Mumbai Update

The Mumbai Attacks have come to a bloody end.  Indian Security forces have taken back control at the hotels and the offices.  The death toll sits at 195, but Indian officials say there may be a few more, as not everyone has been accounted for.  As many as 295 have been wounded, at least according to the Shantraram Jadhav, an official at the Mumbai disaster control office.

The hard and very dangerous parts are next:  Who and Why. 

Two lunatics, with a cell phone, an email account and a grudge can be a ‘previously unknown terrorist group’ and call themselves the Deccan Mujahideen. 

With a little imagination we could start rumours about a radicalized Anglican/Episcopalian sect determined to tip over recycling bins on Blue Box Day, calling themselves the St. Barnabas’ Blue-Box Bad-Ass Bastards. The name needs work, but the concept is sound.

Let us not jump to any easy conclusions around Mumbai, but be mindful that there is a very long tradition of intolerance in the area.  Pakistan and India do not get along, even on good days, which explains why both countries have working nukes and missiles aimed at each other. 

Violent religious extremism from all the majors in the area is commonplace, often expressed as rioting and bombing.  Perhaps we should let the "Who" slide for a bit until we get some more information.

"Why" is a little easier to answer, but does cross that line of "Never discuss religion, sex or politics", a line which I have no qualms about crossing with both feet, one arm and a stylish hat.

Every major and minor religion on this planet has an equivalent of "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."  I did the research and I’ve posted the list before, here. There are 29 versions of "Do unto others.." including one from Hegel that is barely comprehensible, but covers off atheism at the same time.  Take a read if you don’t believe me. 

(I am working on a more contemporary version along the lines of "You don’t fuck with me and I won’t fuck with you, deal?"  It’s still a work in progress, but suggestions are welcome.)

For the sake of an inclusive argument, let’s call "Do unto others…" in its’ various incarnations as a fundamental Galactic Truth.

Where it goes off the rails is the interpretation of the fundamental Galactic Truth by other people:  Commentary, or ‘additional clarification’ added by religious leaders to spin things is the dangerous area. 

Nowhere does the fundamental Galactic Truth say "Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you, except if they’re heebs, pull-starts, push-starts, or friggin’ dogans.  Or Democrats."  That nonsense in italics has been added by religious leaders and by our own dumb vicious stupidity as a species, over thousands of years. 

With enough ‘interpretation’ and a willing audience, you could use the interpretations as a justification for any kind of mayhem you care to mention.  The Crusades comes to mind.  So does Eric Rudolph blowing up doctors’ clinics.  The Mumbai Attacks "Why" is nothing more than not living up to the very high bar set by a fundamental Galactic Truth. 

Go back to the fundamental Galactic Truth and look for the asterisks, italics, exceptions and caveats.  There are none, even in Fred Hegel’s version. None whatsoever.