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Controlling Anger … Part 2 of controlling emotional anger

Controlling anger is difficult, but with commitment you will be able to do it.

Controlling anger requires effort and determination. 

Controlling anger
He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty

Controlling emotional anger should be a deliberate act

Transformation will occur if you feed your mind with patience, tolerance, and love. These qualities will transform your personality from the angry and aggressive to the peaceful and friendly.

How do you transform your aggressive and angry behavior?

Transformation will start with the controlling of your emotions. The inner mind begins the transformation process using what you feed it. Moreover, your personality will begin to reflect the new pattern that your mind is shaping with the new data.

Counter negative and hostile thoughts with positive, calm and friendly thoughts. Your mind will always respond to what you feed it. And tolerance will help you listen to other people’s views even if you disagree with them.

William Arthur Ward said,

“It is wise to direct your anger towards problems — not people; to focus your energies on answers — not excuses.”

controlling anger
It’s honorable to stop striving

(You may also be interested in reading, “Persuasion is Better Than Force.”)

We read in Ephesians 4:22-24 how we can reframe the mind. We can renew our  mind by feeding it with new positive thoughts. Furthermore, the brain will adapt to the new suggestions we feed it. As we continue to feed the mind with the new thoughts, and continue to act on them, we develop a pattern of new thoughts and responses.

The new thoughts and behaviors become ingrained in the mind, eventually becoming new habits, and transforming us into new personalities, (Romans 12:2).

(Suggested further reading)

Controlling anger can be done in an assertive way

Controlling anger in an assertive way should be non-aggressive. We must not use the frontal attack, no matter how much we disagree with people. Moreover, we must not be quick to become angry.

“Do not hasten in your spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools,” (Ecclesiastes 7:9).

We must practice doing the right thing until it becomes part of our thinking and acting processes.

Leo Tolstoy said,

“The two most powerful warriors are patience and time.”

You must, therefore, learn not to respond in anger when you disagree with people. Don’t let your emotions explode in anger when you disagree with people.

Brian Tracy remarked that,

“You cannot control what happens to you, but you can control your attitude toward what happens to you, and in that, you will be mastering change rather than allowing it to master you.”

Be slow to anger and take your time to listen to the other person.

(Suggested further reading, “Conquering Without Being Violent”)

If you truly want to change, you will persist until you have formed the new habit of patience and tolerance.

Controlling emotional anger … Part 1

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Controlling emotional anger

Controlling emotional anger is difficult and frustrating. Also, uncontrolled anger can be scary and destructive.

Anger is a powerful emotion and is very difficult to control. 

We use anger to check people who do us wrong. Moreover, we may use anger as a violent weapon against people we hate.

We must learn to be angry without being violent.

Some of us struggle to control emotional anger when people do not listen to us. Religious militants, for instance, use violence to compel people to listen.  They proclaim that their deity is peaceful, loving and merciful. And yet they use violence to compel people to worship their deity.

It is possible to control emotional anger

Human beings have the capacity to do what they want without using violence. We can articulate our beliefs or opinions without using anger or violence. So, controlling our emotional anger is possible.

You may want to read how to manage anger

Controlling emotional anger helps us to stay calm

Life is a constant struggle. Moreover, people will attack your person and make you feel bad. When that happens don’t seek to equalize.

Tell people how their words are hurting you. But do not attack them. Deal with the problem.

Do not say, “I will do to him just as he has done to me; I will render to the man according to his work.” (Proverbs 24:29; NKJV)

Do not let negative and angry thoughts linger on your mind.

(You may want to read “Conquering Without Being Violent”)

Controlling emotional anger will help develop a forbearing attitude

Don’t react angrily to angry situations.

You can control your emotional anger by feeding your brain with positive information. So, feed it with peace, love, compassion, and tolerance.

How do you transform your aggressive and angry personality, and how can you be angry without being angrier?  You must renew your mind.

To be continued

You can change your angry and violent habits

Changing angry and violent habits

Stop contention before quarrel starts

Changing angry and violent habits can be difficult. 

Some people know they have angry and violent habits and want to change. However, they feel handicapped and think they cannot change.

Changing angry and violent habits is possible!

You were not born with angry and violent habits. You unconsciously trained your mind to respond angrily to what you did not like. And eventually, you ended up patterning your mind with violent thoughts and reactions. And as you grew up, you learned to live as a violent and angry person who gets angry easily.

Repeating angry and violent actions eventually make them happen automatically or almost automatically. Some of our behaviors act as instincts and others as habits. That is how you became a violent and angry person.

Our genetic materials in our chromosomes, too, contribute to habit formation. However, our interactions with the environment can also influence our habit formations. That is why in a family noted to be peaceful and non-aggressive, a member may turn out to be angry and violent.

The trait in that odd fellow might be from interactions with the environment. That odd person might have adapted to what seemed to be normal characteristics or traits of the society or environment.

