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Peace versus War We Have a Choice
Peace begets peace. War begets war. When our leaders learn how to achieve peace by peaceful means, in due time we will have peace in the entire world. The underlying cause of war is fear, ignorance, greed, selfishness, and the lust for power. Truth is the ultimate solution. Deep within the soul of our being, everyone inherently desires peace. However, let’s face it. In this twenty first century, we are in a more perilous situation than ever before. We have many nations despising us and wishing for our annihilation. Radical terrorists would like to see us wiped off the map. Several nations have nuclear weapons, and several more nations would like to have nuclear weapons. And the United States is in the crosshairs of more nuclear weapons than any other nation. And our leaders never ask, Why? As it is, anyone who has his/her finger on the pulse of the direction this nation is headed realizes that we are headed toward being utterly wasted (language of the prophet Isaiah). Regardless of how powerful our military is; regardless of how many nuclear weapons we have, we will not achieve peace with other nations and feel secure, if we do not achieve peace by peaceful means. Our leaders in Washington would have us believe that they are looking out for us. Let’s face it: Many of the things that our leaders do in the name of national security are actually leading us down the path to being utterly wasted. Think about the destruction, suffering, confusion, and chaos that our nation would suffer if we were attacked with one nuclear bomb. In comparison, it would make the 9/11 attack seem like a spit in the ocean. If we were attacked with several nuclear bombs, America the beautiful would be America the wasteland. From the Proverbs (29:18) we know: “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” Our leaders in Washington have no vision for a genuine lasting peace; they seem to be addicted to thinking about war. We bring about what we think about. Our nation seems to get out of one conflict and other conflicts are brewing. The prophet Job said, “For the thing that I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me” (Job 1:3 and 3:25). As it is, it seems that we fear the infamous 3 a.m. phone call. And as things are now, our leaders in Washington know that it is not “if” but “when” we will be attacked. Yet, they keep doing the same old things they have done for many years that keep getting us deeper and deeper into trouble. Let's face it, the foreign policies of the United States cause many problems, and the costs are exorbitant, and the suffering and chaos are appalling. We live in a troubled, unsafe world. With the United States being in the crosshairs of so many nuclear weapons, aren’t things more perilous now than ever before? Although we are the most powerful nation in the world, things have changed. We are no longer in a position to protect ourselves without suffering tremendous destruction, suffering and chaos. We are in the crosshairs of too many nuclear weapons to continue doing the same old things that our leaders have been doing for decades. There is an urgent need for a change in the mindset in Washington—for changing the focus from war to a vision for peace. There is a sensible way of achieving peace by peaceful means. We could learn something about why we are hated by leaders of several nations, and consequently, why we get into one messy morass after another if we paid attention to something former President Kennedy said: “The United States is only six percent of the world’s population, and we have no right to impose our views or even our system of government on the other 94 percent.” There is the possibility that we could solve about 90 percent of our disputes with other nations if we quit meddling in their affairs. Isn’t the explanation of why we are not friends with Cuba because we cannot impose our views and form of government on Cuba? Let’s face it: We have no right to do that. Isn’t the explanation of why China is manufacturing 100 ICBMs aimed at the United States, because we are meddling in the affairs of China? Does it make sense for our nation to be committed to protecting Taiwan from China and risk a war with China? After all, Taiwan is part of China. Did our leaders not know that selling $6.4 billion worth of arms to Taiwan would irk China? The news about the sale did irk China. And China was prompt in making it clear that China will retaliate. Did our leaders not realize that plans to install a missile defense system in Poland would irk Russia? It did. And even though our President at that time explained that the missile defense system was not for use against Russia, but for use against Iran, Russia made plans to help build missile defense systems in Venezuela and Cuba. Does it really make sense for Russia to engage in a conflict with Georgia, wreaking havoc with that country, and then the United States giving Georgia a billion dollar foreign aid package to rebuild what Russia destroyed? Let us use common sense and be truthful and honest. Were the foregoing decisions made by our leaders in the interest of national security? Instead of rendering things more secure, it seems that they stirred up the mire and dirt. By far, the greatest thing we could do in the interest of national security is to make genuine friendships with other nations. And the costs, both monetarily and in terms of the suffering, loss of lives, and chaos, would be insignificant. The best way of making friends is by following the wisdom of Isaiah: “Come now and let us reason together.” We like to think of our nation as being a peace loving nation. Yet, our leaders do not seem interested in knowing the answers to the following questions:
