When asked what I brought back from my visit to England last month, all I can proudly say is, ‘memories!’ one of which was visiting the famous wax museum of Madame Tussaud’s in London where I joined other visitors in posing next to famous personalities, though distancing myself from evil ones like Hitler.
I have seen pictures of people who’ve photographed themselves next to this despicable character and others who quote from his book, following his ideology of hate, but for me, he and his philosophies are loathsome!
But there was Priyanka Chopra, and also my most respected buddy, the great William Shakespeare and before you could say ‘Jack Robinson’ or ‘Julius Ceasar’ there I stood being clicked.
Now, it was not dear Will or Priyanka who I posed with but mere wax figures right? But let’s imagine the real William visits Madame Tussaud's, sees me posing and calls out, “Hey Bob, let’s have a chat!”
Now, you’ll notice, I didn’t bring in Priyanka calling out to me, because I’ve still got to deal with daughters and family who may read this piece and don’t want them trying to figure what I was doing chatting up a strange, though beautiful woman, so let’s keep it to Will, shall we?
“Hey Bob,” Shakespeare shouts across again, “leave posing with my wax figure and come over, we can discuss my writing techniques, or whatever you’d like to ask me!”
“No Will,” I shout back, “I’d prefer being with this wax figure of you!”
“Are you crazy?” shouts Will, “Here I am in person!”
But I cling onto the wax figure, even stopping others from posing next to the image.
Silly, right?
But ever thought that, that’s what we do when we cling onto our religious structures, ideologies, forms and modes of worship, and defend such against each other.
“Hey Bob,” shouts God as he sees me getting violent with another community about someone who’s knocked a cross down from a grave, ‘leave the fight, that’s not about me!”
William Shakespeare was willing, in my imagination, to speak with me and all I wanted was to cling to his wax model at Madame Tussauds because that image had become my real Shakespeare!
When a God above would like to install in us qualities of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, we prefer weapons of hate to fight on His behalf.
Till a year or two back I had a daily column in Bangladesh’s largest newspaper, and I wish I still had it to tell the misguided people, “Leave your Hindu brothers and sisters alone.”
And the same I would tell my people here as they lynch or fight against those of other faiths. I would say the same to Israelis fighting the Palestinians, “Stop listening to your imaginary wax figures, listen instead to the real One...!”
Robert Clements is a newspaper columnist and author. He blogs at www.bobsbanter.com and can be reached at bobsbanter@gmail.com