For instance, some religious or ethnic groups exhibit extreme anger and violence, which can affect the behavior of someone growing up in that community or society. His or her character could mold to accept the anger and violence in that environment. That person would grow up living the angry and violent life and seeing that as normal behavior.

(Please take time to read the post, “How to respond to anger without getting angry.”)

Do you want to change your angry and violent habits?

You must first have a strong desire to change your angry and violent habits. And you can make the change by replacing your angry and violent habits with peaceful and non-violent attitude.

In the same way, you nurtured anger and violence to become habits, through repetition, you can replace your old habits with new ones.

Commitment is necessary. Your angry and violent habits took years to form, and so you will need time to erase them by replacing them with the good or positive ones you are forming.

Believe in yourself and you will succeed.

Good luck. May God help you.

(You may want to read “Power of persuasion.”)

How and why uncontrolled anger makes us look antagonistic

Uncontrolled anger can make us look antagonistic

Uncontrolled anger
Violence is immoral because it thrives on hatred rather than love.

Uncontrolled anger makes us lose the opportunity to win people’s trust.

Many people are unaware of their uncontrolled anger.

Many have fires burning in their bosoms, yet pretend to be loving and caring.

People condemn Al-Qaeda, ISIS, Al-Shabaab, Boko Haram, and persons or groups who slit people’s throats and decapitate people, and yet they turn around to do evil to fellow humans.

We condemn suicide bombers in the Arab countries, in Europe, etc., yet we lynch people without evidence that they deserve to die by such inhuman acts.

Some Christians, despite the teachings of Jesus, use the wrong frontal method of attacking angry and violent people. It is unwise to attack angry and violent people; especially when they are defending their beliefs. You make them angrier.

Uncontrolled anger can produce angry responses from listeners. And angry responses can interfere with listeners’ minds. They may feel your responses are attacks and would want to defend themselves. The listener may feel intimidated and belittled.

Uncontrolled anger can misrepresent the truth about our opinions

We must, therefore, learn to control our anger.

Angry moods convey antagonistic impressions — they attack the persons we want to win over.

Continue reading “How and why uncontrolled anger makes us look antagonistic” →

7 Important Points on How to communicate with angry hostile people

Angry hostile people are difficult to communicate with

How to communicate effectively with angry hostile people is a problem many people struggle with.

Angry Hostile People
Communicating With Hostile People

 

It is not easy speaking with angry hostile people.

You could become frustrated trying to make angry hostile people listen and understand your point of view.

While you are trying to explain your point, the angry hostile person would be shouting, intimidating and not listening.

You might get carried away by emotions and respond by shouting back or even hitting him or her.

Many people struggle with questions like,

• How to present their message without offending angry hostile people.
• The right way to communicate with angry hostile people.
• Why it is difficult to make angry hostile people listen.

  1. Share interesting ideas or information when you communicate with angry hostile people

    Angry hostile people will listen to you if what you are telling them is interesting and concerns them. Make your message simple, easy to understand and interesting.

  2. Your initial approach should be to make angry hostile people friendly

    Some topics are confusing and difficult to understand or accept. Certain religious doctrines, for instance, are difficult to understand by the non-believer. A prejudiced listener may close his or her mind and may not want to listen. He or she may even become angry when you discuss such topics. Especially if he or she believes your doctrine or view may pollute his or her mind. Abraham Lincoln said, “I conquer my enemies when I make them my friends.” So make the hostile listener a friendly one.

  3. Encourage angry hostile people to engage in dialogue in a peaceful way

    Create a peaceful atmosphere with your angry hostile listener. That can make the angry hostile listener friendly. A friendly person can listen to people express their views.

  4. Have an idea of the mind of the angry hostile people you are sharing your views with

     

    Is the person defending a belief? This will become clear as you engage him or her in the dialogue.
    Is the listener interested in knowing the truth? Or is he or she covering up the inefficiencies or weakness of a belief?
    Does he or she have prejudices and misconceptions about the issue you are discussing? You can notice that from the body language and how he or she opposes you.

  5. Let them feel involved; let them participate

    Do not shut angry hostile people off. Ask questions that will lead to the answers you are providing. The questions you ask will help encourage them to participate in the discussion. Elicit direct responses from them.

  6. Be ready for negative or violent reactions from angry hostile people

    Be cool and smile while you are discussing. But do not be sarcastic with your smile. And do not forget to be friendly and respectful. Aim at convincing angry hostile people that your solution or view is relevant. Do not compromise the truth, but do not make angry hostile people feel that you think their ideas are silly.

    “The tongue of the wise uses knowledge aright; but the mouth of fools pours out foolishness,” (Proverbs 15:2; NKJV).

  7. Make angry hostile people conscious of the problem associated with their views

It will help prod him or her to consider your solution or line of argument. But don’t provoke or be sarcastic.

