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Elham Nasser Eddin

Jerusalem Syndrome

You know who you are: Intolerant, absolutist, vicious and violent. You throw stones at little girls, you tell people their beliefs are wrong and they will burn in hell. Yes, I am talking to you Muslim, Christian and Jewish fanatics. You can pretend all you want, but you are the plain definition of a deadly religious disease: Jerusalem syndrome.

You like to preach, but don’t like it when people preach back. You flip out over some trifling political argument and then you bring it all back to religion. God wants this, God wants that, God just happens to magically want any policy change you, in all your wisdom, support.

You take comfort in believing that when life overpowers you, leaving it to God is always the only answer. You don’t need brute strength… not until you get a wife and a daughter, then you need to control them–you have to, you are not a man if you don’t.

You don’t deplore the error of your ways, because there is no error, God told you in his Bible or Quran or Torah–I guess you could be a prophet in any religion you choose. You can’t just lie there, talk normally about your beliefs and not try to shove them down someone’s unfortunate throat. You are a religious solipsist, and you have overtaken Jerusalem.

Jerusalem is savaged by the gargoyles of its own religious extremists. But fear not, the perverse actions of its people is a test from God. If you are a Muslim oh and a Christian and oh a Jew rev up your mind and pack your bags because Jerusalem is once in a life time experience and God wants you to be there.

About the Author
Elham Nasser Eddin is a small girl from Shuafat. This year she did ‘Mechina’ at the Hebrew University. She still doesn't know where she is heading off to study after this year.