The Story of Oil, Greed, Religion and Blood

[Riaz Haq]

The story of oil, greed, religion, and blood is as old as the discovery of oil. This story is brought to life in the recent Hollywood movie "There Will Be Blood", starring Daniel Day Lewis as the greedy oilman drilling for oil in California over 100 years ago. Loosely based on Upton Sinclair's novel "Oil", the movie shows oil discovery in San Fernando Valley in Southern California in early 1900s. I must say the performance by Lewis is masterful. The story establishes the link between greed and blood, exploitation and religion, and just base human instincts and its horrible consequences for the people. While the players have changed more recently, this story of oil has continued to play itself out in various ways in the international arena. As the economic dependence of the industrialized world on oil has grown, so have the power and the profits of the oil industry. And the industry has used its power and profits to influence government policies around the world, particularly in the United States. Whether it is the installation of the Shah of Iran, the two recent wars in the Persian Gulf, the US presence in Saudi Arabia or Iraq, or the US Mid-east policy, you can see access to oil as the underlying reason. The manifestations of the resulting conflicts are many. Sometimes it appears as Israel versus Arab conflict, or as Islam versus the West, or Democracies versus Dictatorships, the civilized world versus the terrorists, there is no denying that the fundamental issue has to do with oil in each case. The US anti-war protesters have it right when they say: "Hell No, We won't go, We won't fight for Texaco."
As the world searches for alternative sources of energy, this story may eventually end. However, humans being humans, we are probably going to find another reason to fight. It could be water, or some other essential commodity in great demand and limited supply. Let's just hope the consequences of these new fights are not as deadly as we have seen.

[Riaz Haq]

Here are some verses from a Holy Book:

1. “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.”

2. “If your very own brother, or your son or daughter, or the wife you love, or your closest friend secretly entices you, saying, ‘Let us go and worship other gods’ ..do not yield to him or listen to him. Show him no pity. Do not spare him or shield him. You must certainly put him to death.”

3. “Now kill all the boys. And kill every woman who has slept with a man, but save for yourselves every girl who has never slept with a man.”

Q. Are these from the Quran or the Bible?

A. From the Bible. Matthew 10:34, Deuteronomy 13:6-9, Numbers 31:17-18

http://www.riazhaq.com/2010/09/deeply-religious-people-profoundly.html