Violence Breeds Violence: proof

Courtesy of BBC in depth interviews regarding the Iraq war in Once Upon a Time in Iraq

"Some people say violence leads to violence, I say controlled violence leads to no more violence"

Except one problem. When Sassaman experienced "uncontrolled violence" and the death of his friend he become more violent, and less controlled. So obviously his enemy would have become more violent when they lost their friend also.

The only way to stop violence is "turn the other cheek". Someone somewhere has to take the violence and not escalate it.

Its a weird thing that the "just" always think that they aren't the ones who should experience violence. You just need to hear the US administration crying over every single American death. Such mentality and behaviour is the cause of violence. America is a source of violence, because it hasn't learned to "turn the other cheek."

In contrast you see those people prepared to forgive, who have the integrity and strength to experience suffering and violence yet still maintaining compassion for their oppressor. They are true Christians who have heard the message of Christ and have rejected the temptation to violence handed out by the Devil. The just are always those who feel they are not worthy, never the person armed with a gun who wants to defend what is right.

So is violence good for nothing?

Pax Romana as it was called was the peace that came with the Roman Empire. Episode 4 of the BBC Iraq series has an interview with a man who says he chose to live amongst Al Qaida because you knew who the enemy was and you were otherwise safe. In other parts of Iraq where there was civil war and chaos you had no idea who the enemy nor the danger was.

A strong military presence brings a kind of peace. Its the peace that Hobbes argues for in his Leviathon where a strong Monarch is preferable to the intense bloodshed of the English civil war - a conflict so horrendous that it claimed 1 in 6 English lives!

A huge irony here that for all the criticism of Saddam Hussein's violence it is exactly his violence that brought peace to Iraq. The American's despite using violence to topple the regime did not replace it with enough violence. They turned to just protecting themselves during the civil war and let Iraq spiral into chaos.

If you are going to be violent it seems, you are committed to a life of violence. Again as Jesus says "he who lives by the sword shall die by the sword." Once you have inflicted violence on people you must be strong enough to survive the violence they then wish to inflict on you. A strong regime like the Roman Empire that was without limit to its violence is perfect for maintaining peace. When the slaves rebelled the Romans captured them and crucified them on the Appian Way 10 meters apart for over 100 miles. People travelling into Rome knew the unlimited violence of this state. There was no-one who could match this violence and people were forced to swallow their pride and suffer in silence.

But this is not the Peace with a capital P we really mean by peace. It is just overwhelming force so that we are unable to express our anger and hurt. It is a pressure cooker and unless the ruling power is able to maintain the pressure by continual brutal power it will explode in chaos like Iraq. And that chaos will lead to further violence between people and propagate the violence. It never ends life after life, generation after generation, eon after eon.

The ONLY way to end violence is just to swallow it and let it go. This man is fat because he is big enough to step over all the petty struggles and suffering of the world. Nothing is too big for him, and no adversary gets under his skin. He can maintain infinite compassion for all beings even those who view his as an enemy. And if violence means ultimately his death, he will certainly try to save himself, but what is inevitable is inevitable and he won't resort to vengeance or preemptive action out of fear like the American do. Bravery in the face of violence, so that you can connect with whatever is troubling your attacker, so that your attacker realises that you are more useful to them alive than dead is the logical way to approach violence. Picking up a weapon and threatening your attacker looks top your attacker like you need to be removed. Hold up a mirror in violence always and separate yourself from the animals by having a higher vision.