"The ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral, begetting the very thing it seeks to destroy. Instead of diminishing evil, it multiplies it. Through violence you may murder the liar, but you cannot murder the lie, nor establish the truth. Through violence you may murder the hater, but you do not murder hate. In fact, violence merely increases hate. So it goes. … Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that."
— Martin Luther Jing, Jr., Where Do We Go from Here : Chaos or Community?
Apparently Shane Claiborne has been sought as a political adviser by multiple political candidates. He infers without saying that this includes both McCain and Obama. Shane is ready to offer his counsel.
As for the presidential candidates, we’re not sure how our counsel will go over, since it may begin with advising those seeking office to melt down the weapons of our arsenal and transform them into things that bring life to the suffering masses of this planet—“beating swords into plows” as the prophets say. But we’ll see if anyone takes us up on the offer.
Today is the 5th Anniversary of the beginning of the war in Iraq.
Join me today in praying for peace in the world.
The biblical words we translate as “peace” do not simply mean an absence of violence. They mean wholeness and rest, where everything is as it should be.
I pray that everything would become as it should be.
He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.
Isaiah 2:4