He or she may need time to see your point. Goad him or her patiently with questions that will make him or her to seek clarification or information. Address your listener’s need, and create expectations for him or her. Make your listener want to learn more.

Do not engage in useless arguments

A lot of talking will not convince your listener.

When he or she is talking, stop and listen. None of you will be listening to the other when both of you are talking at the same time. Don’t turn a discussion into an argument.

Learn to make angry hostile people like what you share with them. Make them love your acquaintance. They will love to listen to you when they are comfortable being with you.

Remember to portray your cause as a good one when you engage people in a discussion.

If your attitude is angry, violent or evil, people will see same in what you are presenting.

Use positive and loving ways to proclaim your cause. That will make angry hostile people want to listen to you.

Excerpted from
“Persuasion Is Better Than Force,” and “How To make people (Friendly or Hostile) Listen to You.”

You may also want to read, “Conquering Without Being Violent.”

How to respond to anger without getting angry… Part 2

How do you respond to anger without getting angry?

Responding to anger without getting angry is difficult and frustrating. Because anger is a powerful emotional energy and can blind reasoning.

Do not answer an angry person while you are angry. 

Gentle tongue

 

 

To respond to an angry person without getting angry, you need to deal with your own emotions first. Three things are necessary to consider when you are in an angry situation.

1. How do I respond to anger without getting angry?
2. What should I do if I am angry?
3. How do I deal with the anger in the other person?

1. How do I respond to anger without getting angry?

Nelson Mandela said,

“If you want to make peace with your enemy, you have to work with your enemy. Then he becomes your partner.”

You can respond to anger without getting angry if you deal with your emotional anger. Tell yourself you must not get angry. Restrain the impulse to hit back, and wait for a chance to express yourself.

(If you want to learn more click this link)

Anger makes us want to react immediately. Angry people most often do not wait and think before reacting. Because anger makes us impetuous. And impetuous people act without thinking about the outcome of their reactions; impetuous people act by impulse.

Don’t focus on what your opponent is saying because that is what is making you angry. Focus, rather, on what you want; how to make him or her listen to you and agree with you.

While your opponent is talking don’t be thinking about how to rebut. If you are not pleased with what your opponent is saying, talk about your feelings calmly without using angry words.

If you keep calm and listen well, you might understand whether your opponent is speaking because of hurt or not. Or if he or she might have misunderstood you.

2. What should I do if I am angry?

The first thing to do is to stop being angry. But that is not easy for some. Philippians 4:8 says,

“Whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy — meditate on these,” (NKJV).

Exercise control over the temptation to retort in anger. Wait some minutes before reacting. The strength of the emotions to retort in anger weakens when you delay your response or reactions.

Mahatma Gandhi said, “Nobody can hurt me without my permission.”

Stop when you notice that the discussion is becoming contentious.  Don’t strike back — don’t say anything that will aggravate the situation.

Proverbs 17:14 says,

“The beginning of strife is like releasing water; therefore, stop contention before a quarrel starts,” (NKJV).

(You may want to read “Conquering Without Being Violent.”)

3. How do I deal with the anger in the other person?

Shouting will not solve the matter. So be calm when your opponent is angry and shouting. And when you get the chance to respond, speak calmly but firmly.

Alexandre Dumas said,

“There is nothing more galling to angry people than the coolness of those on whom they wish to vent their spleen.”

A soft answer has the power to cool anger in an angry opponent. Accept that he or she is angry. Even if he or she is not right. Do not argue, but discuss. Let him or her know you want to discuss what is upsetting him or her; you don’t want to argue.

Tolerance helps us to listen and to reason with each other.

You could lose objectivity if your mind is only on winning.

Give him or her the chance to express his or her view. Pay attention to what he or she is saying; try to see his or her point of disagreement. After you have listened to him or her, explain your side in a calm and respectful way.

If he or she still will not see your point, do not argue to prove your point. There is nothing you can do when your opponent is not ready to accept the truth. Francis Bacon said people tend to believe that which they would like to be true.

(Please visit us at the Peacemakers Team…)

How to respond to anger without getting angry… Part 1

Responding to anger without getting angry is difficult and frustrating…

So how can we respond to anger without getting angry?

Persuasion without Anger
Persuasion Is Better Than Force

Angry people are difficult to deal with. They frustrate people. To deal with them, you have to control your own emotions first – your anger. 

(Please, make time to visit The Peacemakers Team page)

Angry people are narrow-minded and acerbic with their words.

They have no patience to listen to divergent views.  They are sarcastic and insulting.

Don’t react angrily and negatively to what they say; even when they say negative things about your person. Do not echo their attitude!

“A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” (Proverbs 15:1; New King James Version)

Use positive words to correct their negative attitude. Encourage them to engage positively with you. For instance, instead of saying, “Your bottle is half empty,” say, “Your bottle is half full.”

