Category: Peace

Something New in the How of Things?

There are two very different kinds of alliances revealed in recent times. 

1. Alliance in Support of Power

My impression is that there is one set of alliances at work to support certain interests existing in small towns and the chalets of the ultra powerful. Their core value and raison d’etre: white supremacy. They work through political channels and the workings of familiar social media and unfamiliar (to most of us) dark net sites. And they have prominent hiding-in-plain-sight agents. 

The point: The function of one set of alliances is to promote survival strategies of an elite who believe in and work for a very narrow and ultimately oppressive idea of what it is to be a human being. 

2. Alliance in Support of Principle

There is another alliance we have seen at work–on the streets of the United States, around the world, in big cities and small rural towns. It is a disparate alliance working not for power interests, but for principle. That principle seems to have to do with the equality and dignity of all humanity. And, not to over generalize or principle-ize it, it is focused on the very specific, long-standing, and supported-by-the-powerful, systematic abuse of blacks. It is making headway.

Dare I hope that not only is this specific thing being effectively addressed, but that something new is happening in the how of things? Real change seems to be coming, and it is not through conventional politics and its power-wrangling found everywhere from cabinet rooms and legislatures to too many town and church councils.

It is necessary to remember, however, that the best-intentioned alliances consist of human beings. This is both a strength and a vulnerability. It is essential, therefore, that in this, as in everything, we support the best in one another.

Has God Betrayed You?

With relaxation of COVID controls in  some areas, a few other things are coming back into the headlines. That includes protests, specifically, I have noticed, in Lebanon. Not getting into the weeds of this (as if I’m qualified anyway), but I have noticed a common theme through these protests: betrayal.

It would be unfair to portray protesters in general as It’s-somebody’s-job-to-look-after-me folks (although there will be some of that). There is a sense of betrayal in much of it. They are angry with governments that have not kept their word; they have broken contract with their people.

Anger. What’s behind it? There are three or four trillion experts on this. I am not one of them. But it is fairly clear to  even a non-psychologist like me that betrayal, eventually at least, leads to anger. I say “eventually at least” because I am supposing there could be at first, or mixed all together with it, confusion, numbness, denial–all that stuff. Personal betrayal is horribly painful, especially if you realize that it may not just be that you find you didn’t really know the person who betrayed you, but it may be that you long projected on the other what you wanted them to be, and it turned out they were not that person. So add guilt, however unwarranted, to the mix.

Now consider the preceding paragraph and consider that it is God (or the universe, or however you might be inclined to think) who is the betrayer. It is basic to pretty much all thinking about a universal superior being that he/she/it is simultaneously all-powerful and loving. So why COVID? Why am I exiled in my own home? Why don’t have a home in the best of times? Just in how we are conditioned to think about God we are also set up to experience God as The Great Betrayer. Broke his contract with me, that one: “God, did I ever really know you?”

We are invited to get into the weeds on this. Some follow one who said, flat out, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Jesus said this, it should be noted, on the way to showing that he had some credibility about who is to be trusted in this life and existence thing, and how it will all turn out.

I get two main take-aways from this: One, do not, ever, let fear overcome you. Two (not necessarily in this order), love, no matter what.

Go ahead, be angry with God. Talking anger with God is like talking weather with a fellow human: It at least starts the conversation.

Not as the World Gives

The thing we are most afraid of is always what is within us.

Unsettling feelings about immoral and unethical conduct in a crisis (e.g. scammers, opportunistic leaders) may be addressed by resolving to do the caring thing. This can work its way into the soul (see previous post) to assure and encourage us about what is true and enduring.  Similarly, finding something of peace to focus on, beyond our self-preoccupations, might just quiet our deepest fear, that is, of what lies within us. It is what we suspect lies within us that we fear even more than exterior threats.

Jesus, in pledging his peace, said, “I do not give to you as the world gives” (John 14:27). Neither virus nor inner primordial fear will get the better of the person you are made to be and to be part of what God eternally has in mind for you.

Berlin and More

This year’s Remembrance  Day (Nov. 11) coincides with the weekend’s thirtieth anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. There were huge forces at work in both times. What we want to remember and honour most, however, are the individual stories of heartbreak, heroism and sacrifice lived out for the greater good.

