Ramadan

One theory
of the angry Muslims

is favored by a professor
of something of other,
named,
I believe
Bernard Lewis:

his theory:
arabs at forefront of world
knowledge
back in 800's and
so on,
even up to 1300's

then they are in backwater
of discovery
and science
and industrialization
and stuff

and so
they resent
the European / North American
world for getting ahead
of them

and so,
they need to act
out
lash out
and so on

fine
fine
theories
can explain anything

but,
i'd say
to Bernard,
try Ramadan,
for a month,
don't eat until after sundown

or
do the modified
Ramadan i'm trying:
just eat for a few hours
in mid day

and see:
what it feels like
to have a different
connection to food
and hunger
and self control
and waiting
and inner purpose
than most of the rest
of the world

or different
than ourselves at other times

maybe inferiority
is part of it

maybe superiority
to fast most of the day
is to do something
many cannot

to focus on something
higher than the belly
is to make religion
not just words,
but a daily
deep inposition

a deep stance
as it were

and to say nothing
of the irritability
hunger can bring
at first
and then
a learning
that we can change
and that these habits
don't need to rule us

what has this got
to do with Bernard Lewis:
well,
try a week of eating essential one meal a
day
and see
if you feel different
that the rest of
the world

and different
than how you usually feel

my recommendation:
eat earlier in the day
rather than later

interesting note:
two of the five obligations
to all Muslims:
fasting in the month of Ramadan
and hospitality to anyone in need

you can see how they'd go together,