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War &
Peace
THE ISSUE: Late last year, the United States–led war in Iraq passed an ironic and tragic milestone—as the death toll of US soldiers killed in the war neared 3000, the numbers passed that of those killed in the September 11 terrorist attacks, the supposed trigger for the 2003 invasion. But while this alone would be reason to mourn this war, this is by far the smallest number on the casualty list of this almost-fouryear- old confl ict. By far the most horrifi c statistic is the researched estimate of 655,000* Iraqi civilians—ordinary men, women, young people and children—killed unnecessarily in the continuing violence and chaos of their country that has become a perpetual war zone. If we are to talk about the rights and wrongs of war, the conversation must begin with this number—and the realisation that this is not just a number. It represents people, families and communities. And Iraq is just the war that receives most of the headlines. The website of the Ploughshares Project lists 32 current armed confl icts around the world, defi ned as a confl ict in which more than 1000 people have been killed. This means about one-third of the world’s population lives in countries currently experiencing war. *www.thelancet.com/webfi les/images/journals/lancet/s0140673606694919.pdf RESPONSE: Jesus said, “God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God” (Matthew 5:9, NLT). It should be straightforward: war is a current reality in our world and Jesus said we should “work for peace”—connect the two. The reality of taking on something as big as war around the world can be daunting. But we shouldn’t just sit back and say we are not participating so we need not be concerned or involved. We should use our voice and what infl uence we might have to support those —activists, leaders, companies, aid organisations and the like—who work for peace and to help those who are victims of these confl icts. We also should take the time to learn about the stories behind these confl icts and the news headlines they produce. The principles of peacemaking also apply in our everyday lives. The same evils that lead nations to war—hatred, prejudice, ignorance, fear, selfi shness and greed—trigger confl icts in the everyday world around us. The call to be a peacemaker leads us to seek reconciliation and understanding, even at cost to ourselves, in all the confl ict and potential confl ict situations of our lives. Peacemaking is not passivism; rather it is taking active steps to fi nd goodness and build harmony. As Paul urged, “Don’t let evil get the best of you, but conquer evil by doing good” (Romans 12:21, NLT). ACT: LINKS: |