Don’t return fire for fire.

You will stir their emotions and make them angrier when you use harsh language.

Angry people usually struggle to control their anger when told how wrong they are.

Their ego will not allow them to accept the truth when it is bitter. They become uncomfortable when you tell them straight in the face that they are wrong.

You trigger their emotions when you speak in a confrontational way. He or she feels you are attacking his or her opinion and so becomes defensive. Using the reverse method, instead of the frontal attack, therefore, can make them comfortable to listen to your differing opinion.

Don’t focus on your opponent’s anger or insults, because they can make you angry. And when you are angry, you may find it difficult to reason, and so, fail to explain your views well. Concentrate on what you want to say. Say it kindly and truthfully.

Don’t argue; you would be wasting time.

Medical research explains that when we speak, even alone to ourselves, one part of the brain speaks while the other part listens. Therefore, learn to listen to others when they air their views, even if you do not agree with them. You will learn a lot when you listen; it will help you understand the problem and how to deal with it appropriately.

Always aim at persuading; do not force.

Do not attack their views.

You may want to read, “An eye for an eye leaves the world blind.”

[End of Part 1]

How do we help nurture and grow religious militancy and violence?

How do we help to nurture and grow religious militancy? We do that by our inactions and actions! We help to nurture and grow religious militancy by our covert and overt encouragements!

Conquer Without Violence... June Blog

 

Edmund Burke said,

“All that is required for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing.”

When religious leaders say nothing against the violence and evil that is perpetrated by some of their fellow believers, they are indirectly helping to perpetrate evil. Some religious leaders do not speak against violence perpetrated against other people because they share the same faith as the perpetrators of the violence and evil.

Some even covertly help with funding, because they know the violence is perpetrated against other religions. They fail to know that, by their inactions and actions, they are indirectly supporting and nurturing militants who perpetrate evil, and that they are training militants who will become a problem in the future.

Under the guise of serving God, militants use their power and control to inflict pain and suffering on helpless people

When they secure power, they turn against their own people whom they regard as not radical. They do not differentiate any more between people of their own faith and people of other faiths.

They claim God has given them the mandate to wipe out every other person who does not share in their way of beliefs.

(Please, make time to visit The Peacemakers…)

We are inundated daily with horrifying news reports of religious militants who claim they are serving a loving God by attacking and killing people.

They claim they are fighting God’s battle. They claim they are proclaiming a God of peace and a compassionate deity who loves people; yet they unleash suffering on people.

Jesus, the Prince of Peace, said that, such people do not know God. They are not promoting the God of peace. He said,

They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service.  And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me.  (John 16:2-3; New King James Version)

God is Peace and Love; He hates violence
God is Peace and Love; He hates violence

A group of armed terrorists, the al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabaab, forcefully entered the Westgate Mall in Nairobi and unleashed senseless violence upon customers and workers, killing some in the attack …Boko Haram continues to attack and kill people; they abduct women and girls, and force them, as if they are slaves, to marry people they don’t love…   ISIS groups are attacking and killing people… Al-Shabaab militants are invading, attacking schools and killing innocent people… The Lord’s Resistance Army are recruiting child soldiers to engage in senseless wars. All these claim they are fighting on behalf of the peaceful and merciful God!

How can a merciful deity be so unmerciful?

How can a deity who is behind the violence and the pain inflicted on innocent people be seen as peaceful and compassionate? How can a merciful deity be so unmerciful as to instruct people to rape innocent girls?

Why would a powerful deity send terrorists to attack helpless people? How can one perpetrate violence and expect people to see one as non-violent?

This is happening because good people refused to speak when the violence and evil started!

Now we see and hear much violence perpetrated through religion. Religion that is supposed to bring peace and happiness is now unleashing terror!

Why should much of the violence we hear and experience come from the religious quarter? And why is it that one particular religion is noted for that?

Could it be that the leaders failed to educate their people about the true nature of the Creator God? That a merciful and compassionate God does not delight in killing people and making families miserable?

Jesus told His disciples to preach peace and demonstrate peace. He said if people refuse to receive them, they should let them be and go elsewhere. He said they should never use force. They should leave them for the Day of Judgement, (Luke 10:5-12).

He said He came to save lives … not to destroy lives, (Luke 9:52-56).
(Get a copy of “Questions Muslims Ask Christians” by clicking here)

(Persuasion Is Better Than Force)

An eye for an eye leaves the world blind

Al-Jazeera Report on Boko Haram Attack in Nigeria

Al-Jazeera Report on Boko Haram Attack in Nigeria… Please, read this story by Al-Jazeera at…

An eye for an eye leaves the world blind…

Violence does not promote peace. An eye for an eye will deprive us of our sight. Don’t seek to conquer people; seek to win their confidence.

