The Quarrel of the Gods

Author: Xin Qi
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-04-01
Features: The gods' quarrel is hard to cease, or it remains the same old theme: doctrines, interests, and territories. Anwar Sadat summarized the "conflict between East and West" in his book "The History of Arab Unity," published in Cairo in 1957. The conflict between East and West is as real and ancient as the civilization of the East and the schemes of the West. As long as there are abundant resources, treasures, and fertile land in the depths of the Eastern earth and in its rich soil, this conflict will continue; as long as the West maintains its current view of the East, and these views are all based on nothingness and injustice, contrary to the principles of the mundane and the divine, the conflict will persist. From ancient times to the present, religion has always been a fundamental element of human life. Due to historical and distortions, people often adopt a dismissive or indifferent attitude when viewing religion from a cultural or political perspective. Religion is a serious topic, and when linked to racial nationalism and international interests, it becomes even more complex, far beyond the scope of general comments. First, one must distinguish between the essence and purpose of religion and the effects of religion as manifested under specific historical conditions. This statement may sound too abstract, but in reality, it means separating the cultural meaning of religion from the socio-political meaning of religion. Contemporary international conflicts cover a very wide range, including economic, political, military, and cultural aspects, as well as racial, historical, and psychological ones. Religion is just a small aspect of these conflicts.