Crusade...

Just watched "Kingdom of Heaven"...a MUST watch for all people!

Well to give you a background it tells the story of the second Crusade and how Saladin manages to win Jerusalem back for the Muslims. But, its not the battle or the effects or even the history thats important...its the idea it shares through a man...a blacksmith who in search of God's forgiveness reaches Jerusalem and sees everything in a new light and stands by his morals to protect thousands...Jews, Christians, Muslims alike...a true Saviour!

It depicts the vanity and the futility of the crusades and the muslim counter-attacks that followed...not to blame the guys involved but there was some serious wrongheadedness involved.

As little known the Popes planned the crusades for absolute power and wealth from the middle east...burning down the Holy land and killing thousand where once Jesus himself preached of love, caring and sacrifice...
what makes it sooo touching is its contemporary relevance...not just the middle east, but also the world around.

why do people all over the world still fight in the name of religion, though the real thing is just pure lust for wealth and power. From the Iraq invasion to the Gaza occupation...upto the Ram janmabhumi episode...its all but just stupidity.

Why don't people realise what God really says...if you have a close look...Jesus, Buddha, Prophet Mohammad, Guru Nanak...all tell us the same thing...and yet we plainly ignore the real essence for the outer covering thats rotten...do we still call ourselves humans?!

In the movie, the Balion defends the wall of Jerusalem...not for the holy shrines and few peices of stones...but the people who call it their home! Defies the Bishop, burns the bodies to avoid an epidemic during a siege and leads all men...young and old...Christians and non-Christians toward a safe life. Its not only him, but perhaps one of the only few rulers that lived who were also great moral humans...Saladin.

Its touching how the Balion ans Saladin keep terms to surrender Jerusalem and send the people safe to Europe...and how each of them though a great warrior manages to think of the welfare of all people.

Can we bring about a change similar to that?
Can we identify the greedy crusaders amongst us and stop them before millions die?
Can we see God in ourselves and everyone else?
Can we be civilised and human?

That is the question every modern society has to ask and resolve...and Fast!