There has always been a great deal of turmoil in the world, but there has also been amazing success. We have watched governments fail, but we have also seen consistent economic and population growth in countries like Canada. How can we explain this difference?
In examining the wisdom of the ages, I found a very interesting passage from the Bible. You shall allot it (land) as inheritances for yourselves and for the aliens resident in your midst who have bred children among you. The latter shall be to you like native Israelites; along with you they shall receive inheritances among the tribes of Israel. In whatever tribe the alien may be resident, there you shall assign him his inheritance, says the Lord God. (Ezekiel 47: 21-23)
What this passage from Ezekiel tells us is that when people of different ethnicities live in the same territory, minorities are to be treated with respect. Immigrants are to be welcomed and treated like the rest of the population. Indeed, Governor Guy Carlton seemed to have understood this when he gave rights to French Canadians after the defeat of French forces in the eighteenth century. It has also become the predominant attitude in Canada, especially since the end of World War II. It is no coincidence that this has also been an era of unprecedented growth for our country.
On the contrary, states which embrace more ethnocentric policies ultimately fail. The most drastic example is Nazi Germany, but we have seen similar results in the collapse of colonialism and the overthrow of apartheid in South Africa. Despite their military might, these states could not endure.
What is ironic about the above passage is that it comes from the Bible. Christians, Jews and Muslims are all children of Abraham, and all acknowledge Ezekiel as a prophet. Yet, where is there more turmoil in the world today than among these three groups in their ancient homeland? This topic is of particular interest to me because my grandparents, who were Christians, left Syria under the oppression of the Ottoman Muslims over 100 years ago. To this day I feel a strong tie to their homeland and its people, but I feel it toward all three religious groups. I can honestly say that I feel at home among Jews, Christians and Muslims. Our ethnic and religious similarities are far more important than our religious differences. Elias Chacur also brought this point home in his classic analysis of Middle East politics, Blood Brothers.
The current state of affairs in the Middle East will inevitably lead to destruction unless there is a change of course, regardless of how powerful any group in the region appears today. It is time for all to be like native Israelites, for all are indeed children of Abraham. The task is not simple because the conflict has been fueled by many years of sectarian violence, but peace has been brought to warring regions many times in history, and it will be done again if we can all be true to what we profess to believe.