The leader in North Korea explained why North Korea developed nuclear bombs: “to deter a U.S. attack.” (According to an article by the Associated Press, January 1, 2010). Even if our nation has no intentions of attacking North Korea, a question remains: Why does North Korea fear an attack by the United States? If we were the peace loving nation we like to think we are, would North Korea fear an attack? If Iran is really planning to manufacture nuclear bombs (as some leaders think), could it be for the same reason that North Korea developed nuclear bombs? ... “to deter a U.S. attack.” From the mindset in Washington and with this nation’s foreign policies, doesn’t Iran have reason to expect a war with our nation? Former President Kennedy said: “Unconditional war can no longer lead to unconditional victory. It can no longer serve to settle disputes. … For a nuclear disaster, spread by winds and waters and fear, could well engulf the great and the small, the rich and the poor, the committed and the uncommitted alike. Mankind must put an end to war or war will put an end to mankind.” (Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations by John Bartlett). (Emphasis added). Let’s face it. With the continued buildup of nuclear weapons — and with the continued tension between us and other nations — we are headed toward the end to mankind. There is already more than enough nuclear weapons to wipe out all human life. And in addition to nations that already have nuclear weapons, there are others who want nuclear weapons. And it seems that the best vision our nation has at this time is for nations to lower their number of nuclear weapons. Let’s face it: That is a useless, time-consuming step to take. It suggests that we do not know how to achieve genuine peace. A top priority should be a world free of all weapons of war—a vision for nations to be as described by the prophet Isaiah: “They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more” (Isaiah 2:4). This goal of ridding the world of weapons of war would be far more acceptable to a vast majority of people in the entire world than simply lowering the number of nuclear weapons. And the goal of ridding the world of all weapons of war could be easier to achieve than getting nations to dismantle their nuclear weapons … if only we, individually and collectively, followed the teachings of Jesus and the prophets of the Old Testament (more about this later). If I recall correctly, China has already said that they were not going to dismantle their nuclear arsenal. Isn’t it plausible that China (sometime in the future) would be relieved to dismantle their nuclear arsenals once they knew without doubt that the world had become peaceful and all nations can exist peacefully with other nations? Would not our trust and friendship with China be enhanced considerably if we were not committed to protect Taiwan from China? Remember, China owns Taiwan. Who made such commitment? Of course we have preferences, but we don’t have any business in meddling in the affairs of China and trying to police the world. In addition to benefiting from the wisdom of President Kennedy, we could also benefit from the wisdom of two other former Presidents. Former President Abraham Lincoln said: “The way to destroy our enemies is to make them our friends.” Former president Woodrow Wilson, said, “Friendship is the only cement that will ever hold the world together.” Our nation and the entire world would not be in the risky, dangerous, messy morass in which we find ourselves if our leaders were as honest and trustworthy as former president Abraham Lincoln was. Think about what he said: “I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live by the light that I have. I must stand with anybody that stands right, and stand with him while he is right, and part with him when he goes wrong” … amazing! Guided by that which is true; by the light that I have … a guidance that is a sure winner ... a way to peace and harmony. The comment by former President Lincoln reminds me of a comment by an attorney. I consulted an attorney regarding a minor real estate matter. The attorney explained, “I have never represented the party with whom you are dealing; however, I was in a meeting in which he was present. I cannot help you, because it could have the appearance of being a conflict of interest.” Wow! … an appearance! Think about it—not wrong, just the appearance of being wrong. The American people should demand this principle in our leaders in Washington. Any act that an elected leader commits that has the appearance of being wrong should serve as a letter of resignation. Think what a difference it would make in Washington if our leaders followed this principle. As things are now, our government is no longer a government for the people and by the people, but for and by lobbyists and special interest groups. This powerful nation would help bring peace to the world if our leaders were guided by truth, humility, and morality. Do the actions and words of our leaders in Washington foster friendship and peace, or do they perpetuate distrust and tension? We will never achieve a genuine, lasting peace negotiating with clinched fists and keeping all options on that table (a form of threat). Truth is a prerequisite for genuine friendships; it is a prerequisite for developing trust, which is a prerequisite for lasting peace and tranquility. Truth is powerful enough to hold the world together … powerful enough to catapult us to a path of peace and harmony in the entire world. Remember, the leader of North Korea requested a talk with the President of the United States. Our leaders refused to meet without other national leaders being present. Isn't it possible that meeting without other world leaders being present could be helpful for both North Korea and our nation? An excuse our leaders often use for not negotiating is: “We cannot negotiate without preconditions.” What are preconditions, except knowing before meeting that the other party is going to do what we want them to do? The primary requirements for successful negotiating are truth and humility—with no hidden agenda and no desire to remain in the catbird seat … just doing what is the right thing to do. Thus, to achieve peace, our leaders must have an honest, sincere desire for world peace. The sincere desire for world peace must surpass the demands of Washington insiders for trying to dominate the world and for meddling in the affairs of other nations. The prophet Isaiah’s advice, “Come now and let us reason together,” is the most rational, sensible, and effective way of achieving peace with other nations. And this might be news to many Americans: In 2007, this is exactly what Iranian President Ahmadinejad desired to do. In 2007, President Ahmadinejad said: “Before coming to New York, I announced that I am ready, in the United States, to engage in a debate with Mr. Bush, the president of the United States, about the critical international issues. So that shows that we want to talk, having a debate before the world public – before all the audience, so that truth is revealed, so that misunderstandings and misperceptions are removed, so that we can find a clear path for brotherly and friendly