I missed my bus yesterday because I was finishing up some documentation and when I looked up I was 15 minutes late. So I got a tremp down to the bottom of the hill and got a bus from there.
When I got in the car, the driver asked me if I was for the disengagement or against. I said against. He joked, I'm pro - get out of my car. I asked him why he was pro and obviously he asked right back why I was against. I explained that I didn't see any advantage that we would gain and that we were running away from the terrorists and they know it. They have already promised to continue to shoot at Israel as they see that rcokets work. Our disengagement is an encouragement to them to fight.
He asked, but what if it leads to peace? I told him that this is not part of a peace plan. We are not even getting a single worthless promise out of them. All we are doing is throwing good people out of their homes, gaining nothing and losing a lot.
He then asked if I was a believer. I was confused as to his meaning (problem with translation), but he explained that if I was dati (religious) I was probably a believer in God. I agreed. He then said that if it is obvious that God is letting the plan go through, then obviously it is what he wants. If we believe that everything comes from Hashem, then how can I be against his plan. If God didn't want it to happen, then he wouldn't have given Sharon the ability to do it.
I explained quickly (because he had reached my destination and I had to get out) that we believe that God gives us the power to change things. That is what prayer is all about. If God does something thatr you don't like, how can you pray, obviously this is what God wants. The answer to that is that we have to do our part and show God that it means something to us. If in the end it happens anyways, then we have to accept it, but that doesn't mean we should just accept things as they come.
At that point I got out of the car, not being convinced that he was right and not convincing him that I was right. Or he may have decided I was right and travelled to Sderot, but I doubt it. I may have convinced him that religious people aren't as fatalistic as he originally thought.
It was good to see that people with completely opposing viewpoints can have a rational discussion about it without getting upset at each other, no yelling, name calling...
The 6:30 train actually came on time, which I took as a sign from God that he was happy and that the conversation was probably the reason I missed my bus. My family waited for me for dinner and it was a good evening, all in all.
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4 comments:
So acc to him, If I shoot somone its G-ds will so I did no wrong?
According to how he understands our belief in religion and God, yes. I believe there was a fundamental misunderstanding of our beliefs that led him to make such an assumption. That fundamental misunderstanding may also be keeping him from the God that his soul yearns to worship.
My wanting to move to Isarel is becoming more and more attractive. I see everyone loves to talk, and has an opinion about something.
I would fit right in!
And I laugh at a man who can refuse to let someone on a bus. Can you imagine if that happened in the US! Good for him.
Next time somone says tha to you, Rock, tell them the Nazis used that as a defense at Nuremberg!!!!!!!
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