They don't wear a special uniform. They bear no weapons. They get no medals or awards. There are no ceremonies or pageantry honoring them. They have no monuments or statues dedicated to them. There are no recruiters signing up others to join.
You might not even notice them. But they persist in advocating and creating peaceful solutions to conflict and strife.
Christmas is a good time to reflect seriously on the Prince of Peace, the ultimate pacifist, the Lord Jesus Christ. He died for the sins of all mankind and taught principles of non-violence, being compassionate toward our enemies, and seeking reconciliation instead of vengeance.
"Blessed be the peacemakers."
"Peter, put away thy sword."
"Resist not evil with evil."
"Love your enemies."
"My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence."
Other leaders have agreed with the Messiah.
"I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality... I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word."
"To our most bitter opponents we say: ‘We shall match your capacity to inflict suffering by our capacity to endure suffering. We shall meet your physical force with soul force. Do to us what you will, and we shall continue to love you.’"
"To our most bitter opponents we say: ‘We shall match your capacity to inflict suffering by our capacity to endure suffering. We shall meet your physical force with soul force. Do to us what you will, and we shall continue to love you.’"
-- Martin Luther King, Jr.
"Peace and friendship with all mankind is our wisest policy, and I wish we may be permitted to pursue it."
-- Thomas Jefferson
Those who support war without tolerating any criticism will not listen. People who think war should not be questioned, but engaged in, just because the government demands it, will argue against any type of non-violence ideology.
We must begin to see that a peaceful resolution of conflict is nearly always possible, if we search for it earnestly. Arms manufacturers don't want wars to end. War profiteers want nations to continue to bomb each other. But even one individual who rebels against the Eternal War Doctrine is a threat to the entire system.
Cooperation. Negotiation. Conflict Resolution. Reconciliation.
These are the values we must uphold in the face of extreme pressures to keep slaughtering and destroying each other. Interpersonal or international, peace is the best.
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