relations. I think that if the U.S. administration – if the U.S. government puts aside some of its old behaviors, it can actually be a good friend for the Iranian people, for the Iranian nation.” (Emphasis added). Notice the part that is emphasized with italics. Would we not like for truth to be revealed, so that misunderstandings and misperceptions are removed, so that we can find a clear path for brotherly and friendly relations? Isn’t fear and ignorance the primary deterrent for accepting President Ahmadinejad’s request? There are those who say that President Ahmadinejad would only use a meeting with the President of the United States for propaganda purposes. Are we so spiritually weak and arrogant that we are concerned about such things? Let us quit engaging in fearful negative thinking—let us give peace a chance. And for those who do not trust President Ahmadinejad, thinking that he has hidden evil intentions, let us not forget that other world leaders do not trust us. Ultimately, truth is the solution for achieving a lasting peace … for spreading peace in the entire world. The underlying cause of war is fear, ignorance, and the lust for power. Truth has to power to resolve fear, ignorance, and the lust for power. Any way you slice it, the wisdom of Isaiah, “Come now and let us reason together,” far surpasses anything our leaders do for achieving a genuine, lasting peace. Unfortunately, President Ahmadinejad was rebuffed (note that this was in 2007). Think about this: According to an Associated Press article (February 15, 2010), the U.S. Secretary of State said, “Iran … has rebuffed U.S. and international efforts to engage in serious talks.” Doesn’t that comment — along with things the news media and our leaders in Washington say about President Ahmadinejad — suggest that our nation is justified to engage in a war with Iran? The subject comment raises the question: Were the serious talks to be about: Global warming, human rights, the rights of women, lowering nuclear arsenals? Or what? One thing we can be assured of is that the talks were not to be about the underlying cause of the problems between our nation and other nations. It’s safe to assume that the talks were not intended to resolve the underlying cause of war and the threats of war. We do not solve problems by evading the cause of the problems. Recently (in a June 12, 2010, article by the Associated Press), Iranian president Ahmadinejad said, “Obama ‘came to power by the motto of change. He said he would abandon the bullying of the former administration. Now he is marching on the same path as Bush did’”. As I recall, during his campaign for the presidency, President Obama promised to change the mindset in Washington; it definitely needs to be changed … and the sooner the better. As it is, a war with Iran seems imminent. And the fact remains: We do not know what the results of a meeting between president Ahmadinejad and the former president Bush could have meant. Let’s face it. There was the potential (and there still is) for a peaceful, working relationship with Iran. Think about it—simply meeting and reasoning together, rather than planning and preparing for war. The mind-set in Washington is disgraceful and appalling. Although President Ahmadinejad says most things quite clearly, some of the things he says are not easy to grasp. For example, he said that he did not say that the holocaust did not happen; however, his explanation of what he meant left a lingering question: What did he say? I'm reminded of the difficulty that Jesus' disciples had understanding what Jesus said. The disciples said, "speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb.” Who would know what heaven is like based on the parables of Jesus in the book of Matthew? Here is an example: Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son” (Matthew 22:2). The apostle Paul made it clear: “The kingdom of God [heaven] is righteousness, and peace, and joy” (Romans 14:17). The point is that a top priority should be peace, and if we have a need to know, surely there is enough intelligence in Washington to make sure we understand what is said, rather than trump up stuff that is not true, and consequently end up in another war. Protecting our nation is a top priority according to our Constitution. There is nothing in our Constitution about policing the world and telling other nations how to run their country. And the leader of Iran has the humility to ask our President for a meeting to discuss things: "So that truth is revealed, so that misunderstandings and misperceptions are removed, so that we can find a clear path for brotherly and friendly relations." Brotherly and friendly relations must mean the same thing as being in peace and harmony. It's pathetic — it's a tragic mistake — to think that our leaders would refuse to meet and talk, and instead of meeting and talking, plan and prepare for war with Iran. Think about it: Truth and humility are the primary requirements for achieving peace. President Ahmadinejad had the humility to ask, and his request for meeting was so truth would be revealed. It's helpful to bear in mind that the outcome of meetings with other leaders depends to a great extent on the attitude, wisdom and understanding of our leaders. Without truth and humility — and with our leader's fists clinched — we will never achieve peace. As a matter of fact, we might end up utterly wasted. Let’s face it: The way our leaders have been doing things for the past several years isn’t working. Our nation is in a very dangerous, risky quagmire. Why not try something our leaders have not tried: Meeting with foreign leaders and reasoning together about the underlying cause of our problems, instead of meeting with clinched fists and with their demands and expectations dominating their thinking. Why not give peace a chance. It's easy to assume that President Ahmadinejad desires peace. After all, everyone — deep within the soul of our being, that place within in which we live and move and have our being — desires peace. Further, it is easy to assume that President Ahmadinejad desires peace if we pay attention to some of the things he has said. Some of these things are listed below, but first, why not meet with President Ahmadinejad, meeting with an attitude of respect, an attitude of something like:
