interviews; of making mistakes at work; of telling people they've made a mistake or done something wrong - we've all been there haven't we? 

Being there for someone means so much - helping people face their fears and helping them overcome them is part of the loving compassion that should rule all of our lives. It is a gift we can all give one another. Probably the greatest fear that all of us have is the fear of dying. Yet we rarely talk about this do we? Its something that is best not spoken about - we'll worry about that when the time comes - shove it under the carpet or the bed - pretend it doesn't exist and only affects other people not me! Well sorry guys its the one thing we will all achieve very successfully - that is dying. If you have the opportunity please read an extraordinary book titled "The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying" by Sogyal Rinpoche - it is an incredible read, quite fascinating and not scary at all - it is actually a joyous revelation and can be read by anyone of any religion, culture or belief (or non-belief). Suffering can be overcome and we can overcome this by following a true, peaceful and loving spiritual path based upon LOVE, KINDNESS and COMPASSION - they are all that ultimately matter.

5) Consoling others when they are in grief

This point is very easy to understand - when people are truly suffering - through maybe loss of a loved one - to console them and be there for them is so important - we all need support from time to time and the all important spiritual path of love, kindness, caring and compassion naturally flows into consoling and helping people at all levels of day to day life. Kind support from another human being can mean everything to someone who is sad or in pain from grief - it is in your hands and your power to help everyone - and it will bring happiness in the end to both of you. 

6) Giving material assistance to the poor

Its not always possible to help and assist those unluckier than us at certain times in our lives - we may also have money problems - how to pay for the kids schooling; that damned speeding fine; the roof needs repairing; the business is in trouble… However, whenever you can all of us should do everything possible to help those less fortunate than us.

I have met and worked with a number of multi millionaires over the years, some of whom have been incredibly generous, participate in and donate to numerous charities - and helping at ground level as an example by providing food and shelter for the homeless - but I have also met many who are like Scrooge and do nothing or very little to help anyone - its great to make wealth for yourself and your family but not at the expense of hurting people - you can only sleep in one bed, watch one television, drive one car! Its also a gift to take care of people as much as you can afford to. 

There is so much poverty and unhappiness around us - it takes only a little giving and kindness to make a big difference

7) Helping those who experience problems that come when they have anger or desirous attachment

That most devious of problems "attachment"! I have had numerous fierce debates over the years about "attachment" - what do we mean by attachment and how can it be such a problem to cause anger and distress? Quite easily if you think about it.

We all get attached to someone or something - people become obsessed and attached to their work to such a level that it can affect families, marriages, their health and so forth. How many people are attached to money and making more money almost to the oblivion of everything else - attachment to accumulating power - this could be political power or it can mean power over others in the home, works place, club or society. Have you noticed how some people become so attached to their pets almost to the exclusion of all else - Men and women become so attached to their partner that it can get to a point that causes terrible jealousy and protectiveness at a level that causes much distress, pain and anger. 

True love is not about ownership of someone to the point of entrapping your partner so that they can't even speak with someone of the opposite sex - how many people live miserable married lives - I call it MARRIED ALIVE!  You see it all the time - the controlling husband who won't let go of the television remote control - the wife who has to watch endless sport because their husband won't let her watch what she wants to see or visa versa!

Good loving attachment is one thing - but greedy, obsessive and hurtful attachment is deeply damaging and if you can help people who suffer from this kind of attachment by pointing out that loving someone is wonderful, but being so attached to that person or work, money, property, gold or whatever is so wrong if it causes anger, pain and hurt. Think about it!

8) Helping others in a way that is appropriate to their own views and customs. We need to offer help in a way that is relevant to the them that they can accept, without attacking their beliefs or views.

People need to be communicated with in a way that they can relate to - with so much immigration everywhere - the diaspora of cultures is hard to keep up with. We read of so called "honour killings" of young women who do not agree to an arranged marriage - or of the dreadful abuses of women in many societies including millions of young girls and women who suffer the appalling FGM (female genital mutilation) - how can we help these people and indeed those with a whole string of less brutal but no less worrying problems. Most of these issues are cultural and religious where lack of education, wrong information, abusive practices, social and family pressures can cause intolerable harm - so how do we deal with these problems?

Education is one important route but on a personal level it often helps to quietly but convincingly talk to these families or whomever is facing the problems and try to find a common path or ground upon which to talk - it is no good crashing in and saying you are "totally wrong" or "wake up you're living in the 21st century now" - this doesn't help - we need to always be aware of people's beliefs and cultural background - I suppose ultimately it always comes back to those basic but such important words - CARING, LOVE, COMPASSION, HEALING & KINDNESS  - with these words affecting your every day life and as a guide to your way of thinking and how you live your life - you can inspire and guide even the most virulent cultural blindness and violence - I don't pretend its easy but we all have to begin the path of teaching people the real values that matter - VIOLENCE, HATRED, JEALOUSY, IGNORANCE, "PRIDE" (I'M RIGHT AND YOU ARE WRONG), AVARICE will always cause terrible SUFFERING

9) Encouraging those who have entered correct spiritual paths and helping them continue their practice

"Correct spiritual paths" - this is so difficult to define and yet so easy.

