Religion in crossfire
A newbie chatter made me think yesterday ( have a love hate relationship with thinking). He is an Indian – sub continent – not US. I made some comment about Muslims and our history. He then told me he was Hindu and that reminded me of a story from my past, that I promised to share with him. Can’t do it in chat so will blog it instead:
45 years ago (yes I am that old) I was in the Nepalese mountains – heading toward Everest, before the days of snow boarding down its slopes. We were 4 in the group, three young ladies and myself. One young lady fell badly, and suffered a double leg fracture – one being compound. No way it could be set so we made a stretcher and carried her almost two days to the nearest track. Fortunately she was a nurse, and refused to go into shock, which no doubt saved her life.
We made the track about 4am, at a point that was considered holy due to the grand view of the sunrise over Everest. I noticed a Gurkha outpost and went for help- they had a medic who reluctantly got out of bed and came to look at the young lady (Gladys) His underpants and vest were ill concealed by his greatcoat, and he did not inspire much confidence. He gave Gladys two asperin (reluctantly) and said ” lady needs help real fast” – then he made off into the night. I noticed the Gurkhas then closed the gates to their little “fort” so as not to be disturbed again!
Up the track came a large landrover – fully equipped for world round travel. I rushed over and asked the guys if they knew advanced first aid? Turns out both were French Med. Docs – I thought I was saved – when I asked them to look at Gladys – they refused point blank- Then i TOOK TO BEGGING – at least transport her, you have bags of room? – Doctor (?) no.1 – wound up his window and looked toward Everest . Hippocratic oath my arse!!!!!
Next up the track was a tattered 4 wheel drive with a Hindu family. I was exhausted and didn’t dare ask. The father figure in the family came across to me and asked if I needed help? – I was fully lost,covered in sores and fleabites.We were all four in really bad shape due to exposure and exhaustion, I told him about Gladys. – He went back to his family and talked for a while, then returned. He gave me the keys to his jeep and said ” your need is greater than ours just now, please pay a driver to return and pick us up later today – I will trust you!
I never got to thank that family fully , but I did learn once again about humility and brotherly love across the boundary of religion.
Yes the sun did rise over Everest that morning.
Gladys still limps a bit.
I slept for 27 hours – impossible but true.
Hello Dave, nice to see you here again, well I could go on and on about religion being used as an excuse for wars and bloodshed, but as we all know it has nothing to do with it………goodness comes from inside the individual regardless of what faith they are, and thankfully there are still more good people in the world than evil ones………xxxx.
I was trying to make that point Star. Nothing else – I just blogged because I promised thats all xxx
I have absolutely no use for religion of any kind. It is mainly used to control the masses and extract as much money from them as possible. There is not a single one of them that can tell you what happens after death, but it is that particular event they all focus on–as if they know. It’s all about fearing the unknown and most people are very easily frightened into submission. If there were any truth to their so-called “god” , then there wouldn’t be so many religions in the world.
Scotty! – I really couldn’t care less about life after death. It was just a story I promised to tell – a true one, about adversity and saviour. I only posted it because I promised. You seemed to have missed my point but never mind. Brotherhood is more encompassing than religion, which is what I meant . Perhaps the title was incorrrect. Should have been brotherhood in crossfire. Just that a hindu started me thinking.
Sorry I spoke. Won’t again.
Scotty!
I would darn well hate it if you didn’t speak again mate. I got the title fully wrong, which no doubt misled you. I have great respect for your posts (the ones I have seen). I’m fully happy to have you comment on anything I post – and hope you do. Really!!
lol
Religion, as I see it, was not the point of Dave’s blog. Compassion and caring for others was.
Stick your religion wherever you like. People are people and there are good and bad in all ethnicities and religions.
When you come across a good one then spread the word about it and that’s what Dave has done. More power to him.
Way Dear Man!
At least you got the content of the blog. I wasn’t trying to be clever. Just telling a true story, and pointing out brotherhood along the way.
Thanks
waylander, religion is SUPPOSED to be about compassion and caring. Dave, many times people read a blog and it strikes a cord with them, and they respond.
You had quite an adventure.
Scotty, I would not write religion off completely, there is a lot of wisdom in it, and a lot about an afterlife was added and not the work of a true prophet, maybe.
A lot of the negative was added by men many years late.
Rose! – Sometimes I wander in to a mediaeval church and just sit reflecting a while. Looking up in these grand buildings I am often warmed by the unending faith of the builders. There is always a collection box , and as I have used the “facility” I subscribe my “beggers mite”. That brings me to think on the teachings of all prophets and religions : a begger is also a brother or sister?
Rose, (just been reading this), but, and correct me if i’m wrong, but can you not just have compassion and caring ………….without religion ?. Just a thought along life’s highway.