Only good would come from such meeting if our leader enters into a meeting with a truthful, humble heart — free from fear and free from any hidden agenda — and consequently, focused on peace … guided by divine guidance that dwells within (being guided by the light referred to by former president Abraham Lincoln). Does it make sense to refuse to talk, and instead, continue plans for a war with Iran? As things are now, doesn’t a war with Iran seem imminent? Isn’t it possible to achieve peace with Iran, rather than preparing for war? Think about it. If we win a war with Iran, we still do not have a genuine, lasting peace. Instead, we intensify the fear and hatred of other nations. Certainly Iran has done some things we don't like, such as selling arms to a nation that supports terrorism against the United States. The unanswered question is: Why would Iran do these things? Is that any worse than the United States selling arms to Taiwan? Do we really want to know the truth? The way to stop Iran from doing things we don't like — the way to have peace with all nations — is by peaceful means, not war. War begets war; peace begets peace. By far, the top priority should be reasoning together about things that will bring about a lasting peace. This is exactly what President Ahmadinejad requested to do, which is in agreement with what Isaiah said: “Come now and let us reason together.” According to things that President Ahmadinejad has said — things that the news media and our leaders in Washington do not mention — he might be quite reasonable to work with regarding peace. Some of these things are listed below; however, primary topics that we should reason together about are: Why are we (our nation and other nations) afraid of each other? Why do we distrust each other? Why are we spying on each other, yet pretending to be friends? Why do we and other nations keep building up our military capability? Why do we not reason together about peaceful ways of achieving peace? What do we really want? Many do not seem to realize that the answer to the last question is peace. Let’s face it: Everyone inherently desires peace. Isn’t fear and ignorance the primary deterrent to peace? Truth, humility, and morality have the power to resolve fear and ignorance, the underlying cause of wars and the threats of war. With regard to rebuffing President Ahmadinejad, should we not desire to know with absolute clarity what our old behaviors are? Iran is not the only nation that does not like our old behaviors. President Ahmadinejad could do us and the very world itself a favor if he could get us to acknowledge our old behaviors that keep stirring up the mire and dirt. For starters, we know that other nations do not like our meddling in their affairs and trying to dominate them and trying to impose our views on them ... things we have no right to be doing. Note what President Ahmadinejad said: “I think that if the U.S. administration – if the U.S. government puts aside some of its old behaviors, it can actually be a good friend for the Iranian people, for the Iranian nation.” Following this line of reasoning, we could become friends with other nations that despise us. And remember what former President Woodrow Wilson, said, “Friendship is the only cement that will ever hold the world together.” Could it be that our leaders have a hidden agenda? Could they want a leader in Iran other than President Ahmadinejad? Let’s not forget that one of this nation’s best friends was Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who ruled Iran as shah (king) until he was overthrown … a horrific mess. There are those who say things like: “President Ahmadinejad lies. You cannot trust him.” Let’s face it. Other nations do not trust us. Has President Ahmadinejad done anything worse than what other nations perceive the leaders of our nation doing? What do you think that Iranians thought about 290 innocent people being killed when the United States military shot down a passenger airliner, thinking that it was an Iranian fighter jet? So, where do we start for a new beginning, instead of continuing to do the same old things we have been doing for decades—things that keep us bogged down in one messy morass after another? If we begin with peaceful ways, we have a chance of ending with peaceful ways. Think about it: Rather than hide behind unfounded, pitiful excuses, our nation might not be in the threatening situation in which we now find ourselves regarding Iran had our President met and talked with President Ahmadinejad … something so simple, yet holding the potential for escalating us to a path of peace and harmony in the entire world. Meeting and reasoning together might have meant the difference between peace and engaging in a war with Iran. Besides, there must be some honorable traits about President Ahmadinejad that Washington leaders do not acknowledge and the news media does not report to any great extent. And let us have some understanding. President Ahmadinejad has problems to deal with in his own country. The population there is about as equally divided as the population in our country. It's almost unbelievable how divided we, our families, and our nation are. Call me gullible or things worse than that; however, I changed my opinion about President Ahmadinejad (opinions I had formed from paying attention to the news media and politicians) after hearing him speak and reading three or four of his speeches. From the following things he said, he does not seem to be the evil dictator that our leaders and the news media would have us believe. Here are some of the things President Ahmadinejad said:
In the above comments President Ahmadinejad expressed the thoughts of other nations, not just those of the Iranian people. Do you not get the feeling that Iran would be content and easy to get along with if we did not meddle in their affairs and try to dominate them? Do those comments not suggest the explanation of why there are leaders of other nations who refer to the United States as the enemy of peace, Satan, war hawks, and so forth? Do those comments not have a bearing on why we get into one messy morass after another? Would we not prefer to live in peace and harmony, rather than trying to impose our views on others? We have the choice. Another thing about the visit of Iranian President Ahmadinejad to the United States is that he spoke to the U.N. General Assembly. However, if the news media or our elected leaders reported on what he talked about, I missed the reports. In that speech, President Ahmadinejad spoke for about 30 minutes. He used the word God thirty three times. In addition, his use of the pronouns his, he and him refer to God. Thus, President