I personally follow a Buddhist path of meditation, mantra and tantra because it is such a loving, kind and compassionate spiritual path - it brings peace and joy and happiness to me and hopefully for all sentient beings - you meditate to not only bring peace and happiness for yourself but you do this so that you can help all people to find happiness and to stop suffering. Having said this I am not trying to make anyone a Buddhist - that is solely your decision

Buddhism is not a faith system - the three so called great religions that came from the Middle East Judaism, Christianity and Islam have dominated our history - produced great teachers and saints or saintly people who were healers and brought great joy into peoples lives - but these religions have also caused more pain and suffering than anything else - hundreds of millions of people have died in the name of God. Isn't it about time that today billions of people live in peace and harmony?

Religion, whatever path you choose has to be about kindness, caring, love, healing and so forth - it cannot be about vengeance; domination; we are right and everyone else is wrong; do people really believe that God wants people to kill others? Its impossible - we are created equal as human beings and it is our duty to take care of others and the animals and planet around us - we have the brains, the mind and the responsibility this gives us. Not to kill just because someone doesn't believe in what you believe - this is unforgivable and we must eradicate this thinking but show the world that we care, we love and we want to bring peace, happiness and love to everyone - No this is not some whacky new age thinking - this is essential to the lives we live and without it I truly believe the human race cannot survive.

10) Helping those who have entered wrong paths and mistaken views to enter correct spiritual paths.

I think I tried to deal with this in (9) above - but the important criteria is to try and make people realise that when their teachings advocate any form of harm to any being - they must be made to realise that this is so fundamentally wrong. No-one has the right no matter who they are to kill or harm anyone - this is the basic law of humanity - all the religions clearly state this - but then mankind gets involved and in the name of God declare all kinds of laws and rights and wrongs - all man made and all in the name of God. It is terribly convenient to blame God for what men have declared - I believe in the human race but humans need to be educated to think for themselves - and to learn to think clearly and objectively.

I met a nice young man recently who declared himself to be a fundamentalist Muslim - we talked in a perfectly friendly way - he was a nice young fellow but after awhile he started saying things that made no sense whatsoever - "I hate music" - I hate dogs" - I said to him how can anyone hate a dog - or hate music - its hard to hate Beethoven's ninth symphony or  other glorious compositions - you can say you don't like a piece of music that's perfectly reasonable - but to say you hate all music makes no sense whatsoever - likewise "I hate dogs" - you might be a bit frightened of dogs, you make not be interested in dogs but to say you hate every dog is not only idiotic but makes no intelligent sense. He said these were the teachings -  well I am sorry all teaching can be questioned indeed they should be questioned because they were made by men and women - made by flesh and blood - I do not believe that any God that created all of us (if that is what you believe) would say "you can love cats and sheep and cows but not dogs"? People have to use their brains and not blindly believe some teachings that are so obviously wrong at every human level.

How can you hate a living and breathing creature - this brings into mind the statement that human beings are supreme - well we are not - all living creatures are important - without the trees and plants you wouldn't be able to breathe - without insects, birds and bees pollinating tress and plants you would have any of them and you would die eventually - I not a biologist but you get the point.

Everything is interconnected - without the moon, the sun, the rain and all of the supporting life that this wonderful plant provides us - we wouldn't be here - so damned well respect every form of life - this is logical and nothing to do with religion - but of course it has to do with religion - why because all religions teach love, caring, kindness and compassion - so please don't forget the most important thing in our lives - is to help others and to care for everyone of all creeds, cultures and colours - we are all one and it is our duty as humans to care for one another and this fabulous planet we live on - and never forget it please. 

11) Helping others by using whatever miracle powers we possess.

Last but not least in this eleven point list - what miracle powers do we possess? We possess the most amazing powers to help and heal - we have our MIND and this is such a powerful thing if used with love and caring. I wrote a long blog on MIND last September so I won't go into great detail - but we have the ability to achieve great things - and that goes for all of us. Our love and compassion can bring peace and happiness to people and animals

We have the ability to heal - there are numerous books on this subject but we know that everything in this world is ENERGY - everything is made up of atoms and quarks and other scientific names at different levels - the atoms in a table or chair are not the same structure as those in humans but they exist - I'm no physicist so forgive my rather feeble attempts to explain energy - however, it is a fact that everything is energy and we can use this energy in positive, loving and healing ways - MIT, Yale, Harvard and other leading universities have done major research into energy levels and how we can heal ourselves of the most virulent diseases - Meditation is a proven route to bring peace and healing to each of us and that has nothing to do with religion - but is a spiritual practice to heal ourselves and others.