Martin Luther King said, “That old law about an eye for an eye leaves everybody blind. The time is always right to do the right thing.”

Martin Luther King, Jr. was prominently engaged in the African-American Civil Rights Movements in the 1960s. In spite of the attacks and inhuman treatments meted out to him, he believed in what Jesus said about loving one’s enemies and not retaliating.

In 1964, King became the youngest man to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize (for his work as a peacemaker, promoting nonviolence and equal treatment for different races). On April 4, 1968, King was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee, still on peacemaking trails. Today Martin Luther King is an icon in the history of the American Civil Rights movement, and he is well known for peacemaking.

Mahatma Gandhi said, “If we practice an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, soon the whole world will be blind and toothless.”

The Bible advises us to restrain from violence. The Christian is to be like Jesus, the Prince of Peace.

Violent people wreak havoc on people and properties as a way of expressing their anger; they want to conquer by using violence and intimidation. They justify their actions by saying that they are obeying God’s command. Wherever they go they spread violence and cause mayhem. They have no patience and cannot tolerate other people’s divergent opinions.

Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God,” (Matthew 5:9).

People who practice violence cannot be God’s children. They are not doing God’s will!

Terrorists are angry people who have not been able to get what they want. They turn to terrorism to express their anger. They attack even those who have no quarrel with them.

Unforgiving spirit leads to hate and violence

Proverbs 25:15 says, “By long forbearance a ruler is persuaded — and a gentle tongue breaks a bone.”

Be patient and forgiving. Articulate your views; persuade and convince. Don’t use force.

A Gaelic proverb says, “Patience wears out stones.” Rousseau also intimated, “Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet.”

(You may want to read “Persuasion Is Better Than Force”… click here)

We read news stories like, “15 killed in University Attack, or 30 people killed in a suicide bomb attack…” Sometimes thousands of people are displaced as result of militant attacks. A religious group pops up and declares that it carried out the attacks in God’s name.

One wonders why the Almighty God, who has power to control people’s minds, will not use His Almighty power to make people to do His will, but will send humans who cannot control the minds of other people, to use physical force to make them change? Why would the Judge of Righteousness command people to destroy the lives of helpless and innocent women and children?

In Uganda, some religious extremists threw acid on a religious leader. The victim sustained severe burns that blinded one of his eyes and was threatening the other eye.

A newspaper reported that, in one city, eleven people died when religious militants bombed a worship center and attacked a police station.

Militants do not restrict their attacks to people of other religions. They attack their own fellow believers they think are not radical enough.

Violence does not promote the cause of a merciful and peace loving God. Hurting or killing people does not advertise a loving God.

(You may want to read, “Conquering Without Being Violent” … Click here for more)

Uncontrolled anger is madness

Robert Green Ingersoll asserted that, “Anger is a wind which blows out the lamp of the mind.”

A 43-year-old in New Jersey called police to say he had a knife and was threatening to hurt himself. Apparently, he was angry at something. Officers swooped over his Clay Street home and kicked on the door to his room, which he had blocked with furniture.

When he stood up, he shouted at the officers and frantically stabbed himself all over his body, leaving more than 50 stab wounds.

Officers saw that his intestines were sticking out from the wound in his abdomen. When they tried to approach him, the man allegedly threw some of the skin and intestines at them.

They tried to talk him down, but did not succeed. He slashed at them with the knife. Officers sprayed two cans of pepper spray at him, but it had no effect. They called the Bergen Country SWAT Team, who helped subdue him with beanbag projectiles.

The man underwent emergency surgery and remained in critical condition at the time of the news report.

That was an angry man who was angry with everyone, including himself.

BBC News Report
BBC News Report

 

Anger makes suicide bombers kill innocent people… and getting killed, too!

(Read Rockeybell’s testimony here)

Using violence to promote a cause makes it violent and evil

Christianity does not use violence to promote its cause…. it does not promote evil.

Christianity uses love and tolerance to win people’s confidence and trust.

Questions Muslims Ask

 

 

Christianity does not seek to conquer; it seeks to win friendship.

Violence produces pain and sorrow. Violence kills and destroys.
People hate violent people. They can’t trust violent people.
You can’t use violence to make people love you. The peace loving God calls in peace. A peaceful person preaches and practices peace.

Abraham Lincoln said that he conquered his enemies when he made them his friends.

When we make an enemy become a friend we actually have succeeded in converting that person from being a hostile enemy into a loving friend. In doing that we eliminate violence.

Fighting against each other breeds animosity. By doing that we are nurturing hate in the minds of our children, and training them to grow to hate others. We end up creating violent and unforgiving societies.

Do not use religion to promote hate and anger.
When we use our religions to spread anger, fear and hate against people who disagree with us, or who do not share our beliefs, we make them see our religions as violent. Preaching by violence does not instill the love of God in our children and followers. It makes them become violent and hateful.
Jesus taught us to love … not to hate. Jesus told the story about the Samaritan helping the Jew in a context that His listeners understood very well. The Jews and Samaritans were enemies; each desiring the complete annihilation of the other.

