Life Between 0 and 1

I couldn’t sleep last night, was up around 3am and decided not to try and force myself back to sleep.  Went online and started searching for the ISIS video where the Jordanian Lt. was recorded being burned alive.  It didn’t take me long to find it and I watched all 21 minutes of it.  I should have turned it off, but I was compelled to watch it without regard to my own feelings at the time.  Still I am having trouble trying to figure out why I watched it.

The video was horrific.  Disturbing on a level that I didn’t think existed.  I was left with a feeling of dread wondering what can make a human being capable of such a horrible and senseless act of ultimate cruelty.  Another human being decided that this was an appropriate action to incense an entire country, region and world.  This one act has polarized the world view of ISIS and as with Al-Queda before them, will be eradicated for their crimes.  This poor Lt. was doing his job and duty to protect his country and I have to give him the benefit of the doubt that he wouldn’t have used unnecessary violence to complete his mission if he could avoid it.  Instead he is held hostage for weeks and had his life taken to prove an empty point of a radical group of individuals.

I don’t pretend to understand their beliefs.  For all I know they may have a valid reason to support their beliefs.  What they did though to show it to the world is a useless waste.  No one that has unfortunately seen the video would say at the end “I understand why they did it and want to support their cause.”  No one with even a marginal moral belief system can honestly endorse such cruelty regardless of the reasons for it to occur.  I don’t agree with Jordan retaliating with an “eye for an eye” action either.  They are now no better than ISIS in my opinion.

Shouldn’t have watched that video……