The nature of the beast

The other day, I heard a ruckus out back, and investigated. I watched my apparently crazy dog trying to eat his way through our chain link fence. After a few seconds, I noticed that a turtle was on the other side of the fence, and the dog was trying any way possible to get at the turtle.

To quiet my dog (and to allow him to keep his nose and tongue in place), I went around the fence, got the turtle, and took it to a nearby creek and released it.

Then I started thinking. Why, with so many other places to be, was the turtle right up against the fence, and why didn’t it try to get away from the dog that wanted to eat it? Then I realized that what I was observing was the nature of the beast.

The turtle, with its protective shell was simply going about its business, hunting for food. My dog, as well, noticing a smaller animal, decided that he wanted to play with and/or eat the apparently weaker animal. The only thing separating the two was a simple chain link fence.

I realized that what happened was actually very similar to the situation in our country where an invisible wall called the first amendment separates the forces of religion and the forces of anti-religion.

On one side, we have those who believe in God; on the other, we have those who believe there is no God. Despite the supposed freedom of religion and its implicit right to believe or not believe in God, each side seems intent on forcing the “enemy” to acknowledge their point of view.

Though the vast majority of those who believe in God simply want to go about their own business, some fringe elements believe that they are the personal harbingers of God’s wrath on man for their sins. Likewise, the vast majority of those who do not believe in God simply want to live in peace and go about their daily lives as well. Yet there also exists the fringe element of those who disbelieve in God who feel that their only goal in life is the personal destruction of all things religious.

With each group, you have an extreme minority of radicals that cannot see past their own prejudice, either for or against God, that they simply cannot permit others to hold their views in peace. They claim they are “under assault” by the (zealots/atheists) and justify their personal attacks on their chosen enemy by claiming that they were “attacked first.”

These fringe elements are like my dog, snapping futilely at its prey. The first amendment protects both the freedom to practice or not practice religion, while also guaranteeing the right to speak ones opinions freely. The radicals of both sides have the right to their personal opinion, however, rabid attacks against those on the other side of the fence may result in unintended consequences.

Sometimes, the turtle bites back.

You can email Alan at alan@alanfernald.com twenty-four hours a day.