POWER RANGER versus POWER CLIMBER

Muslims in Saudi Arabia are “outraged” because a Power Ranger toy in a McDonald’s Happy Meal “mocks” the prophet Muhammad.  His name is printed along the base of the toy, and the power Ranger’s foot is on it!

Subsequently, Saudi Muslims have launched several campaigns against McDonalds in “response to the SAVAGE attacks on the noble Prophet,” under banners that read “Help Your Prophet!” and “Together in support of the Prophet.” They are demanding the “STRONGEST possible punishment for the restaurant.”  Those of us who keep up with news via the internet know “the STRONGEST possible punishment” according to Saudi Muslims could be pretty gruesome.

Meanwhile, as the Saudi meltdown continues over Power Rangers, Nadav Ben-Yehuda, an Israeli mountain-climber who trained for two years to climb Mount Everest, gave up his dream in order to save the life of a Turkish mountain-climber, 46 year old Aydin Irmak who was lying unconscious in the snow.  Ben-Yehuda was only 300 meters from the peak of the mountain, but he says the decision to save Aydin’s life was automatic.

“He had no gloves, no oxygen, no crampons, no cover……he was waiting for the end,” Nadav told Israeli news. He tied Irmak to his harness and carried him to the nearest camp which took eight hours! Both men suffered frostbite and may lose some fingers.

Ben-Yehuda attributes his decision in part to his military training in Israel. “You never leave a friend in the field,” he says. “A person’s life, any person’s life, is more valuable than anything.  I knew that I might lose my fingers, but that wasn’t something I could worry about because that would be immoral.”

Nadav is reportedly interested in making the ascent again. Irmak has also announced he would like to repeat the climb, only this time with Nadav!  In an interview with The Jerusalem Post, Irmak said, “I don’t know what the hell is going on between the two countries.  I don’t care about that.  I talked to his (Nadav’s ) family today, and I told them you have another family in Turkey and America.”

“I would have died on that mountain. It was a miracle!” Irmak said. “I remember falling down. I woke up with Nadav standing over me and shouting my name. He did a great thing! He built a bridge between Turkey and Israel. Our leaders can learn a lot from him.  I MAY HAVE MISSED THE SUMMIT BUT I GAINED A BROTHER!”

In Genesis chapter 28, Jacob (Israel) has an encounter with Yaweh in a dream. In addition to promising him the land where he was lying, the G-d of Israel tells him:

ALL PEOPLE ON EARTH WILL BE BLESSED THROUGH YOU AND THROUGH YOUR OFFSPRING.

What an interesting contrast, threatening lives over a plastic toy and laying one’s life down for a stranger……..THAT’S WORTH THINKING ABOUT!