(See…http://www.peacemakersteam.com/)

We remember the encounter Jesus had with the Samaritan woman by the well in John chapter 4. When Jesus asked the Samaritan woman to give Him water to drink, the Samaritan woman was surprised that a Jew could be bold to ask a Samaritan for water.

She said,
“How is it that you, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan?” The passage ends emphatically with the statement… “For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.”

When it was getting to the time that Jesus would leave this world, a few things remained for Him to do in Jerusalem before He departed. Luke writes that He set His face to go to Jerusalem; meaning He would not have time to interact with the Samaritans. However, He and His disciples had to pass through a village of the Samaritans. His disciples decided to prepare a place for Him in that Samaritan village before they proceeded to Jerusalem. The Samaritans refused to receive Him because His face was set for the journey to Jerusalem. When the disciples, James and John, saw that, they became angry and said to Him, “Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?”

The disciples wanted to use anger and hate to pay for anger and hate, instead of love against anger and hate.
Jews and Samaritans, being enemies, each misinterpreted the actions of the other. The Samaritans were not happy because Jesus had made Jerusalem His priority over them. Influenced by the historical problem between them and the Jews, the Samaritans misinterpreted His intention, and so refused to receive Him.
Jesus’ disciples, too, being Jews, interpreted the actions of the Samaritans in line with their Jewish way of thinking; the Jewish-Samaritan conflict that existed. Since Jews regarded the Samaritans as inferior, they asked Jesus to allow them to call fire to destroy them. Jesus refused, and told them to go to another village. He told them He came to save lives and not to destroy lives. God’s mission (always) is to save, and not to destroy lives, (Luke 9:51-56).

Jesus advised them to follow the path of peace no matter the provocation.
Some people use religion to gain control over people.
They are not promoting the God of peace. They attack everyone, including their own fellow believers. Their aim is to kill and put fear in people. They want to bring people under their control. They seek places where people gather, because those places are where they can get many people to intimidate and to kill. They attack churches, mosques, market places and malls. You would think that they would not attack their own places of worship; but they do.

Using violence portrays you and your cause as evil

Expressing your grievances by killing innocent and helpless people does not win sympathy. Rather people will see you as violent and evil. People despise your cause when you attack and force them to accept your beliefs.
Jesus, the Prince of Peace, came to promote peace. He did not wage war on people. He waged a spiritual war against Satan, sin and sickness. The angels announced at his birth, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” (Luke 2:14.)

God sent Jesus Christ to be the Peacemaker in a world full of hate, violence and evil.

In Isaiah 9:6, we read,
“For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

Jesus asked all of us who love the God of peace (and follow Him) to exhibit love and peace even to our enemies, (Luke 6:27-36).

God does not send killers to kill unbelievers. He sends peace loving people to preach peace, love and reconciliation. God is Peace, Compassionate, Ever Merciful. Peace lovers preach peace and love.

Convince by articulating your views and providing the right answers …

You may want to read more on how to promote a cause without violence… VISIT… http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DH3MJBE

Learn to win by persuasion; not by force.

You may want to read “Winning Without Attacking: Persuasion Is Better Than Force”...http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ELOSYDQ

 

Who are the true presenters of peace?

 Who are the true presenters of peace? Those who preach and conquer by violence? Or those who preach peace and love?
There are those who claim they are peaceful, yet they promote violence!
Christians were accused of embarking on the Crusades!

Islam and the Crusades Cover

The Christians explained that they were forced to embark on the Crusades in self-defense. They said they were pushed into a ‘life or death’ situation; there was nothing they could do to free themselves from the brutalities of the Jihad, so they had to fight back.

The Jihad

The Jihad started after 633 AD. Lands were conquered and the conquered people told they had to convert to the new religion. If they did not convert, they had to pay a protection levy so they could remain in their faith. However, they would not be allowed to proclaim openly their religious faith. Some could not pay the tax and so had to covert and accept the new religion imposed on them.

The warriors called their war(s) “The Jihad” — striving for God (which became popularized as Holy Wars); wars promoting God’s cause or religion.

Many died in the wars. Women and girls captured in the wars were forced to marry the conquerors and the sons of the conquerors. (The conquerors said they were doing the women a favor by marrying them as their husbands and men had died in the wars.)

Christians could not openly proclaim their faith anymore. Some churches were converted to accommodate the new faith and to serve as worship centers for the new faith. When the Christians could not bear the agony any longer, they cried to their leaders to do something about the situation. At first, the leaders would not respond.

Then the conquerors blocked the Mediterranean area, making trading activities difficult. When Pilgrimage to Jerusalem, the Christian Holy Land, was also made difficult to Christians, the Christian leaders decided to respond.