Ahmadinejad referred to God 51 times in that 30-minute speech. None of the news reports that I heard or read mentioned anything about what President Ahmadinejad said in his speech about spiritual teachings. Instead, what they said was slanted toward President Ahmadinejad being an evil dictator. In addition, following his speech to the U.N. general assembly (2008), President Ahmadinejad was the guest speaker at a dinner meeting in New York City. This dinner meeting was sponsored by a coalition of Christian organizations, including the Religions for Peace. The Religions for Peace organization is active in more than 70 countries. This organization is dedicated to achieving peace, respecting cultural differences and promoting peaceful co-existence among all people. Iranian President Ahmadinejad was asked about Iran’s treatment of homosexuals. He replied with something like, “We don’t have homosexuals in Iran like you have in your country.” A news reporter said, “Iranian President Ahmadinejad said that Iran does not have any homosexuals” … an example of how false information originates. President Ahmadinejad said, “We love all nations. We are friends with the Jewish people. There are many Jews in Iran living peacefully with security.” For those who believe that President Ahmadinejad said, “Israel must be wiped off the map,” they ought to read an article on the Internet, “The Rumor of the Century,” by Arash Norouzi. Introductory paragraphs follow: “Across the world, a dangerous rumor has spread that could have catastrophic implications. According to legend, Iran's President has threatened to destroy Israel, or, to quote the misquote, "Israel must be wiped off the map". Contrary to popular belief, this statement was never made, as the following article will prove. Amid heated wrangling over Iran's nuclear program, and months of continuous, unfounded accusations against Iran in an attempt to rally support for preemptive strikes against the country, the imperialists had just been handed the perfect raison d'être to invade. To the war hawks, it was a gift from the skies. The mistranslated ‘wiped off the map’ quote attributed to Iran's President has been spread worldwide, repeated thousands of times in international media, and prompted the denouncements of numerous world leaders. Virtually every major and minor media outlet has published or broadcast this false statement to the masses. Big news agencies such as The Associated Press and Reuters refer to the misquote, literally, on an almost daily basis.” I must explain that I am no expert on foreign policy and our relationships with other countries. To be matter-of-fact, straight forward and clear, I don’t have the foggiest notion about some of the things going on in Washington—why our leaders do some of the things they do and why they do not do things they ought to do. What I do know is that we (our nation) would not be involved in so many wars and the threats of wars without being at least a part of the problem instead of part of the solution. In the absence of understanding any clear, sound explanation for rebuffing President Ahmadinejad, I wonder what our leaders fear. For example, could they fear that the truth about some of the things they do might be revealed? Thus, what you are reading here is nothing more than my opinions. The world is far too complex for me to think that I know what actions our leaders ought to take in the best interest of our nation. We are the most powerful, influential leader in the world. It’s possible that our power and influence have been quite instrumental in rendering the world as complex as it is; we could have added to the complexity of the world by trying to impose our views on other nations and meddling in their affairs and also by trying to police the world. And the partisanship in Washington is totally unacceptable for our leaders to accomplish what is best for our nation. Think about it. When former President Roosevelt was successful getting the social security program approved, it was approved by about 90 percent of the vote. From that we might know that the social security program was a good program. From this line of reasoning, is it logical to assume that the health care bill that President Obama got approved is not what is best for the nation? Remember that the democrats aggressively struggled to get every vote they could get, and the bill squeaked by with a slight margin. Thus, based on the vote, because of the partisanship in Washington, the American people, who have not read the bill, do not know if the bill is the best for the people. It could be that some of the republicans voted against the bill, simply to vote with their party and some of the democrats did likewise. Similarly, when former president Clinton was impeached, the vote to keep him in office was almost evenly divided between the democrats and the republicans. Clearly, the voting was not based on what is right and what is wrong ... not based on what is best for the nation. As it is, what is best for the nation is not the guiding principle of our leaders in Washington. Thus, the one thing I am certain about is that we need leaders who are guided by truth, humility and wisdom ... who are devoted to doing what is best for the people they are elected to serve ... devoted to doing what is best for the nation. Regarding peace, I also know that we (the American people) — and a vast majority of people in the entire world — are fed up with wars and the threats of wars. We desire to live in peace and harmony. Sometime ago, a politician, campaigning for a high level position, said something to the effect: “I know how to win wars.” Let’s face it. Instead of thinking about wars, we need leaders who know how to achieve peace by peaceful means. With our military might we can win wars (as we typically think of winning wars), but we are headed toward losing the war of all wars. Being in the crosshairs of so many nuclear weapons we are headed toward being utterly wasted. And if we believe everything our leaders tell us, we would think that they are looking out for us. And let us keep our Constitution in mind. One of the chief responsibilities of our elected leaders is to protect our nation. There is nothing in the Constitution of the United States about policing the world and trying to impose our views on other nations. Thus, there is nothing in the Constitution about doing the things our leaders do that stir up the mire and dirt. And one of the simplest things our leaders could do to