Peace and Abolishing “The Other”

Last updated on: November 9, 2013 at 5:32 pm by Peter Dybing

Peace and Abolishing “The Other” 2013-11-09T17:32:00-06:00 Peter Dybing

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Peace, it’s a word that has been redefined over the centuries to meet the needs of the cultures that seek it. Peace through strength, peace through protest, peace through conquest, and peace through the struggle to compromise have each had multiple turns upon the world stage.

Inner peace has been sought through retreat, meditation, visualization, the quest for insight and service. All worthy pursuits that add to the totality of the human experience.

Peace in our time, however, depends on an inner journey that confronts the closely held beliefs, privilege and prejudices that permeate the human condition. Directly stated, peace depends upon the individual human potential to abolish the concept of “the other” from our daily lives.

Until the day comes, for each of us, that there is no individual beyond deserving respect, human dignity and a voice in their own destiny there will be no peace in our hearts, in our society or upon the face of Gaia herself. Sounds like a simple process to achieve such a lofty goal doesn’t it? Not really, for each of us there are those beyond being acceptable in our society. What I am referring to is not simply the political, religious and socio economic divides that separate us but something deeper. It is confronting the idea of “the other” in the most extreme ways. Coming to a place where the most heinous of criminals, terrorists, religious fanatics and bigots are seen as a part of the greater whole, fully human, deserving of human dignity and engagement in social discourse.

Peace dies a violent death when discourse is shoved asunder in favor of judgment. Wide abscesses are created that fester and manifest hatred, isolationism, and entitlement. Our human need to consistently classify, sort and establish boundaries in our application of compassion is a sickness that has infected the entire human race.

So today, I call on you my readers, to begin the inner journey to peace. Learn to value all human life, even those lives that are dedicated to opposition to your way of life and personal ethics. We can embrace and value the humanity of the individual without approving of their actions, thoughts, or ideas.

Set the example; see those who oppose you as people with dreams, aspirations, families and hopes of their own. Focus on our commonalities rather than what separates us.

Join me in laying the bricks of compassion along the road to peace, one brick at a time.

Uncategorized

Previous Post

November 7, 2013

Teo Bishop, Authenticity And Pagan Drama

Next Post

November 11, 2013 Dear Pagans, I Am Challenging You!

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category 2016 election Activisim America American Pride Antifa Antifa Fire Chief Black Lives Matter Dallas Violence Democratic left Homeless Denver Homophobia July Fourth Orlando Violence Peter Dybing Social Justice TERF Transgender rights Trauma Uncategorized

Select a Month September 2017 February 2017 January 2017 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 March 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 May 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Simon Peter Judas Iscariot John James