War is a Human Truth, Peace is the Human Hope
In response to War vs. Peace
by Jenni Robison
God bless us all. We could use the blessing; we are mere mortals. We are not gods, we are not angels. We are simply humans, fallible and imperfect. And as humans we undeniably strive for peace–yet end up in war.
Peace is a beautiful concept, and several definitions exist. I believe this one hits a home-run: “freedom from any strife or dissension” (Dictionary.com). Sounds heavenly, right? Just think: if we all lived in peace, what it would be like? Bliss? Rainbows of happiness? No more pain and suffering? Only love and more love? Seems wonderful to me, although I must be realistic.
Humanity, as a whole, is not yet capable of peace. Yes, I understand that pockets of peace exist already and I do believe that humans today are working towards equality and peace more than ever. But the fact remains that we have sinned from the beginning. That is our destiny, and wrath is just part of our nature—part of our very being.
Just as hope makes us human, unfortunately so does war. War too has several definitions, but I think only one word is needed to truly define it: conflict. I feel war is a despicable, horrible thing. I hate violence. And I don’t even like to use the word “hate”, but I believe violence is one of the worst genetic traits of human behavior. The only thing violence accomplishes, at its core, is to beat people down and make them feel worthless. Yet, discouragingly enough, sometimes it’s the only weapon we have to fight back.
Consider this: as a parent, it is my responsibility to raise my children to be responsible adults. And, in doing so, it is also my responsibility to let them know when they are headed in the wrong direction. My husband and I have the duty to teach them right from wrong. Hopefully, when they are grown, they will implement our teachings and add to them. And when they are grown and stumble, as we all do, my husband and I will answer their questions to the fullest extent of our knowledge and experience.
Now, given that example, is it not true that we have some responsibility to protect our future generations on an international level, too? Do we want our children to lose hope for peace? I think not. When that loss of hope for peaceful existence occurs, conflict arises.
Photograph by Valerie Everett. Some rights reserved.
It is very difficult for me to digest any cause for war. But I do have to concede that battle is a one-way street when diplomacy falls to the wayside. Warring people only know war. And sometimes peaceful people have to step up and say, “Enough is enough. We will not tolerate mistreatment of the innocent any longer.” As I teach my children right from wrong, we peace-loving people of the world have to teach others how precious harmony is.
In closing, I would like to make a simple request. I ask that we do a better job eliminating war altogether. I know we are trying; we just need to try harder. I don’t like the fact that innocent people are hurt and killed in war–I also know it is the sad consequence of conflict. Peace is a viable option, but I believe it will take divine intervention to fully change human nature. What we can do is try our absolute best to promote peace and live harmonious lives, and keep the hope that God will bless us with tranquility alive.
Jenni Robison, writer. jennirr@gmail.com
