Violence Begets Violence

When I was five years old, and in kindergarten, a little boy ran off with my box of crayons--you know the big box, the one with six shades of blue. I punched him in the stomach, I was so mad. I felt justified, too--after all, stealing is wrong (the idea of borrowing wasn't in my mind at that time). Well, I got punched back. The little thief punched me. I was shocked. And unfortunately, he could hit harder so I got the wind knocked out of me. It provided me with a lesson though. Don't punch people because they will punch you back and maybe even harder.

I heard on the news yesterday that the Bush administration is considering military action against Iran. We are upset with Iran's decision to develop nuclear weapons and because of this we are considering bombing them with nuclear weapons. Does anyone else see the hypocrisy in this? And just as I learned in kindergarten, if you punch someone (or bomb them) they're probably going to strike back.

There is a Wild West mentality in the Bush administration today. Sheriff Bush straps on his six-guns and strolls up the street looking for the "bad guys". Bush sees himself as the great messiah of the world, it seems to me. He's out to prove himself as the strong leader. And yet...here is a man who claims to be a Christian, a follower of Jesus, one of the greatest pacifists in the history of the world. A man who told us to "turn the other cheek" and "love your enemies."

Jesus knew the truth, the hard lesson that I learned back in kindergarten--violence begets violence.

Back in kindergarten, my teacher sat me down with the little boy who hit me. She made us talk to each other and apologize. The little boy told me that his box of crayons had disappeared and he thought I had taken them. I understood then why he did what he did and I forgave him. We ate our graham crackers together and I shared my crayons with him for the rest of the morning.

I don't have answers to all the world's problems. But kindergarten taught me that violence begets violence and talking solves problems. Perhaps President Bush needs to go back to kindergarten...

Comments

[neighborlee]

hi there,,

I just wanted to say GO YOU, as your comments mirror exactly my feelings. I think many ( no matter the religion ) have lost their way and forgotten the pristine promise of Genesis1: 29-30:

Where GOD says we are to eat fruit from tree and herbs below, and that things that crawl and fly also are to eat those same things. Idont know what happened or why, but man and beast alike in Eden anyway were non violent in every aspect and Jesus was simply trying to remind us of this I think ;)

We opearate a church and schoolhouse, and slaughterhouse at the other side of the block; to teach peace yet eat like birds of prey, and produce movies, video games,pornography and other means of violence without a thought to its consequences; because as a capatalistic society 'it sells' and makes profit for the few 'rich' people.

Lest we forget however something else Jesus ( and other prophets ) said which was that; a rich man surely shall find it harder to enter heaven than a camel through the eye of a needle.

We live in a world of have and have nots where is clearly not something GOD intended for us, and for which Jesus tried to remind us of; ' come give up what you have to the poor' and follow me..if everyone did that to the spirit of the teaching, then we would all be equal and you would find violence all but gone; because then with everyone on equal footing, and no doubt much happier and content then 'love thy neighbor' would be both nearly automatic but also desireable and self-fulfilling ;)

We need to halt violent in all forms of society including war, games, movies, and in my opinion pornography can just go away as it glorifies sex, which should be seen as a LOVE making act not one of taudry actions.

I think our moral center has been replaced by filth and depravity because most likely the parental role has been lost to the mother/father going to workforce to make ends meet etc.

cheers
neighborlee

[neighborlee]

hi there,,

I just wanted to say GO YOU, as your comments mirror exactly my feelings. I think many ( no matter the religion ) have lost their way and forgotten the pristine promise of Genesis1: 29-30:

Where GOD says we are to eat fruit from tree and herbs below, and that things that crawl and fly also are to eat those same things. Idont know what happened or why, but man and beast alike in Eden anyway were non violent in every aspect and Jesus was simply trying to remind us of this I think ;)

We opearate a church and schoolhouse, and slaughterhouse at the other side of the block; to teach peace yet eat like birds of prey, and produce movies, video games,pornography and other means of violence without a thought to its consequences; because as a capatalistic society 'it sells' and makes profit for the few 'rich' people.

Lest we forget however something else Jesus ( and other prophets ) said which was that; a rich man surely shall find it harder to enter heaven than a camel through the eye of a needle.

We live in a world of have and have nots where is clearly not something GOD intended for us, and for which Jesus tried to remind us of; ' come give up what you have to the poor' and follow me..if everyone did that to the spirit of the teaching, then we would all be equal and you would find violence all but gone; because then with everyone on equal footing, and no doubt much happier and content then 'love thy neighbor' would be both nearly automatic but also desireable and self-fulfilling ;)

We need to halt violent in all forms of society including war, games, movies, and in my opinion pornography can just go away as it glorifies sex, which should be seen as a LOVE making act not one of taudry actions.

I think our moral center has been replaced by filth and depravity because most likely the parental role has been lost to the mother/father going to workforce to make ends meet etc.

cheers
neighborlee