It took 400 years for the Christians to respond. (The first Crusade was in the 11th Century, while the Jihad started earlier in the 7th century.)
The Christians responded to free themselves and their lands from the invaders who had caused much pain and sorrow to many families.  The invaders cried out and condemned the action of the Christians. They said it was wrong for the Christians to rise up and fight (though the Christians were actually defending themselves).

The Christians, too, (actually) went into excesses

Although the Christians went into excesses, those who started the hostilities (the Jihad) 400 years earlier should also have been told that they were wrong in starting their holy war. But that did not happen; rather the Christians who decided to defend themselves were accused of embarking on the war (to defend themselves).

The Crusades (and the Jihad) finally ended.  Both Muslims and Christians learned that war was not right.

(You may want to read, “Conquering Without  Being Violent.”)

Now another form of Jihad has emerged!!!

Suicide bombings, horrific killings, (decapitation of Christians, journalists and others), abductions, rape, etc., are being used to promote a cause.
Those who commit the atrocities say they are a peaceful and loving people. They assert that they are preaching a peace-loving deity, and that they are only proclaiming to the world how good it is to follow their ‘peaceful’ cause. They use violence because they want everyone to love and worship their compassionate deity!!!

Is this the world God intended?

The Bible presents a God of peace who sent the Prince of Peace (Jesus Christ) to preach love, forgiveness, peace and non-violence.

(Get a copy of “Persuasion Is Better Than Force”)

Peace-lovers preach a peaceful God, not a violent and killer deity!

Peace-lovers do not preach hate!

You destroy the cause you represent when you preach and practice violence! You destroy the testimony of your fellow believers who are peace-lovers and who preach peace!

How do I make people like me and listen to me? Why do people hate me?

Presentation on Making People Listen Without Provoking Them
Presentation on Making People Listen Without Provoking Them

 

 

Do you struggle with the question, “How do I make people like me and listen to me?”

Do you wonder why people hate you and your cause?… why people say negative things about you and your beliefs?

You might have tried many times to explain and give reasons as to why people should accept your views, why they should accept your religion or your party’s ideology without success. In spite of efforts, you continue to fail; nobody listens to you; nobody seems to like you or your religion. They hate you, and you wonder why.

Your attitude may be the problem!

People will not like you if you cannot tolerate them. They will not like you if you force your views on them. Allow people to analyze what you tell them; allow them the freedom to decide to agree or disagree with you. When you are wrong, admit it; do not be angry when people tell you that you are wrong. Do not be on the defensive when you are wrong. Allow them to explain or express their views.

Respect people’s opinions; be polite when you disagree with their opinions. Learn to listen to people when they express themselves and tell you what they want. Do not be like religious militants who do not listen to other people’s opinions .

Don’t be insulting. Don’t make people’s lives miserable. 

“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity,” Psalm 133:1.

20150925_194346_001.jpg
Dining together in love and unity  (Queens Bible Church, New York)

It is incompatible with the character of the God of mercy to kill innocent and helpless people. Therefore, do not project a deity that is always angry and murderous.

  1. The God of peace and mercy loves all the time. He persuades and gently leads people to the truth.
  2. Instead of killing, the God of peace and love gives life and happiness.

When you are sarcastic, you make people angry.

Sarcasm makes it difficult for people to listen when you express your views. Sarcasm does not win empathy or understanding.

  • Your body language might make your suggestions or responses appear insulting.
  • A vicious personality portrays you as a violent person.
  • You can’t convince people that your religion is peaceful when you are hostile and attack people who disagree with you.

Queens Bible Church, New York

 

 

 

 

 

Violent behaviors and murderous actions are some reasons people may see you as evil and murderous.
Remember that you can win people to your cause without being violent or angry.

For books by Rockeybell visit…

Do we present a killer and rapist God or a savior God?

Do we present a killer and rapist God …. or a savior God?

Do we preach a peaceful and loving God, or a violent and hateful deity? Do we cause destruction and harm when we preach our religion?

Nigeria recaptures town lost to Boko Haram

 

 

 

 

Click to read the full report… Nigeria military claims recapture of key town from Boko Haram

Christianity asserts that God is kind, merciful and loving; …..that God does not destroy innocent lives. He protects and guides in the way of righteousness.

The Christian Bible describes God as

“…long-suffering and abundant in mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression; but He by no means clears the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation.” (Numbers 14:18; New King James Version)

Islam, too, proclaims that Allah is merciful… or does it?

Every chapter of the Qur’an, except chapter 9, begins with the character of Allah as “The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.”
Islamic teachers tell us that Islam is a peaceful religion, and that Islam does not allow violence, except in self-defense.

Unfortunately Boko Haram, ISIS, Al-Shabab, and other militants, contradict them as they continue to perpetuate violence and atrocities in the name of God and religion.

