It’s been happening for centuries—soldiers pick a fight with other soldiers and civilians are displaced and killed.
From the Associated Press: Russia rolls into Georgia, rolls back the clock
From CNN: Georgia-Russia conflict brings back Cold War memories
From the Irish Times: Relief for Georgia as Russian forces begin withdrawal
“Relief? Oh, but it’s just a conflict.”
Well… No, it’s war! The brave crusaders can use all the disguising words they want. When guns shoot and bombs explode and innocent people are made to suffer, it’s war.
That image up there is very old yet it tells the story as well as our modern media. Troops fight (feeling like an angel is guiding them) and innocents suffer . . .
What brought me to write this post, as I did my daily scan of news sources, was an audio-enhanced slide show on EurasiaNet.Org. It’s a story photographed and spoken by Rena Effendi. It shows the dislocation and disruption of the innocents in this “conflict” that the underside of the carpet knows is war . . .
GEORGIA – Audio/Pictorial Report
Today’s Quote:
“For thousands of years the human race has been at war. It is enough. Now let mankind, for a time at least, consort in amity and peace. Enmity and hatred have ruled. Let the world, for a period, exercise love. For thousands of years the nations have denied each other, considering each other as infidel and inferior. It is sufficient. We must now realize that we are the servants of one God, that we turn to one beneficent Father, live under one divine law, seek one reality and have one desire. Thus may we live in the utmost friendship and love, and in return the favors and bounties of God shall surround us; the world of humanity will be reformed; mankind, enjoy a new life; eternal light will illumine, and heavenly moralities become manifest.”
‘Abdu’l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 6
Let’s have a conversation !
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Ultimtely, many human beings are at war (so to speak) with themselves. Until they remember what it feels like to love themselves unconditionally, they will find it hard to express compassion to all other creatures under any circumstances. To dwell on conflict also makes a statement about views on truce, compromise, love and inner beliefs.
Liara,
I am aware, through many of your comments, that you hold the concept of higher self awareness and personal moral responsibility very highly.
This is praiseworthy!
Where does compassion for the suffering masses intersect your philosophy?
It is possible to be compassionate for human beings without permitting yourself to get focused on helplessness and negativity. As you realize each action you take has the potential to make a positive difference on some level, then you can rest calm and assured that you do the best you can. If you have spare money or choose to devote time to volunteer to help people help themselves, then these are some ways you can make a difference. If however, you allow emotions to control you, or, you permit events outside of yourself to control how you feel, then you would lose perspective.
Liara,
Thank you for that expatiation on your previous comment!
I love Liara’s comments as I too do focus on gaining peacefulness within myself first and then with the neighbours and hopefully that will spread out into the world.
I agree with Liara also, but also find it hard to deal with all the suffering and madness happening across the globe.
Wilma & Marc,
You two have expressed the poles of a globe of concern.
Being at peace with our selves and helping resolve the suffering of our world.
I feel they work in tandem, an oscillation of energy between the two.
If we never feel their suffering, we will do nothing to alleviate it.
If we never get to Center and inner peace, we will be caught up in the suffering and be hampered by that.
I’m starting to feel these concerns may be the most important on the globe!!
Our deepest human need is the need to overcome our separtness,to leave the prison of our aloneness.
Catherine,
Ever so well said !!!
When I see the horror in the world I use it as my impetus to make dang sure I am at peace and in love with Robin. Then from there I make sure I have resolved any conflict with family, friends, others….as much as they are open to. (which can often take great courage because we all can fear rejection at some point in our lives – so it means being humble and brave of heart). This also means loving freely without strings. I accept whatever level they are able to reciprocate…if at all. And I love them for where they are at…and recognize each person’s soul journey as unique.
I try to model love, even when someone is unable to actively return it (it doesn’t matter because I am already “in love”). It doesn’t matter if they are even “nasty” back, because I found that modeling love, really “being” in love changes lives. It allows peace to enter and calm to take hold. It creates an environment conducive to positive change. Others no longer have conflict returned by me.
That does not mean that I won’t set healthy boundaries if I need to. I will and do. But I really believe that peace and love start with me…with each of us.
The horror in the world is also my impetus to give daily thanks for what I have….that I am safe, loved, fed, clothed, housed, and have infinite opportunities in my life. I am truly blessed and must give active thanks. I am grateful for so much.
The horror in the world made me one day look at my life picture myself on my deathbed with nothing left to lose….and I thought, “Okay, I dying now; what would I change? Who would I have tried harder to reconcile with, who would I love, accept, heal, what petty ridiculous crap can I let go of, who can I reach out to, comfort, forgive, and so forth.” Then I set about in the span of one year contacting those people and making my peace, offering support, telling them the things in my heart that I’d not dared to tell them, letting them know they were loved, letting them know I was sorry, letting them know they were absolutely forgiven. I made my peace and continue to do so everyday so that I move into a world of “being in love”.
Thank you Alex for letting me express this here.
Robin,
You’re more than welcome to share that eloquently in my humble blog!
Thank you, dear heart!!
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Hey, all you other readers! Go see Robin’s blog!!!
http://nakedineden.com/nakedinedenblog/