Nothing can justify the taking of
human lifeLiving as People of Peace
in a Climate of War
Renee Dueck
MANY PEOPLE view
violence, especially war, as a necessary means of
enforcing order and justice. Sometimes it seems to be the
only alternative, and most of the time it is the quickest
way to solve a dispute. However, is it really an
effective solution? Throughout history, violence has
usually created more problems than it has solved.
When people resort to
using violence to solve their problems, the value of
human life is lost. When people are killed as if they
were animals, those doing the killing have become no
better than animals themselves. Human life is sacred and
nothing should justify the taking of it. Only God can
give a person life, and only he should have the right to
say when it will end. When humans try to play God, the
results are always tragic.
Instead of only looking
out for our own interests and welfare, people should try
and make the world a better place for one another by
feeding the hungry, teaching the uneducated, and caring
for the less fortunate. Everyone is God’s creation,
and each person is obligated to improve, not destroy, the
quality of life for others. Acts that degrade or deny
basic rights to people are just as devastating as
physical violence.
Of course not everyone
is going to be completely selfless all the time, humans
are imperfect, but all it takes is a few people to start
a movement that could change the world. If a few people
commit to peace, others will follow. Christians should
lead this movement for peace. The message of Christianity
is that Jesus Christ came to redeem the world and to give
undeserved grace. When the world is viewed through his
grace, everyone becomes equal. This message has the power
to transform lives. When everyone is equal there is no
basis for conflict. Because of sin, the world will not be
perfect, but if more people could see the world through
grace, it would become a better place.
Everyone faces choices
to resist violence. Individuals can resist violence by
refusing to fight back when insulted or hurt. This does
not mean that nothing should be done about the situation;
however, the injured party does not have to fight back
with violent words or actions. That’s what "turning
the other cheek" means.
In Matthew 5:39, Jesus
said "If anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn
the other also." Striking someone on the right cheek
usually means it is a back-handed slap. This is an
insulting and demeaning thing to do to someone. However,
by turning the other cheek, the insulted party is saying
"I am your equal, so if you’re going to hit me,
hit me as an equal. I refuse to let you demean me."
This also applies at an
international level. Civil disobedience has been used
effectively in many countries to combat injustice. The
principal of non-violent civil disobedience is similar to
the principal of turning the other cheek. Oppressed
people, in an organized manner and without resorting to
violence, break the laws which oppress them. They refuse
to let other human beings, ultimately no different from
them, demean them. It takes a large number of people to
accomplish this, but it has worked in the past.
Throughout history, many changes in government and law
stem from grassroots movements, started by a few ordinary
people with vision. More people caught the vision, and
things started to happen.
Seeking peace instead of
violence is often the harder choice. It requires more
courage and strength of character. Also, many people have
been killed while involved in non-violent protest. For
example, India gained their independence from Britain
using civil disobedience. Many people were killed by the
British, but they were willing to risk their lives for
what they believed in: a peaceful and independent India.
Non-violence means taking risks, but they are worthwhile
risks. It may put the protestor in danger, but no more
danger than if they were fighting in a war, and they are
better for not stooping to violent means.
There are many other
cases where non-violence has been used effectively, such
as the Civil Rights movement in the United States. Even
people under the Nazi occupation were able to use non-violence
to break free from oppression.
On June 25, 1944, the
Nazis imposed a curfew in Copenhagen, Denmark. No one was
allowed outside from 8:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. Twelve
hundred workers in the city walked off the job that day
at 1:00 p.m. They did not strike, they were simply
leaving because they needed time to work in their
gardens, something they could not do any other time, due
to the new curfew. In a few days people all over the
country were leaving work to cultivate their gardens and
there were street demonstrations underway. Eventually,
the Nazis had to remove the curfew, and they even made a
few other concessions to the leaders of the country.
Seeking a peaceful
solution is the best answer to conflict. Sometimes the
solution may be harder to find, and often it looks
hopeless, but that is no excuse for not trying. Centuries
of war in human history have not really changed anything.
There is still war; there is still oppression and
injustice. Violence is not the answer to the problems
that plague the human race. When human life is lost, so
is human dignity. War teaches violence and destruction to
younger generations, and starts a cycle of violence that
can only be broken by non-violence.
Some people believe that
some wars are "just" and therefore fighting in
or supporting war can be justified. What exactly makes a
war just? If the cause is noble, perhaps. Or maybe if the
other party committed the first act of violence. After
all, then it’s only self-defense. However, Jesus
said to "Love your enemies and pray for those who
persecute you" (Matthew 5:44). This does not agree
with the idea of "just war."
When Jesus came, people
expected him to be the warrior king who would overthrow
the Roman Empire and free the oppressed Jews. He had an
adoring crowd at his feet who would have taken up arms at
the slightest word from him. Although he did free them
from their oppression it was a different freedom than
they had imagined. He set them free from the sin that
enslaved them.
When war is justified,
people lose the true meaning of freedom. It is not
something to be earned or bought through bloodshed and
violence. It is a peaceful heart and a renewed mind that
can only come through faith in Jesus Christ. The person
who trusts in Jesus does not need to fight for their
freedom, they already have it.
At the heart of non-violence,
there is a belief that God created everyone equal, that
human life has worth and that it must be protected. This
is why despite wars, rumors of wars, and violence,
Christians must live as people of peace. They must be
willing to do something about the prejudice and injustice
in the world.
How can Christians
expect anything but violence in the world if they, who
have the gospel of peace, sit back and watch as millions
die from famine, war, and  preventable
diseases? How can they make excuses for inactivity as the
world slowly self-destructs? Seeking peace does not mean
sitting tight and doing nothing. Seeking peace requires
action. Those who follow Christ have the gospel of peace,
so live according to that gospel. When other people see
Christians living as Jesus did, they will see a people of
peace.
Renee Dueck earned
an honourable mention in the EMC Social Concerns essay
contest. She graduated from Riverton Collegiate Institute
in June. Renee is part of Mennville EMC.
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