assure us of genuine peace with other nations is to do what Isaiah said: “Come now and let us reason together.” With regards to protecting our nation, notice the confusion in Washington that has precluded our nation from securing the border between Mexico and our nation; our leaders have quibbled about this for quite sometime. One could make a case for securing the border to prevent illegal entrance into the United States. However, about protecting our nation, there is no question about it; the border should be secured to prevent terrorists from smuggling dirty, suit-case type bombs and other destructive weapons into this nation. Surely, there is enough intelligence in this nation to know how to secure the border. So, why hasn't this been done? Doesn’t the answer involve fear, ignorance, selfishness, and greed? Do we have leaders who are fearful of losing votes? If we did an in-depth study of why many nations despise us and resist doing what we want them to do — why many nations would like to see the downfall of the United States — we might discover that the answer is in something Pogo (the comic character created by Walt Kelley) said, “We have met the enemy and he is us.” Let’s face it: Several nations think of us as being war hawks, imperialists, of being Satan, of trying to dominate the world. Sometimes the things our leaders do remind me of something that Isaiah said: “But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt” (Isaiah 57:20). It seems that the primary way our leaders think about resolving problems is by war or the threats of war. As it is, we are getting out of a war with Iraq. We are engaged in a war with Afghanistan; and we have troops in about 130 countries. A war with Iran seems imminent. About 10 nations have nuclear weapons and several other nations desire nuclear weapons. And think about it: No other nation is in the crosshairs of as many nuclear weapons as the United States. Do our leaders not know why? And in addition to all the deaths, suffering, destruction, and chaos, brought about by wars, think about the cost. There seems to be no end in sight. The direct and indirect costs of wars and the spending for national defense account for a huge portion of our 13 trillion dollar debt. A tree cannot grow to the sky. Not only is peace possible, but in comparison with all the energy, time, and costs involved in planning, preparing, and fighting wars, the costs of living in a peaceful world, comparatively speaking, would be like a glass of water over Niagara Falls. If we lived in a peaceful world, think about the trillions of dollars that could go toward the economy, the oil-energy problem, health care, education, developing natural resources, and on and on and on … and paying off the national debt; we could easily afford — and we must — take care of the sick. At a time when our nation’s debt is skyrocketing out of control and we are entangled in conflict and threats with other nations, we could end about 90 percent of our disputes with foreign countries, and it would not cost us one cent. All we need do is to quit meddling in the affairs of other nations and trying to impose our views on them. And a useless, time-wasting thing our leaders do is to point the finger of blame on others. The mindset in Washington that keeps us entangled in conflicts dates back to several administrations. A one-liner joke by the late Bob Hope is a reminder of how things have been. Here is the one-liner: Former President Eisenhower approached the ticket agent at the airport. The agent ask, “Where to”? Former President Eisenhower said, “Anywhere; we have problems everywhere.” We like to think that our leaders in Washington are protecting us. Let’s face it. They aren’t. We could find ourselves in a bind if we got into a war with Iran and suddenly realized that we could not get the oil needed for fighting a war and the oil needed for everyday use; one possibility would be that main oil transportation route could be blocked. As it is, we have not heard one logical, rational explanation for not drilling our own oil, of which we have plenty. Our leaders seem to hide behind environmentalists and the fear of accidents. We do not shut down the airlines because of accidents. Most of us are an environmentalist; however, this does not mean tying up natural resources so that they can never be used ... never be used. One small example of an abundant supply of oil is the oil off the Straits of Florida. There is enough oil there to render us independent of foreign oil for about 30 years. But, we are banned from drilling there. However, one or two companies are drilling on the Cuban side of the Straits. It might be possible for them to pump the oil from the American side. If the ban were lifted, regardless of what some may claim, it should not require ages to begin pumping oil; we would not need a six-year environmental impact study to know that it is safe to drill there without harming the environment. And think of the economic benefits of drilling our own oil: The thousands of high paying jobs; keeping the billions of dollars in our own economy that is going abroad for the purchase of oil. And we would not be jerked around like a puppet on a string by OPEC manipulating the gas prices at the pump … several significant benefits — better than the stimulus packages — and it would not cost the tax payers one cent. Of course, we should give the development of non-oil sources of energy a high priority; we would be foolish not to do this. Any way you slice it, we are far behind schedule for developing alternative energy sources. When thinking about national defense, we tend to think about the typical weapons of war. There is the possibility of something that is as about as formidable as nuclear weapons (in a sense the danger might be worse): That is, electromagnetic bombs. Pause and think for a moment about how long anyone would live — and the suffering and chaos — if our electrical grid system were suddenly out of operation. And electromagnetic bombs are much simpler to manufacture than nuclear bombs. Thus, the top priority of our leaders in Washington ought to be achieving peace by peaceful means … making friends, rather than alienating other nations by our old behaviors. To achieve peace by peaceful means, we would do well to follow the guidance of Isaiah: “Come now, and let us reason together” (Isaiah 1:18). Too, for achieving peace, we would do well to keep in mind what the apostle James said, "The fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace." (James 