Let me first thank bathchair dave very much for having put in the heartwarming anecdote. There is no religion in his article at all. And if it is there, it is named humanity.
The word “Religion” [and religion itself]is there only in the caption.
He has described about the virtues of a kind human being [ whose religion appears to be just humanity ] who was only doing his duty for which each of us was sent to this Earth , but forgot to. While the poor man remembered it, the rich, albeit being affluent and trained medicos ,chose to forget.
I totally disagree- with all my humbleness to my command though- with Scotty 75 unnecessarily giving it the tint of religion , probably allowing himself to be misdirected by the mistakenly given caption.
The Rose will always remain a Rose even if some may misguided souls may choose to call it a thorn.
I bet, if the story is given to a Journalism class [I know this to my personal experience ] for suggesting a suitable caption, 9 out of 10 titles would be hovering around some thing like”The kindness of the poor and the false pride of the rich Doctors. ”
If the best seller versions of the “Chicken curry for the soul” are not religious this anecdote is not ! Hope bathchairdave does not get discouraged from criticism. He must remember that there are always diverse views which the writers like him have to be prepared to face.
As Tagore the noble prize winner Indian poet said “If no one chooses to come along, oh walk alone on the righteous path ,man, oh walk alone !” I will love to see more positive and appreciative responses from others readers of the blog. Let us all- the common people and specially the Doctors, who forget their oaths in their bank lockers unfortunately most of the times- draw a humanitarian lesson from this touching anecdote.
Thanks bathchairdave, thanks pal, once again!
Abhilaaj!
First let me thank you for the heartwarming reply. As to discouragement from critisicism, I fully doubt it. I write what I feel , when I feel. I really only wrote this blog for you, as I had promised.
Actually all have been so positive, I might cough up a few more. Such nice people in here.
I fully loved your “Doctors who forgot their oaths in their bank lockers” that of course should have been my caption. It was only Scotty that got caught in the crossfire of religion, and that was fully my fault.
I’m saddened that you have to leave in a week Abhilaay.
“Ships that pass in the night” Be safe my friend, and thank you!
An amazing story ! And an even more amazing act of compassion , and trust !!
I just keep wondering if the family ever got the jeep back !! Lol
Because they trusted you with it ,then you needed to trust somebody else to return the vehicle to them !!
Also a beautiful story of friendship ,trueness and endurance ! the four of you stuck together till the end ….and a happy ending !!
Oh , do I love stories like these !! ….These are the stories and those are the people who make this world such a wonderful place !
A heartwarming story ,beautifully written ! THANK YOU for sharing it !
nmod!
You are far too nice to ol dave – lol. Such a nice reply – thank you.
I only paid the driver half- other half on return, if he drove carefully and was helpful he would get a bonus. Poor guy had to wait the 27 hours till I woke up but we parted friends. I wasn’t hard up at that time!!! The Hindu family had returned to India when I woke up. Never saw them again, which was sad. Gladys had had her leg set in a military hostpital. It was mis-set anyone could see that so I removed her to a Canadian missionary hospital. She was Canadian and a nurse so they looked after her real well!!
Happy ending as you pointed out.
Kindness , compassion, trust, care, companionship,. all these qualities I read in bcd.s blog.
To ,make one a better person each day in some way on our road through life has always been taught to me ,being positive, caring ,sharing , compassion and love……. these I read in b c d .s blog ,are all of those qualities and more..
As for the others that turned away ,they lack understanding so are children still learning the way …….
Lani! Kindness, compassion, trust, care, and companionship, I suppose thats what I really meant! I told the story without thinking but really, thats what it’s about. I’m a story teller it’s true – but they are all factual, the stories I mean. I thought nothing about other than brotherly love, but reading back I see the trust, compassion, and care but then that is brotherhood is it not? Thanks lani for the insight!
Thanks Lanni
You wrote the story bcd , I was just the reader, I enjoyed the story becasue it had so much for all of us to learn from……xxx
dave, keep blogging. You have a knack and you have lean and are leading an interesting life. I love to hear what men have to say.
Rose!
If you nag me enough I might keep on blogging!! Thanks for saying I have a “knack” which I fully doubt. You often have very sensible things to say so I might listen.
I hear what you are saying about men in here – they are few and far between, which saddens me somewhat.
My dear Dave,
I am sorry I read your reply to my letter just now. I must thank you for the admiration of the phrase about the Drs. We,although have some who wear the oath on their sleeves as well, as I have tried to portray in my latest blog called H. Oath….Thanks for all the nice words which I may not deserve, though. It has been a nice experience interacting with you all ,which I seldom may have had the opportunity to. Every set of people everywhere must be viewed as a basket of fruits. The God is also very much like the Gardener who packs the best, the better and good in each basket.. He also hides some not so good ones at the bottom. Right pal, take care. We will remain in touch.