And The Glory, The Glory Of The Lord, Shall Be Revealed

Chaitanya Jyothi Museum Opening, 2000

RAMANAM
In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti. Amen.

Countrymen,

ORBIS NON SUFFICIT
SOLUS DEUS SUFFICIT

Really, all anybody wants is to see the Glory of the Lord. The smallest fraction of it will do. Even the Devil resents illustrating it. Only seeing the Glory of God satisfies yearning, banishes disappointment, and subdues anger . . . anybody’s.

The difference between Christianity and Islam is this: Christianity attracts non-believers by offering to love them whereas Islam, at least in its dominant Asharite and Shiite iterations, attracts non-believers by offering to savage them. Both have a story, a narrative, a gospel, a kerygma. Both offer salvation through personal recapitulation of that story.

The story each tells grounds in fact, observable history, although Islam’s literary heritage early is severely emended against the Prophet’s story. The Christian story commends crucifixion of the ego. The Moslem story, as received, commends slaughter of resisters. There is a difference.

Christianity sees the Glory of God in a repentant soul.
Islam sees the Glory of God in a severed head.

Christianity inclines towards the cloister.
Islam inclines towards the barracks.

Eliminate Christianity and you eliminate the flowers.
Eliminate Islam and you eliminate the wildfire.