by Rev. Right
There are a number of places in the New Testament where we are called on to be peace makers. Turning the other cheek is a basic tenant of Christianity. The Bible tells us to love our enemies and pray for those who would persecute us. Jesus was the Prince of Peace.
In our time, it’s Mahatma Gandhi that is the Apostle of Peace. Gandhi’s message can also be found in the Bible, if you look for it. Gandhi stood for social justice, human rights, courage, compassion, commitment and personal integrity. His main weapon, nothing more than truth. Nelson Mandela is our most recent Apostle of Peace and it’s not an accident that his words often mirror those of Jesus and Gandhi.
Lets get right to it. . . peaceful, nonviolent intervention against social injustice is ten thousand times more preferable than war. But, we don’t pursue peace with an effort equal to the payoff, do we? And we should. When dealing with nations we must be more pragmatic. There has never been a time when seeking peace could be more productive.
We can’t fight bad deas with good bombs anymore than we can win over hearts by killing them. However, if we counter bad ideology with good, with reason, truth, courage, compassion and integrity, we hold the moral high ground and thats a good start. .
To carry this thought to the next level, I would suggest that if we are ever to engage in a foreign war again that it be a declared war – and then we fight it to win, swifty and with certainty. There is no ambiguity in a declared war and the names of those who declared that war are forever attached to it. This would make starting a war more difficult and peaceful methods more preferable, and that is another good start.
The United States should be an example for peace, not war.
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