So I've been thinking alot about Iraq, war, and the middle east conflicts. And I've been thinking alot about what can be done to promote peace. I mean true peace, not just a break between the fighting. How to deal with the passions each man, or woman, has about what he or she believes. For some reason, we all seem naturally disposed toward certain types of viewpoints, especially regarding religion and politics.
Fighting this reality would seem to be a fruitless endeavor.
What is needed is a form of grace. Not so much the type that is taught in mainline Christian churches, but a more generic form. This form of grace has it's roots not in a certainty about a particular deity, but in a realization of the limitations of man's capacity to understand and empathize. Trapped inside our egos, we often simply are not capable of completely experiencing another's point of view, regardless of the effort we put into it. Which is not to say that we should accept everything we come across, and not fight against injustice, war, poverty, or anything else we find repugnant. But if I can accept that I may never see things through my brother's eyes, nor he mine, perhaps that would lead me to a more compassionate response to the evils I see. Perhaps I would spend more time trying to communicate through a common language, instead of relying on the chaotic noises and violence of war.
Each of us on this earth are born commonly unique. Each of us are special, and will see life like no other. It is possible to respect and cherish each person's view of life, while at the same time abhorring how they choose to honor it. St. Paul confessed in his writings that he often found himeself doing the things he didn't want to do, and not doing the things he wanted to do. Like him, each of us has a capacity to unconciously act contrary to our own values. Choosing peace and love, Pyromike.