Is Paving Over the 'Holy Land' the Solution to Religious Conflict?

[Zero]

Paving over the 'Holy Land'??

I've jokes about it before: why not take all the land in the Middle East that is currently contested by Israel and the Palestinians, and make it a huge parking lot, with plenty of strip malls and Starbucks every mile or so? I wonder, though...what would happen if someone really did it, and maybe put a fence around it and didn't let anyone in. Would that short-circuit all the religion-based madness from all sides?

 

[megashawn]

The Busch Middle East 5000

LOL, you might be on to something zero. If nothing else you could make it into a giant Nascar track, with the added challenge of dodging suicide bombers. Should make for some good tv.

 

[Iacchus32]

That's totally unZen-sational man!

Of course I don't suppose the land is worth all that much anyway is it?

 

[Zero]

Originally posted by Iacchus32
That's totally unZen-sational man!

Of course I don't suppose the land is worth all that much anyway is it?

Apparently, in its current state it is valued by many as the center of their mythologies. Removal of the 'playing field' should make playing the 'game' a bit harder, no? It would certainly put to rest any notion about fulfilled prophesy. I figure that the best bet is to irradiate certain areas, just to completely irradicate any notions of self-fulfilling prophesy.

 

[Sunfist]

As horrible as this sounds, yeah, if that area were completely destroyed, it would almost be better in some ways. I wouldn't want anyone to be hurt, though.

 

[Zero]

Originally posted by Sunfist
As horrible as this sounds, yeah, if that area were completely destroyed, it would almost be better in some ways. I wouldn't want anyone to be hurt, though.

Well, no, of course not! But, if you think about the money involved in keeping Israel from being overrun, it could be cheaper to relocate everyone. Oh, and we could always use the area as a nuclear waste disposal site...and charge tons of cash for it, and even create jobs for people to guard it.

 

[Gale]

well i can't really imagine too many people visiting a strip mall out there, starbucks is practically in everyone's back yard. even traveling there for a nascar track doesn't seem likely. but i do like the idea of just giving the whole place a face lift, creating havoc for all those religions, and actually making the place benificial for general society. sides, if you paved it all... how'd we get all that oil?? how about we drill out the place, then use it as an internationally funded site that focussed stricly on a new means for energy to end the worlds dependence on oil... you can keep the starbucks there though for all them busy scientists and engineers, throw in a micky dees too, they'll need one of those.

 

[I, Brian]

Originally posted by Zero
I've jokes about it before: why not take all the land in the Middle East that is currently contested by Israel and the Palestinians, and make it a huge parking lot, with plenty of strip malls and Starbucks every mile or so? I wonder, though...what would happen if someone really did it, and maybe put a fence around it and didn't let anyone in. Would that short-circuit all the religion-based madness from all sides?

You may one day get your wish. I mean, seriously, why does the USA really insist on supporting Israel so much, no matter the circumstances? And, there, you've cracked it - sneaky commericalisation planned for the area. :)

 

[mikelus]

For those believers out there, would jesus never return again in his ressurection if they commercialized our holly land?