I read this article today by Diane Dimond titled “Sadly, world peace is out of reach” The articles starts off by saying don’t bother by wishing for world peace in the year ahead, it is never going to happen. Yes I would agree that we are unlikely to see World Peace in the year 2015, but I would never use the word never, when it comes to World Peace. The article makes some good points, but also ends with “I’d love for there to be world peace too. But, sadly, it’s never going to happen.”
I believe that bad incidents will always happen in the world. I think the vast majority of people in the world, are essentially good people, who just want to live a good peaceful life. But there are also people at either end of the spectrum, which represent a far smaller percentage, of both extraordinarily good people, and also extraordinarily bad people. I don’t think this will change, and isolated bad incidents will continue to appear on the nightly news, but it is important to not let your view of the world be tainted by these incidents as they are mostly carried out by a small number of people.
War is not an inevitable part of life, it will not always happen. Wars that occur do not represent the views or will of the majority of the people who find themselves caught up in them. Most people are good, and just want a nice place to live, good food, a job, somebody to love and to love them, the basic human needs.
War happens when bad people come into power, and good people people just watch and allow them to do the things they do. In part, apathy plays a part in why wars happen.
War would not be possible in a democratic country where the people ensured that their leaders carried out the will of the majority of the people. With modern technology, some of these major decisions, should go to an electronic poll, and the people should decide their future.
With the advent of nuclear weapons, to say that world peace is “never going to happen” is akin to conceding global suicide is inevitable. For it would only be a matter of time before war extended between two of the nine or so countries that have nuclear weapons. On the news tonight, I saw how Vladimir Putin had signed a military document that would enable Russia, to not just use nuclear weapons in retaliation, but to also use them “as part of strategic deterrent measures”. If that is in fact true, that is a rather concerning development.
The times are changing, please take a few seconds to join our small group, together we can lobby governments to ensure World Peace will eventually happen.
World Peace is such a laudable and lofty goal and I applaud all 164 members of this forum for their dedication to it. However, even the bible tells us there will always be strife in the land – ergo: Not peace.
You can get (maybe – maybe) the world’s leaders to denounce the use of nuclear weapons someday but there will always be a warlord in Afghanistan or a terrorist in Iraq or an Ayatollah in Iran who is preaching violence to achieve their greedy goals. Ergo: Not peace.
Keep up the drum beat for peace. It is a necessary tone in the world conversation but, please, don’t be naive about evil. It exists. And as long as it does peace will remain an ideal – not a reality.
Bless you all,
Diane Dimond
http://www.DianeDimond.com
Hi Diane
Thanks for your comments, I apologise if anything I have said or about to say comes across as harsh.
I was brought up as a Catholic, but stopped believing anything in the bible at a very young age. I do not follow any religion.
I agree wholeheartedly that evil exists in the world and will continue to exist. I think it is extremely wrong to tie that statement in to either a race or a religion or a geographic location. My own personal experience living in a multicultural society is that the overwhelming majority of people in this world are good, I think it is a terrible thing to have your view of the world tainted by isolated incidents you see on the news.
You inferred that there would always be trouble in a certain region of the world. I don’t think that will always be the case. I watched the PBS documentary, Islam :Empire of Faith which was narrated by Ben Kingsley. When you look back in history, there was a time when the Baghdad House of Wisdom was the centre of scientific knowledge of the world, at a time where other areas of the world were shrouded in superstition and wanting to either kill or imprison people for making scientific statements that contradicted their religion. I also sensed there was a degree of peaceful coexistence with people of other faiths, but again I confess to not knowing much about the history of that era.
I just think it is wrong to use the word always, or never. Nobody really knows what the future holds.
Nice article, thank you Ian!! There is only one way and that’s belief! Gotta keep faith, never waiver, stopping only to get real and honest when we stray.
Real things can be done to increase peace. War and evil will always tempt to be sure–as sure as our tummies get hungry, or lust rears its head, or other temptations stream in throughout life!
We stay in the concrete: we JOIN this world peace group, we write letters and vote, tweet representatives and “decision-makers” in state capitals and Washington.
COVERT OPERATIONS BY THE UNITED STATES should be outlawed immediately as a threat to domestic and international peace. That would not get rid of them, mind you, but let’s start with proper books and laws–try to follow them.
The United Nations charter is glorious, google it if you haven’t read it. Too bad that two years after it was written, Truman the bomb-dropper dropped the BOMB of CIA’s covert mission on the world in 1947. Like shaking your brother’s hand while you steal his friggin’ wallet!!! NOT COOL!!!!
At home, we need to disarm our police forces!!! It’s a no-brainer, obvious especially in the light of recent nation-wide police shootings… Have armed special units in case of crazy stuff, but the majority of patrols should be UN-ARMED, like the British model…
God bless this group in the most un-religious and universal way!! Where “G.O.D.” might just be Good Orderly Direction. We can do World Peace, but it must start with proper books, and to “make legal” covert ops and national “secrets” as the CIA’s secondary mission professes is to litter books with a plan for evil.
–Bill Watkins
http://www.churchofmary.org
http://www.travelingpoet.net
As much as I dislike weapons, I think the police should have them to protect ordinary civilians. I don’t think the mistakes that are made by some police officers should undermine the good work done by the others who put their life on the line to protect people.
Personally, I like the Australian model, in that ordinary people should not have guns, but I think the laws need to also be toughened so that those criminals that are caught with guns are put away for a very long time. The punishment should be so severe to act as a proper deterrent.
There is no chance of world peace because I believe the world economy has built its wealth around war, Terrorism is another word for arms dealers. As soon as appeasement come to call there is a so called terrorism attack. If you look all through history this has been the case. It is a Multibillion Industry why would they give up such a lucrative business. They pray on the most sensitive and venerable people.
Just who benefits in all this conflict its certainly not the people its a continual war zone for those who think they have a cause created by these co called terrorist.
We are for peace! Tired of the lies in the media. Good and need website! I believe that people will become kinder and more tolerant to each other!
World peace will come when the greedy no longer seek profit.