There are, of course, great forces at work today. Their impact is felt just in weariness over the news. But the contributions we acknowledge now should prod us to recognize we are not powerless. What we do each day can and does make a difference, from how we speak to the drive-through person to the attitude we bring home from what we”ve been through for the day.

Big forces have their day. What we do in love has eternal significance.

Romans 12:17-18

Connected for Peace

What does it mean to be “well-connected?” Most of us probably associate the term with status, getting ahead, knowing the “right” people. Okay, so that all may have its place. The trouble is some of us adopt that as our way of dealing with people generally. There are some very successful-looking people around who have no authentic relationships because the only way they relate to others is to see other people as means to some end. They are, then, constantly posturing, putting on the right practised face, using the set lines and platitudes they have in their repertoire for any situation. How sad.

Such connecting means objectifying people. It’s no different than what countries’ tyrants do to their people, some employers do with their employees–or some employees do with other employees. And when we objectifying people, well, it’s the first step toward any sort of abuse we may find useful. Or it just make us feel powerful. It is at the heart of why there is no real peace in the world. We don’t know how to connect, or, more likely, don’t want to.

The Apostle Paul said, “Let love be genuine” (Romans 12:9 NRSV). Well, that’s not really saying anything, you might observe. He might as well say, “Let love be love.” But the sense is, “Don’t just play a role” (the Greek behind this coming from the world of drama). In other words, Connect for real. He goes on in Romans 12 to list important qualities to that love, that real connecting, in which we actually relate to one another as human beings, created and loved by God.

If we practise this real connecting, it will not only be great for us and our releationships, but may work back into our larger connecting, and the way the world around us connects with itself. It is connecting for peace.

A Need for Respect

I note a report about violence against Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) drivers.  This was in the Toronto Star, but it’s not the first I’ve read or heard about this problem. There is a sign at the front of TTC buses that says at least one TTC worker is assaulted daily somewhere in the city. The notice further points out, quite rightly, that this is one too many, and those who commit such violence will be held accountable for the crime that this is, with fine, imprisonment or both, and, in all cases, a criminal record.

There seem to be people on whom it is all too convenent to take out frustations. There is a level of anger that is seen also in road rage, rudeness, and general impatience with others. This is all very wearing for everyone. On the other hand, it is really very easy and simple to practise what another “r” word (other than rudeness) represents: Respect. “Show proper respect to everyone” (1 Peter 2:17).

I’m Still Working on It

Virtual Reality (VR) can now allow an adult to experience the world through the perspective of a small child. Through the technology, you don’t have to just imagine what it is like for everyone to be three times bigger than you, and not be able to reach stuff on the kitchen counter. But it makes me think of something else I might keep in mind for today, and well beyond, though the specific reminder to give a thought to what the world is like for the children I encounter is not a bad thing in itself.

The Apostle Paul said,that “from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view” (2 Cor. 5:16 NIV). I should be able to see people differently without aid of any technology. According to the following verse, it would seem the ability to have this kind of perception of others is connected with being part of the new creation Christ has brought into effect. It might be asked how this works in relation to people who do not recognize this new reality, but that is not my first concern. The question, honestly, is how willing am I to see people with Christ-eyes? Maybe if I could see the world of some other through virtual reality, I would still bring my presuppositions about with me and see things accordingly. The Holy Spirit will not allow this. This means that truly entering into and living in Christ-centered community takes courage and true selflessness. I’m still working on it.

Smuggling KFC to Gaza

http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/05/17/it-takes-a-smuggler-to-satisfy-kfc-cravings-in-gaza/?xid=rss-topstories&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+time%2Ftopstories+%28TIME%3A+Top+Stories%29

A number of major news outlets in the last couple of days have made much of a report, apparently first reported by the Christian Science Monitor, that KFC is being smuggled to Gaza from Egypt. So what? As the reports themselves note, lots of things are smuggled through the many tunnels. Is there a touch of condescension in this? Anyway, maybe it points to an observation we should make: that we have more in common than things that make us different. Are we in the more ‘sophisticated’ culture above such cravings?

in the early church, food was a major issue related to unity between colliding cultres. Maybe we have a clue here toward better negotiations–between nations or people in conflict of any kind: Put food on the negotiating table that all can enjoy. It may be a kind of communion.
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