will peace ever come?

[NoName]

Do you ever wonder if there will be a day ware the three of us will live in peace with each other? I know all three of our religons are diferent but we all do want to serve god and love one onther, right? We all call our selves childrein of Abraham, so in a strang way are'nt we like lost brother and sisters? So insted of fighting over who has it right and who the father loves the most woundnt it be better for the three of us to work to gether to make world around us a better place? Will peace ever come?

[Dor]

Yes after Jesus returns there will be peace among us all.

[China Cat Sunflower]

Well, I think that the Islamic world has to complete its evolution. They've been held back by colonialism and autocratic rule, and now they've got to find their own unique way and get out from under the west's thumb. I don't have any doubt they'll do it, but I don't know how long it will take.

Chris

[mansio]

Yes after Jesus returns there will be peace among us all.

Why not peace before Jesus returns ?

[Dondi]

Originally Posted by China Cat Sunflower

Well, I think that the Islamic world has to complete its evolution.
Chris

I would hope that their "evolution" doesn't blow us to kingdom come with a few misplaced nuclear weapons.

[wil]

Will peace ever come?

Not if we always expect the other guy to start first.

[YNOT]

Originally Posted by wil

Will peace ever come?

Not if we always expect the other guy to start first.

It all begins with each of us in our own little, isolated, seemingly-insignificant local world.

Ghandi changed the world without lifting a single violent finger. But boy is there more work that needs to be done.

[lunamoth]

Originally Posted by YNOT

It all begins with each of us in our own little, isolated, seemingly-insignificant local world.

Ghandi changed the world without lifting a single violent finger. But boy is there more work that needs to be done.

I agree with this YNOT. There is irony in the idea of 'imposing peace,' which is basically what human systems keep trying to do. And while I firmly believe that the way to peace is for each of us to resolutly decide that we will be peaceful in our sphere of influence, I also see how hard that is to do for myself. And I also see that our conflicting animal nature of greed and drive for survival will always allow the one wolf to terrorize an entire flock.

I at one time thought that the answer would be in a 'divine system,' a new utopian way of doing things arising among the ashes of the old. But I quickly found that even among some of the finest and most peaceful people I know the 'system' itself required policing from a central authority. And whenever ideals need to be enforced, even if those ideals are love, peace, and unity, the enforcement itself is an act of violence and divisiveness. The road to hell is indeed paved with good intentions.

But, in spite of the somewhat cynical tone of the above, I do hold out hope for peace. And the basis for my hope is found in my faith in God, through Christ, with the Holy Spirit. No, I do not expect God to literally come riding in on a white horse to wipe out all evil from the world while I sit here and do nothing. I think Something will happen in the grand scheme that will amount to the fulfillment of this prophecy, but it is not what I am talking about when I say my hope for peace lies in my faith in God. I think it is through the transformative power of God's love, developed through my relationship with Christ, that I will be able to get closer to that ideal of loving my neighbors as myself, giving my cloak to one who needs it, feeding the hungry, and visiting the sick and the prisoners.

In this world it is all too easy to say 'why should I give up mine and put my family (or my 'group') at a disadvantage when my neighbor is not willing to do the same?' This is the essence of sacrifice, and I, for one, need to trust God to make the leap. There is no lesson in nature to help us.

lunamoth

[juantoo3]

Kindest Regards, all!

Nod to Luna:

There is no lesson in nature to help us.

I think this is profound. Especially if we desire to look to nature for guidance, peace is a very relative term. As long as there are those who prey upon those weaker than themselves, peace is relative at best. Peace may exist among "competing" packs of wolves, but at the expense of being well fed by a bunch of lambs that will only question what peace really is. The wolves have their peace, the lambs do not. That is the way of nature.

If humans are merely animals, then are we wolves, or lambs? The choice is ours.

If we choose the path of wolves, we may have our peace at the expense of the lambs. If we choose the path of lambs, we are at the mercy (such as it is) of what wolves are out there.

When the lion lies down with the lamb, and the wolf cuddles with the kid, and the little child leads them, and the infant plays on the hole of the serpent, then we will have peace.