Projection?
After watching some interesting videos about the history of Middle East conflicts, (http://www.filmsforaction.org/watch/this_land_is_mine/ and http://utefans.net/message.php?id=1630595) I am thinking about projection, a psychological defense mechanism.
Projection is defined by Merriam-Webster as the attribution of one’s own ideas, feelings, or attitudes to other people or to objects; especially : the externalization of blame, guilt, or responsibility as a defense against anxiety. Examples of projection are US legislators who are aggressively anti-gay, and who are caught in homosexual activity, ( http://www.ranker.com/list/top-10-anti-gay-activists-caught-being-gay/joanne) and openly Christian US legislators who are caught committing adultery.( http://www.liberalslikechrist.org/about/gopimmorality.html ) This morning, after yet another round of reports about man’s violence against other men in the Middle East, I am wondering about projection.
The Middle East is the birthplace of 3 major religions: Christianity, Islam and Judaism. These 3 religions have taught for generations about love and acceptance and peace, loving one’s neighbor, and honoring a deity by living those teachings. At the same time, the same geographic location has been the site for war for the same length of time. Incessant war and incessant religion; are they two sides of the same coin that is homo sapiens? Is religious activity a projection of warlike thoughts and feelings. Is the more religious one is the more likely one is to be mean? Which came first, or were they born together?
What do you think?