3:18). Again, peace begets peace. James also said, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God that giveth to all liberally" (James 1:5). Our leaders would achieve peace with other nations if they followed the wisdom that emanates from their true divine spiritual self. Solomon said, “Wisdom is better than weapons of war; but one sinner destroyeth much good” (Ecclesiastes 9:18). When we think of the dangerous, risky conditions that exist in the world today, one may wonder: Who are the sinners who destroyeth much good ... who stir up the mire and dirt. Think about it: Everyone inherently desires peace and joy—the kind of life that Jesus and the prophets of the Old Testament wanted everyone to enjoy. Both Isaiah and Jesus let us know when we will have peace, joy, and harmony in the entire world—when wars and rumors of wars will end. Isaiah said, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee” (Isaiah 26:3). Think about it: Peace cannot get any better than perfect peace. And we would have perfect peace if we kept our mind on that which is true, and consequently, walked in the ways of the Lord— if we served God rather than serving Satan. Walking in the ways of the Lord is simple and natural when our heart is pure—when we have cleaned the inside of the cup and platter. Notice how things will be when we, individually and collectively, are keeping our mind stayed on thee, the same thing a keeping our mind stayed on truth: “They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more” (Isaiah 2:4). Isaiah also said, “The nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted” (Isaiah 60:12). Serving thee is the same thing as abiding by truth. At this perilous time in the history of our nation, truth is our only hope for survival. If we, individually and collectively, understood and followed the wisdom of Isaiah, if we kept our mind stayed on thee — if we were guided by truth — instead of being on the path to destruction, our nation and the entire world would be as Isaiah described: “Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders … the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light … and the days of thy mourning shall be ended. Thy people also shall be all righteous” (Isaiah 60:18-21). To help with an understanding of what Isaiah said, we could use the words Father, God, or truth where Isaiah used the word Lord. Thus, for simplification, if we were guided by truth, “Thy people shall be all righteous.” Truth has the potential for transforming us and the entire world to being in peace and harmony. Think about what our families, our nation, and the very world itself will be like when all people are righteous. We are righteous when we keep our mind stayed on truth; and we enjoy peace and harmony. All will be righteous when religious teachers begin teaching what biblical teachers taught—teaching in a manner people can understand, believe and embody. After all, the kind of life that biblical teachers wanted their followers to live is the kind of life that everyone inherently desires to live … an abundant life of peace and joy. Remember the sole purpose for Jesus preaching the gospel is that we might have peace and joy … that we might have life and have it more abundantly. Know this to be true: We would have peace, joy, and harmony in the entire world if people understood, believed, and embodied the gospel Jesus preached. There will never be anymore peace and joy than we have the potential for enjoying this very minute. Jesus said, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand” (Matthew 12:25). Let’s face it: We, our families, our nation — and especially our leaders in Washington who keep stirring up the mire and dirt — are divided. With so many nations having us in the crosshairs of nuclear weapons, we are headed toward an incomprehensible fall … suffering and chaos that is incomprehensible. I have said quite a bit about Iranian President Ahmadinejad. Perhaps what I have said helps shed light on the cause of problems with other nations. And, as far as I know, President Ahmadinejad is the only world leader to request a meeting with our President to reason together about the cause of the problems so that we might have peace. And he certainly has considerable knowledge and wisdom bearing on the subject. Remember, he said, “The only way to the betterment of mankind is by returning to the teachings of the divine prophets.” Several of the things he said bearing on peace are in agreement with things I have said in the book, Peace, Truth, Love and Joy: What the Bible Is All About. Ultimately, the ultimate peace and harmony in the entire world will be when religious teachers begin teaching what Jesus and other biblical teachers said more than a few thousand years ago. However, time is of the essence. We cannot afford to wait until fundamentalists break free from the shackles of fundamentalism and begin teaching clearly the gospel of peace Jesus preached and that he commanded his disciples to preach to every creature in the world. This is made abundantly clear in the book mentioned above. Briefly, achieving peace by peaceful means is the only way we will ever achieve a lasting peace. At this perilous time in the history of the world, Isaiah’s wisdom is the best way for achieving peace: “Come now, and let us reason together” (Isaiah 1:18). The one thing our nation could do that would strengthen the United Nations more than anything else — that would help enhance our relationships with other countries more than anything else — would be to demonstrate that the United States is the peace loving nation that we like to think we are—that our goal with other nations is peace and cooperation, not domination. At this time in the history of the world, we do not have to be concerned with dealing with someone like Hitler or Saddam Hussein. And if we strengthen the United Nations to work the way it is intended, if any national leader commits any act similar to that of Hitler or Saddam Hussein, all the rest of the world would be united against that leader ... all nations would be united against terrorism. An ending thought: If we do not achieve peace and harmony with other nations now, when will we? If we do not become peaceful and harmonious with other nations, what is going to be the end result? Think about it. And the primary requirement for achieving peace by peaceful means is being truthful — with no hidden agenda — and reasoning together with humility and an open mind.
