Peace by Force
Last evening Karissa gave a presentation of her semester spent in the Middle East. Thank you, Karissa, for your reflections on what you observed, namely, the Israeli-Palestinian situation. As we looked at the players involved, including the United States, and the role of Empires in that region over thousands of years, it certainly does beg the question, how are we being Christ-followers in our attitudes, responses and lack thereof, here in the 21st century? And how are we living as Christ within the current Empire?Your presentation and personal response reminded me of a quote by Albert Einstein:
"Peace cannot be kept by force.
It can only be achieved by understanding."
It can only be achieved by understanding."
posted by Gecko Girl at
11:31 AM
2 Comments:
Thanks, Dawn. I just found this post again, as I'm once again thinking heavily about my experience in the Middle East. Your questions are at the very heart of what I was trying to say in my presentation and what I ask now during the current political season. These are questions to which I wish more Christians would pay attention. But, alas, this is a conversation that demands much more time and space than a comment on a blog:)
By
Karissa, at 12:04 AM, September 05, 2008
May the fire in your desire to know, journey to search, and willingness to speak never dwindle!
:-)Curiosity and asking the questions is what can spark a stirring in the human conscience and ultimately a movement toward change. I'm so glad you have seen the world in a new light.
I keep thinking to myself in this current political season how much I resonate with the philosophy that we NEED to be willing to humbly engage world leaders to find/nuture ways toward greater interdependence rather than continue our arrogant and fearful attempts to isolate ourselves from our global neighbors and persist in our attempts toward greater independence/self-sufficiency.
Part of this has come out of my considerations of community vs. the society we have come to embody. I think part of the reason the U.S. is so fearful of the rest of the world (terrorism) and we pick/choose what parts of the world we pay attention to is because we don't see other nations as friends or potential partners (in a sincere view of cooperation), rather we see others as interests to maintain (and so we do so using heavy-handed diplomacy -- an oxymoron, if you ask me). As long as we nurture relationships based on interests, we will have enemies who have felt exploited, ignored or subservient. Thus the anger we see is not just because people of the world are jealous that we are rich and powerful, as I have heard good Christians reason, rather it is because of how we have used that wealth and power.
I hear lots of Christians exclaim how generous we are as a society, yet it is like asking a child to feel true love from an abusive father who gives a Christmas gift. Of course the child is happy, for the moment. But in the back of his/her mind is always the memory and experience of abuse and exploitation.
I can't help but apply this philosophy and view toward what we see in the Middle East. The U.S. has been very strategic to guard its interests in that region at the expense of human relationships and respect. And, as you pointed out, much of the results of our "diplomacy" and sanctions has gone unnoticed by many Americans . . . because for the most part we don't take the time to care. We like being the "big brother" in the global family, yet we don't like the responsibility that comes with it, caring for our little brothers and sisters who need protection and looking for ways we can work together, depend on one another and respect one another.
We play favorites and then we wonder why people get offended.
By
Gecko Girl, at 7:17 AM, September 05, 2008
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