This is not the blog to go into great depth into these issues but I pray that all of you will think about what we do every day and how we can use our tremendous powers of our mind, creativity, love, compassion and kindness to bring some happiness and peace into this troubled world of ours - please think before you explode in anger - please think about the suffering that people go through - please think about how you can bring some happiness to everyone you meet - that is a real spiritual path

Thanks for reading

IN LIBYA? LIONEL RICHIE, JOSE CARRERAS & THE VIENNA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA IN LIBYA AT COLONEL GADDAFI'S COMPOUND IN TRIPOLI - ARE YOU MAD?

LIONEL RICHIE, JOSE CARRERAS & THE VIENNA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA IN LIBYA AT COLONEL GADDAFI'S COMPOUND IN TRIPOLI - ARE YOU MAD?   I suppose the answer to that is YES!

As I look at the appalling situation in Libya today, I reflect on the day that we presented a wonderful concert in Tripoli a few years ago. Here is how it happened:

I received a phone call early March 2006 from my dear friend Elissa Murtaza at that time founder and CEO of Mirage Promotions the number one concert company throughout the Middle East based in Bahrain and Dubai (later becoming Live Nation Middle East) - asking me whether we could find some artists to perform in Libya as part of a United NatioAsns Peace Concert to be held in Colonel Gaddafi's compound in Tripoli, Libya.

Well, I had received some strange requests in my time, but this beat the lot!  Colonel Gaddafi; his personal compound in central Tripoli; Libya - all the political implications - no forget it – it’s impossible.

Despite the obvious objections and concerns there was one redeeming factor – this event had the approval of the United Nations (UN). The event was to be planned as a peace concert in memory of the 40 people who died including Col. Gaddafi’s adopted daughter Hanna when President Reagan ordered the bombing after accusing Libya of involvement in the bombing of a nightclub in Berlin. The bombing took place on April 15^th 1986 and this concert was the 20^th anniversary of this sad occasion.

The concert was to be held in front of the ruins of the building that had been bombed and was in the same condition as the day the bombs fell. Needless to say this was a daunting task.

First of all we wanted to make sure the UN had approved of this high profile concert and were giving it’s blessing. It didn’t take long we soon received a letter from UN confirming this – but how to get a major artist to perform – that was the question?

The initial request from the Libyan authorities was for Elton John and Luciano Pavarotti, well they were not available on the dates concerned – So Elissa and I put our heads together and she went for Lionel Richie being one of the most popular artists in the world and a hell of a nice guy too. I went for someone to replace Pavarotti and after some pretty tough talks secured Jose Carreras and the Vienna Symphony Orchestra.

(Jose Carreras)

I was amazed we had succeeded to get two great artists to perform but the UN backing and support was critical in this matter – if we hadn’t had that this event would not have happened. But now we had to manage the concert from staging, sound, lights, travel, hotels, visas, catering, dressing rooms – you name it!

Monica Hamill (from our London office) and I flew to Tripoli and met up with Elissa who had arrived the day before at the only major hotel and awaited the artists. Needless to say booking a symphony orchestra into hotels is never easy let alone in Libya!

I went straight to the site of the concert and had to go through numerous security checks – I don’t think I have ever seen so many Kalashnikovs – and this was supposed to be a peace concert!

Gaddafi’s compound was enormous surrounded by high walls and watch-towers manned by troops. The compound was covered in grass and trees, with Camels strolling around – there were what appeared to be air vents that popped up from time to time like large man made flowers or maybe periscopes. I had the feeling there was a whole city underneath me but I could never see anything to prove this.

It was my first sight of the house that had been bombed and it was a sad sight by any standards – broken walls, staircases, furniture, tiles everywhere – lives taken in a flash – what a waste and terrible tragedy – its always the innocents that get hurt somehow (of course all this was taking place before the subsequent demise of the leader Colonel Gaddafi). However, what worried me most at that moment, was the tall statue of a big fist crushing an American jet that was situation immediately behind the stage plumb in the centre where the artists were to perform.

I was incensed and immediately called Elissa back at the hotel home base camp. We had to get this statue covered – how can we have an American Artist Lionel Richie and for that matter a world star such as Jose Carreras performing a peace concert directly in front of a statue of a massive fist crushing a jet?

Endless talks went on with the organisers about this issue and we were promised everything would be fine – so I headed back to the hotel. We spent a tense night because we were putting artists and musicians into their rooms.

We were up early the next morning and the stage build up continued – so did our discussions regarding the “big fist” – tents were erected on site as dressing rooms and one of those large camper vans (home on wheels) appeared as one of the dressing rooms. Jose Carreras arrived and he was met at the airport and whisked to the hotel suite.

