Paradise Found -- in Jerusalem: The Dome of the Rock's big secret

Almost everyone has heard of the holy sites of the ancient walled city of Jerusalem -- the Temple Mount, the Aqsa mosque, the Via Dolorosa, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the Wailing Wall. And almost everyone has heard of the Dome of the Rock, located just within the walls of the Old City. But let's see a show of hands here. How many of us are aware of the Dome of the Rock's incredibly well-kept secret?

Sure, the Dome of the Rock is an architectural, historical and archaeological wonder -- a beautiful golden dome visible from all over Jerusalem and surrounded by living history -- shrines, palaces and fortifications constructed by ancient Romans, Saracens and Crusaders.

Sure, the Dome of the Rock is controversial. Since the beginning of history, its location has been fought over. In 1004 BC, David conquered it for the Israelites. In 586 BC, Nebakanezer conquered it for Babylon. In 63 BC, Pompey conquered it for Rome. For millennia, this tiny patch of land has witnessed far too many bloody "religious" wars fought over it -- including, of course, the Crusades. And because the Dome of the Rock is built on the place where Solomon's temple was supposed to have stood, Zionists are always dreaming of tearing it down.

Sure, the Dome of the Rock is a popular pilgrimage and tourist destination. Devout Muslims and middle-aged Americans with digital cameras come from all over the world to admire it.

But all this history and beauty and struggle is mere window-dressing and means nothing compared with the Dome's one true defining secret. The Dome of the Rock holds within itself a powerful secret that promises bright hope for the future of the world. Inside the Dome of the Rock resides the very key to world peace.

Inside the Dome itself is an atmosphere of such peacefulness, harmony, cooperation and joy that it brings tears to one's eyes just to be there. One thinks that one has been magically transported back to the Garden of Eden -- back to the days before there were brutal ritualized state murders, euphemistically called "wars".

Inside the Dome of the Rock, the endless battles for world domination, the billions and billions of dollars senselessly squandered on weapons, the laws passed by Congress that "legalize" torture, the rape of the earth, the lies of dictators, the endless genocides, the use of the riches of the world to manufacture radioactive material with a million-year half-life, the stockpiling of money for its own sake...

Pause. Sigh.

...the sexual predation, the use of religion to justify sadism, the death marches, the World Wars, the Shock and Awe, the collateral damage, the sad exploitation of working people in slave-like factory plantations, the gutting of funds for healthcare and education, the outsourcing of American jobs, the use of rape to control women, the holocausts, the governments who prey on their people -- all seem like a nightmare that we once had in our sleep but are now waking up from.

The Dome of the Rock's secret? No men are allowed inside it. Inside the Dome of the Rock is all women.

Perhaps it's time to let the rest of the world follow the Dome's example and give control of the world to us women. Obviously, men have fouled up bigtime. They just can't seem to get it through their thick heads that killing and looting as a life-style choice is simply not good for us -- not if we want to have a future of any kind. You had your chance -- 60,000 years of golden opportunites, all wasted. Step aside, men. Your "Might makes Right" approach to life has failed. It's time to give us women a chance. We can't do any worse than you've done and we probably will do a lot better!

PS: How many times have we opened a newspaper and read stories about men being forcefully held down against their will and brutally raped? And how many times have we heard that this terrible nightmare has happened to women? What is the ratio? Maybe one man for every thousand women? For every million women? For every billion women? Think about it.