Comments on: Finding Peace In A Rage-filled World

By: Lee

Lee — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 23:53:11 +0000

You’re right, Mimi, the secret truly is HOPE. When everything else is taken into account that is what remains. But it’s hope that makes most of life meaningful. We hope for success, healthy children, great vacations, a nice car, etc. Above all else, I think we should hope for a loving relationship with family, friends, and the people we come in contact with.

By: Mimi Lenox

Mimi Lenox — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 21:50:00 +0000

Seeing the world as it is in its present incarnation of conflict makes the reality of peace appear impossible to achieve. Doesn’t it? But there’s that one little word that both of you have used, that we must not lose sight of. H.O.P.E.

And that’s why we fly the globes.
.-= Mimi Lenox´s last blog ..Monday Mimisms: Doing The Alphabet With My Feet =-.

By: Lee

Lee — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 15:56:42 +0000

Thanks for a great contribution to this discussion, Mojo. You’re right, the Hendrix quote pretty much sums it up. I think the real secret is holding on to hope. The reason the extremists in any area are able to win people to their side is that they focus on the hopeless. When there’s nothing to lose, it’s easy to take extreme actions.

By: Mojo, NC, USA

Mojo, NC, USA — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 13:25:26 +0000

I’ll be right there alongside ya with my peace globe fluttering in the virtual breeze. In fact, I’ve got several (relatively) newly-minted “blanks” available that I suppose I should put in a public album (note to self: create new peace globe gallery) for anybody that wants to use them.

I think perhaps the best and simplest explanation for the key to world peace came, not from a great political or religious leader, but Jimi Hendrix who said: “When the power of love is greater than the love of power, the world will know peace.” (At least, that’s who I heard the quote attributed to, if someone knows different I’d be happy to know who did say it first.)

I’ve always thought it was pretty cruelly ironic that the majority of conflict in the world it centered on something that all of the combatants essentially agree on. In principle, all of the major religions of the world concur that there’s a God, an overarching Higher Power that we are all subject to. The differences among them are based on differing interpretations of that accepted truth. It makes no sense to me that we’re blowing each other up over something we agree on. Maybe if the various religious and political leaders of the world started asking the same question we’d actually make some progress.

But therein lies the problem. Religious and political leaders don’t benefit from peaceful co-existence. They benefit from conflict and conquest. They focus on the doctrine and the dogma that divides us rather than the faith and the humanity that unites us. Because the way to hold power is to convince your followers that you have all the answers and that those who believe differently are a threat. The problem extends to political leaders as well. The capitalist decries socialism, the communist shots for revolution to bring down a monarchy. As conservatives get more conservative, liberals become more liberal and the moderate position is drawn and quartered by those on both ends who tell you “You’re either with us or against us”.

I’d love to be more optimistic about the prospect for world peace. And who knows? Perhaps in another hundred generations it’ll happen. If there’s anyone left to care. Meanwhile, I’ll keep my peace globe spinning and just … hope.