The next day – the day of the concert things were getting more and more tense – because the issue of the “big fist” was not getting resolved. I went early to the site again and stood on stage insisting that this statue be covered – by now everything was getting worse – I saw Gaddafi get out of his Range Rover and stare at me from a distance – the Libyan team around me were getting frantic – Gaddafi did not want his statue covered – well tough shit – I wasn’t going to allow the artists onstage until it was covered and Elissa said the same. We had to stand firm, but it was getting scary.

In the meantime a big tent had been erected for Lionel Richie’s dressing room and we were asked if it was OK for Lionel – I remember us saying the tent is lovely but its empty – can we please have some chairs and a table and maybe a mirror? In the end the tent got furnished in some way – probably the oddest dressing room Lionel has ever worked with.

By this time Lionel had arrived and he very kindly agreed to attend a press conference at the hotel, which was covered by local television and some of the world’s press – Reuters, CNN, BBC etc.

Back to the site – we still hadn’t got this bloody statue covered. About an hour before the artists were due to arrive we got the statue covered, but everyone around the stage (at least the Libyans) were obviously very frightened. Elissa and I were at our Bulldog best – shoot us if you like, but come hell or high water, that damned statue gets covered or no concert!

The artists arrived – the audience arrived and were welcomed by Gaddafi’s daughter – the model like Aisha (known in the western press as the Claudia Schiffer of North Africa) – we had an Arabic speaker with us so we knew what Aisha was saying which wasn’t very complimentary to all of us non Libyan party - in fact it was damned well rude – this peace concert was looking less and less peaceful.

However, we needn’t have worried Lionel Richie came on stage with his trio of musicians and knocked out the audience who waved and sang and clapped to his songs – Lionel left the stage to rapturous applause – a short interval and then the glorious voice of Jose Carreras backed by the Vienna Symphony Orchestra – the problem was that the mainly Libyan audience didn’t understand opera, so some left! The VIP's, Ambassadors and press rightly adored Jose's performance – he is such a marvellous artist and professional – he sang magnificently and the show went on and we and the artists had done our job in the most difficult circumstances.

After the concert was over – everyone left leaving Elissa, Monica and I to take care of the musicians of the orchestra (Lionel and Carreras had gone back to the hotel and in Lionel’s case he flew straight out that night). It took us hours to get the coaches and everyone back and all their instruments in open air trucks. We obviously, weren't flavour of the month after the statue issue!  Exhausted, but happy that this event had taken place – I think we got some sleep that night but not much – we all left the next day deeply relieved that this concert had taken place and that we had survived. I remember sitting on the British Airways flight to London, being very relieved we were out of Libyan air space!

(The Vienna Symphony Orchestra)

It was only later than we learned that most if not all the Libyan team were put in prison after the show – no doubt because of the “Big Fist” being covered and Colonel Gaddafi being most displeased. What a nightmare - it is our understanding that they were all released after a couple of months - they had been helpful and welcoming and they should not have endured this nightmare.

When we learned some months later that the civil war had started - more pain, misery and suffering for the people of Libya ending in the capture and death of Muammar Gaddafi. No-one was very surprised at what developed in Libya, but despite that we experienced an extraordinary moment in history – probably the only UN endorsed peace concert that ever took place in Libya under the eyes of Colonel Gaddafi - We survived it - and the music filled the air that hot balmy night in April. 

April 18, 2006

BBC NEWS Reported:

Libya has marked the 20th anniversary of the US bombing raids on Tripoli and Benghazi with a high-profile concert.

US soul singer Lionel Ritchie and Spanish tenor Jose Carreras performed in front of the bombed house of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in the capital.

About 40 people died in the attacks on 15 April 1986, including Col Gaddafi's adopted daughter, Hanna.

President Ronald Reagan ordered the strikes, accusing Libya of involvement in bombing a nightclub in Berlin. Two US soldiers and a Turkish woman were killed and least 230 people injured in the explosion.

Compensation

The BBC's Rana Jawad in Tripoli says the anniversary of the raids on Libya was marked in a surprisingly festive way.

A crowd of diplomats, businessmen and politicians was brought to their feet, with soul veteran Lionel Ritchie dominating what was called the "concert for peace".

"Hanna will be honoured tonight because of the fact that you've attached peace to her name," Ritchie told the audience.

In 2001, a German court ruled that the Libyan secret service was responsible for the Berlin attack.

Tripoli has agreed to compensate victims, but refuses to do so for the US families saying Libyans also had a right to be compensated.

Relations between Washington and Tripoli began to improve in 2003 when the Libyans renounced weapons of mass destruction. The US has now lifted most of its sanctions against Libya.