In closing, here are some things to think about:
At this perilous time in the history of this great nation, we need a leader who has the courage, wisdom, morality, and humility for reasoning with other nations and achieving peace and harmony; the task would be comparatively simple (simple in comparison to all the stuff in which we engage that is leading down a path to destruction). We have complicated the simple to the point that there are those who believe that we — and the entire world — are headed for destruction. The entire world deserves — and craves — peace. And the simple primary requirements for achieving peace are truth and humility. And lest fundamentalists gloss over, ignore, misinterpret, or do not understand what Jesus said, he commanded his disciples: “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” Jesus also let us know that we will not enjoy peace and joy if we are not as humble as a little child. When we are saved — when we are as humble as a little child — our heart is pure, we are perfect, and we have peace and joy … what the Bible is all about … made abundantly clear in the book, Peace, Truth, Love and Joy: What the Bible Is All About.
UPDATE: 7/27/2010
Earlier in this essay I stated: “We are getting out of a war with Iraq. We are engaged in a war with Afghanistan; and we have troops in about 130 countries. A war with Iran seems imminent.”
The following is recent news: · Fidel Castro, former president of Cuba recently warned of a threat of a global nuclear war involving the US, Israel, and Iran. · According to a former boss of the CIA: Iran attack “Inexorable”. · The title of an Associated Press article that appeared in the Knoxville News Sentinel July 26, 2010, is: “U.S. holds drills off Korea: Exercises enrage Pyongyang, which threatens war.”
Are things getting better or worse? Isn’t it understandable why leaders of other nations accuse the US of being a war hawk? Of being the enemy of peace? Isn’t it understandable why Iran might desire nuclear weapons for defense against the US? Remember that in 2007, Iranian President Ahmadinejad requested a meeting with the president of the US to discuss things: "So that truth is revealed, so that misunderstandings and misperceptions are removed, so that we can find a clear path for brotherly and friendly relations." He was rebuffed. Shouldn’t our leaders have given peace a chance, rather than continuing on the path toward wars and the threats of war? Perhaps it isn’t too late, if our leaders could humble themselves and with respect, honesty, and truthfulness request a meeting for the purpose proposed by President Ahmadinejad … not talking about human rights. Our preferences (not demands and expectations) about these types of things could come later. By far, a top priority should be peace. Rather than planning and preparing for another war, should we not exhaust every effort to meet and reason together about peace? My hunch is that if our leaders could demonstrate beyond a shadow of doubt that our goal is peace with Iran and other nations of the world (not domination, bossing and demanding that other national leaders do as we say), that President Ahmadinejad would satisfy us that he has no desire for Iran to manufacture nuclear weapons. As it is, it seems that all our leaders know to do is to enact sanctions, plan and prepare for war, and when they do talk, it is about such things as human rights, etc. … when we are headed toward war. Don’t we need a change in the mindset in Washington?
Copyright © 2009-2010 by Dwight Nichols. All rights reserved.
For an explanation of something that would stimulate the economy far more than anything in the stimulus packages — and not cost taxpayers one dime — click here: stimulating the economy
Books by the author:
Listening to Ourselves: The Key to Everything that Matters Discover Truth and Be Free Life’s Greatest Lesson: The Message Jesus Intended for Us Commune With Your Heart: The Only Way to Find Peace, Joy and Happiness The Truth About The Gospel: How to Find Peace, Joy, and Happiness Peace, Truth, Love and Joy: What the Bible Is All About For Information about these books, click here: Book Information To see what readers have said about the author's previous writings, click the following link. Unlike testimonials some publishers use, these comments were unsolicited. Comments To return to the beginning of this Web site, click here: Beginning
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