Some sense of peace

There is something that I've grown increasingly aware of over the last few weeks. Something I've always known but never given the amount of thought that it requires. I'm talking about the human condition. And when I say human condition I mean why we are the way we are and why we do the things we do. Good or bad. Right or wrong. But for the purpose of this blog, I'm speaking in terms of the wrong we all do and how we judge people for the wrong they do too.

So let me break off and consider the term "human condition." What is our condition? What are the universal truths about humans? Well in my understanding, we all abide by some kind of moral code. Even the most "immoral" of human beings has a line they won't cross although those of us who consider them to be immoral would say they crossed that line a thousand miles ago. As an example let’s take Hitler because he doesn't require a whole lot of background information. 99% of those who know of him would say he was a morally depraved man. I would certainly be counted in that 99%. His crimes are atrocious and legendary. Worldwide his actions are deemed completely out of line and unethical. However, I'm sure he had a clear cut idea of what was "too far." He had his own morals and his own ideas on what he would or would not do to achieve the ultimate goal. He had his own moral code, if you will. Albeit that moral code was not in good standing with the morals of most of the world... this leads me to the conclusion that the world holds a moral standard that varies but is ultimately trying to preserve some sense of peace.

I would say there are two different kinds of peace; inward peace, and outward peace. Inward peace is that place where we feel content and happy and the world seems like its lining up in a certain way that favors us. I think everyone is continually searching for inward peace which then makes the job of attaining outward peace nearly impossible. The human track record for outward peace keeping is not a very good one... worldwide, nationally, in our families or among our friends. We constantly struggle to keep order in our lives. And it's everyone’s struggle. Despite our desire to have peace we continually do things of our own accord to mess it up. Everyone does. Everyone has said something they didn't mean to someone they love. Everyone has been a flakey friend. Everyone has told a lie. Everyone has felt entitled to get their own before someone else. We are all selfish and yet we still strive to do what is right because that provides a sense of peace all on its own. Its often the harder peace to attain... it might not be as instantaneous, it often involves sacrifice, but usually we find the kinder we are, the more we receive that kindness back and that brings us peace.  

So if everyone is fighting this great inward/outward battle, why are we so quick to judge everyone? The ironic thing is that in America, everyone generally agrees it's a terrible thing to judge others and I'd say we're the best prosecutors of them all. 
We've all said, "well if I had so-and-so's money I would give this much away." Or "If I had that kind of power, I would help do this with it." But would we really? I cannot currently think of any one leader who had power and or money who did not abuse that power/money in some way at some point in time. Not that they never did good with it, but at some point, there was abuse.  

Whether you believe in anything spiritual or nothing at all, this is the fact: No one is perfect. And while some of us were born with an advantage in life, (loving family, all needs provided for, etc) we have all had disadvantages too; we all have to contend with thousands of outside forces that come crashing in at us through-out our entire life. Those events shape us into who we are today: the good with the bad, the pretty with the ugly. And through all of this, our ultimate goal is to find peace and bring order and meaning to our lives.
And so what I'm finally trying to get at is this: Despite all of what I just mentioned, we love to judge and many times that judgment breeds hate. We love to feel like we can cast off our problems and issues onto the last person who affronted us. We love to hate people we don't even know. Think about the celebrities or the political people who have made some choice that you either a) did not agree with or b) did not line up with the way you think things should be. Were you almost giddy with anger? Did it make you feel just a little good to cry out indignantly, "Who do they think they are?" Okay well that's how I feel when I think my anger is justified. Sometimes I know I'm being silly and immature. But other times I think, "See? I'm being treated unfairly! This person is horrible." It turns into a hate high.

I think about how joyful people were that Osama Bin Laden was dead. People were partying, people were celebrating. I'm sure I said my own choice words about how the world was better off without him... but now that I think about it our reaction to his death was terrible. Relief is one thing, but pure joy at the death of a man is sort of ... barbaric. He was raised in a culture in which he could not ask questions and from the time he was able to comprehend anything he first comprehended that America is a great evil power. At the same time, there were hundreds of thousands of American born men who were fed the American dream… aren’t we all a product of our upbringing? I suppose you could say, “Shame on Bin Laden for not looking outside the only things he knew.” But how many of us have judged someone for a spiritual belief they did or did not have? Christians, atheists, agnostics, and Muslims alike are all guilty in some way or another.

More recently I think about the young man who tore into the Aurora Colorado movie theatre and killed something like 12 people and injured dozens more. I don't know if they've concluded that he's mentally unstable, if he was trying to fulfill some weird fantasy, or if he had a death wish for some of the people in that specific theatre but in any case it's extremely sad and heart wrenching especially for the families of those lost. I've heard plenty of people say terrible things said about the young man who committed the crime... from people who don't know him. I'm not saying we should all add him as a friend on Facebook or try to spring him out of jail. He will rightfully be judged according to the law and punished. But what does it do for any of us or for him to keep repeating hateful words? It does nothing but feed the anger in our heart. And if every single overwhelmingly hateful word were to intentionally be passed on to him, what purpose would that serve? Does that help the victims and their families? Will that finally give us peace about the situation? 

Same with the Chik-fil-a debacle that's going on. That's just fine if you don't want to give them your money. But I've seen more "I hate Chik-Fil-A" statuses on Facebook than I care to count. Hate breeds hate - so if you think that Chik-fil-a is part of that formula then be the first person to stop the cycle. Inform yourself, understand the man behind the decision and choose your words wisely when forming an opinion. Maybe that's not possible in a Facebook status and if it's not, maybe it shouldn't be one.  

In conclusion, if we all strove for outward peace before inward peace, I think we would find that inward peace can be fulfilled. If our gut reaction was to love instead of judge in any given circumstance, what kind of world would this be?

So yeah, that's pretty much all I got. It's been something that's been stewing in my head for a while and I'm finally at the point where I realize I'm convicted with this crime as much as anyone. So to my friends and family -- hold me accountable. Don't let me even mutter words of contempt towards anyone. It is the least proactive thing I could do.


Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.

Love is: patient, kind
Love is not: boastful, proud, self-seeking, easily angered.
Love does not: envy, dishonor others, keep a record of wrongs, enjoy evil 
Love always: celebrates the truth, protects, trusts, hopes and perseveres.

Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.