Jerusalem: Together in Conflict

    Within the walls of the ancient city of Jerusalem, a vast variety of beliefs and ideas exist. Many different religious groups believe Jerusalem to be a place of elevated holiness. The city has three main religious groups: Christians, Jews, and Muslims. These groups live in a state of hostility in the city. The reason behind their abnormally hostile attitude is that all three religions believe Jerusalem to be rightfully theirs.     

    While all have a right to the land, they strongly contest the city, somewhat segregating groups into different areas. The part I found most difficult to comprehend is why these groups desire to strip the holy land away from others who worship it with the same level of appreciation as you. I understand that the respective groups believe that they are the true religion of the holy land, but why must it be so difficult to share and live somewhat harmoniously? 

    In the video, Jerusalem, the video concludes with a romanticized version of the actual conflict that lies with the walls. They state how they hope these groups will one day be able to sit and talk amongst each other without worrying about conflict. While I found this to be incredibly strong, I also found it to be unsettling. Suppose these groups sat down and realized that the land they all cherish so fondly is treated and cherished at the same level among all three religions. These religious groups all share the common ideology that your fellow man shall be treated with the respect they deserve and that you shall always remain kind to each other. If they genuinely believe this and also believe that Jerusalem is, in fact, an incredibly holy place, then why can't they all live among each other?

    These groups should not be fighting over the rights to land that realistically belongs to them all. Instead, they should look at ways to celebrate this wonderful place together. They should share stories and experiences with each other. This small and seemingly insignificant thing will bring the city together, making it one of the world's holiest cities even more holy.

Citation:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLW6vO-7rFk