Humanity's triumph over evil
11 March 2015 By Abi Giwa
Pope Francis (Courtesy: www.newstribe.com)
There are photographs of Iraq soldiers all over news reports on Tuesday celebrating the country's victory over ISIS in Tikrit. The latter having lost the position it held in the city. The Iraq soldiers wore radiant smiles; held up their arms and manifestly felicitate with one another. Two reasons could be adduced for the soldiers' joy.
First they humiliated the ISIS against general expectation of its formidability. Secondly, Iraq soldiers did not lose battle or become ISIS's captives to be on the waiting list of those awaiting slaughter.
We all know ISIS's favorite past time. They slaughter their captives. Before now, it had been widely reported that Iraq soldiers had mastered abandoning the battle front for the fear of becoming captives to be on the list of those to be slaughtered. And why won't they rejoice for this one time triumph over evil that has shown ISIS can be defeated?
What happens in Iraq's city of Tikrit, the hometown of Saddam Hussein is nothing short of setback for the ISIS, coming few days after the Nigeria's Boko-Haram had pledged its allegiance. The event in Tikrit and Nigeria's Boko-Haram's allegiance is something that reminds observers of a statement in the scripture warning the Israelis not to rely on nations around it for fight against its enemies, but to rely on the arms of the Almighty.
The event in Tikrit further elucidates the stupidity and sinking ground for terror in battle fronts. The battle front of terror in Syria and Iraq are under fire of international coalition powers, just like the terror battle front in Nigeria. Iraq soldiers have taken Tikrit back, while Nigerian soldiers have redeemed several towns around Maiduguri from Boko-Haram in the last three weeks.
Everyone knows that terror is evil but it can be defeated. Everyone knows that terror is not humanity's choice, but a stranger and unwelcome visitor that forces itself on humanity. Samuel Taylor Coleridge captured the encounter between humanity and terror in his epic "The Rime of the ancient Mariner", when the Albatross was killed by the Mariner for no justifiable reason, but the hands of God found the Mariner for restitution. Grendel confronted the Danes in Beowulf but was defeated by Beowulf, a warrior from another tribe. Grendel wrecked havocs in Heorot; killed many people and made life miserable for the Danes. Help came for the Danes not from humans, but from the arms of God.
The king of the Danes almost did not have a chance against Grendel and its mother before Beowulf's arrival on the scene. He almost lost out like Noura Maliki in Iraq and just like Nigeria's Goodluck Jonathan had been struggling for survival against Boko-Haram's onslaught. Beowulf defeated Grendel and its mother. He pursued them to their bunker, where fierce battles were fought and Beowulf earned victory for the Danes. The same way that Beowulf pursued Grendel and its mother to their bunker that the Nigerian soldiers and Iraq soldiers are pursuing Boko-Haram and the ISIS slaughterers into their dens and they are achieving victories.
People believe that terror is evil and a representation of darkness; the opposite of good and light and that darkness has never overtaken light. It is a popular belief that when light surfaces, darkness will perish. ISIS and Boko-Haram have been destroying humanity and last week the ISIS went after artifacts in Tikrit, just like Boko-Haram had been destroying cities around Maiduguri. History has revealed that destruction does not last. It comes and vanishes, but not without victims. Humanity always has the last laugh.
The battle between light and darkness began with creation as attested by John Milton in "Paradise Lost" where he wrote Satan confirmed the ferocious fire power of the Almighty. The battle has transcended ages, witnessed a battle where the cross appeared to Constantine and was asked to fight in the name of the Cross, did and he won. Renaissance emerged with gains that that had pitched light and darkness against one another like the battle between humanity and modern human slaughterers. The victory in these battle like in every other battle, will not depend on swiftness of human power, but the will of God.
First they humiliated the ISIS against general expectation of its formidability. Secondly, Iraq soldiers did not lose battle or become ISIS's captives to be on the waiting list of those awaiting slaughter.
We all know ISIS's favorite past time. They slaughter their captives. Before now, it had been widely reported that Iraq soldiers had mastered abandoning the battle front for the fear of becoming captives to be on the list of those to be slaughtered. And why won't they rejoice for this one time triumph over evil that has shown ISIS can be defeated?
What happens in Iraq's city of Tikrit, the hometown of Saddam Hussein is nothing short of setback for the ISIS, coming few days after the Nigeria's Boko-Haram had pledged its allegiance. The event in Tikrit and Nigeria's Boko-Haram's allegiance is something that reminds observers of a statement in the scripture warning the Israelis not to rely on nations around it for fight against its enemies, but to rely on the arms of the Almighty.
The event in Tikrit further elucidates the stupidity and sinking ground for terror in battle fronts. The battle front of terror in Syria and Iraq are under fire of international coalition powers, just like the terror battle front in Nigeria. Iraq soldiers have taken Tikrit back, while Nigerian soldiers have redeemed several towns around Maiduguri from Boko-Haram in the last three weeks.
Everyone knows that terror is evil but it can be defeated. Everyone knows that terror is not humanity's choice, but a stranger and unwelcome visitor that forces itself on humanity. Samuel Taylor Coleridge captured the encounter between humanity and terror in his epic "The Rime of the ancient Mariner", when the Albatross was killed by the Mariner for no justifiable reason, but the hands of God found the Mariner for restitution. Grendel confronted the Danes in Beowulf but was defeated by Beowulf, a warrior from another tribe. Grendel wrecked havocs in Heorot; killed many people and made life miserable for the Danes. Help came for the Danes not from humans, but from the arms of God.
The king of the Danes almost did not have a chance against Grendel and its mother before Beowulf's arrival on the scene. He almost lost out like Noura Maliki in Iraq and just like Nigeria's Goodluck Jonathan had been struggling for survival against Boko-Haram's onslaught. Beowulf defeated Grendel and its mother. He pursued them to their bunker, where fierce battles were fought and Beowulf earned victory for the Danes. The same way that Beowulf pursued Grendel and its mother to their bunker that the Nigerian soldiers and Iraq soldiers are pursuing Boko-Haram and the ISIS slaughterers into their dens and they are achieving victories.
People believe that terror is evil and a representation of darkness; the opposite of good and light and that darkness has never overtaken light. It is a popular belief that when light surfaces, darkness will perish. ISIS and Boko-Haram have been destroying humanity and last week the ISIS went after artifacts in Tikrit, just like Boko-Haram had been destroying cities around Maiduguri. History has revealed that destruction does not last. It comes and vanishes, but not without victims. Humanity always has the last laugh.
The battle between light and darkness began with creation as attested by John Milton in "Paradise Lost" where he wrote Satan confirmed the ferocious fire power of the Almighty. The battle has transcended ages, witnessed a battle where the cross appeared to Constantine and was asked to fight in the name of the Cross, did and he won. Renaissance emerged with gains that that had pitched light and darkness against one another like the battle between humanity and modern human slaughterers. The victory in these battle like in every other battle, will not depend on swiftness of human power, but the will of God.