Pointing out the evil that people do in the name of religion is not an attack on religion. It is a cry against the atrocities! Good and loving people will always speak out against atrocities even when the evils are done in God’s name.
The New York Times reported how women were enslaved and raped repeatedly. Each time, before the rapist raped the victim, he performed a prayer in front of the victim, raped her, and then performed another round of prayer in front of her. He justified his action that Allah permitted him to do that because she belonged to another religion.

Read the story here... ISIS enshrines a theology of rape

We can conquer without being violent! We can win people to our cause without attacking them.

Rockeybell has written books on how to win without being violent.
For the electronic versions visit…
Conquering Without Being Violent
Persuasion Is Better Than Force (Electronic version of “Winning Without Attacking – Why Persuasion Is Better Than Force”)

Conquering Without Being ViolentUsing evil does not promote a good, kind, loving and merciful God.
That 12-year-old girl will never love the religion that permitted her to be raped. She will never be able to believe that the rapist’s God is a loving God.

Conquering Without Being ViolentWhy would a merciful God send a rapist to punish her instead of teaching and guiding her to the right path? Why would God allow her to be born into that family, and then punish her for being born into that family?

The saved are to direct those not saved to the right path; not to attack and kill. Jesus would not allow His followers to command fire from heaven and consume the Samaritans as Elijah did, because He came to save lives and not to destroy them, (Luke 9:51-56).

The Bible does not allow rape, fornication or adultery, even when done in God’s name.

Do religious leaders condemn slavery and the slave trade, yet turn round and condone it in their own camp?
When we use force or use atrocities on people because they do not share our religious convictions we make them see the God we present as evil.

No compulsion in religion
The Christian Bible teaches that God does not use force to make people love Him. It instructs Christians to preach the message of God’s love and let the listener himself or herself decide (Ezekiel 3:17-19; Luke 10:5-12; Mark 16:15-16).
The Qur’an also declares,

“Let there be no compulsion in religion. Truth stands out clear from error…” (2:256)
“… And had your Lord willed, those on earth would have believed, all of them together. So, will you then compel mankind, until they become believers?” (10:99)

Persuasion Better Than ForceWINNING WITHOUT ATTACKING...001

Pay us a visit at the PeacemakersTeam

How to make people listen to you, and how to make people accept your message … Part 2

How long have you been battling with the question of “how to make people listen to you”?

Do you struggle with the question of “how to make people accept your message”?

Do you get angry and frustrated when people reject your message?

Do you use the frontal attack as religious militants do?
Market street scene
The frontal attack is combative.

It attacks the listener in the guise of providing information, and triggers a fight response from the listener. It is aggressive in approach and invites same in response. 

It is the method militants use. It is not peaceful, and has no touch of love. It is brutal and does not consider the feelings and rights of others.

Never use the frontal attack; use the reverse method

Explain the benefits of what you are offering. Make the listener see how he or she will benefit. Do not force the listener. Let him or her decide; let him or her choose willingly.  People want to choose what they want, and what they think will benefit them.

The Samaritan woman Jesus met by the well had lived a life of a whore; she had lived with five different people. At the time Jesus met her, she was living with a sixth man, (John 4:17-18). She needed spiritual deliverance.
However, Jesus knew that the existing enmity between the Jews and the Samaritans could make it difficult for her to listen to Him. He, therefore, used the reverse method. He asked her for water. When she reminded Jesus that Jews and Samaritans did not talk to each other, Jesus ignored the remark, and rather stated her spiritual need.
Jesus told her,

“If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who is saying to you, ‘Please give me a drink,’ you would have been the one to ask him, and he would have given you living water.” (International Standard Version)

Jesus used ‘water’ to get the woman’s attention. Water was her need at that time. She wondered how Jesus would give her  living water when He had no bucket to draw water; besides, moments ago He had asked her for water to drink. Jesus was using a strategy to engage her to talk back so He could explain to her the spiritual gift He had for her. If Jesus had started by telling her He wanted to give her a gift, she would have ignored Him.

When she retorted, Jesus ignored her sarcasm and rather emphasized on her spiritual need. She became interested in the special water that could “become a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” (John 4:14)
He was offering the woman eternal life by using what she valued at the time -‘water’. He got her undivided attention. She was no more thinking about the enmity between Jews and Samaritans. She was now willing to receive from a Jew.
She said,

“Sir, give me this water that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw water.” (John 4:15)

Jesus now had to make her confess her life of sin. Again, He refrained from using the frontal method. He did not tell her, “You must confess your sin before I can give you this water.” That would have provoked her. She would have called other Samaritans to come and see a Jew who had the audacity to come to the city of Samaritans and insult a Samaritan. Angry Samaritans would have come out to lynch that Jew.
He told her to go and bring her husband, though He knew she had no husband. The woman on her own volition confessed that she had no husband. By her confession she  gave Jesus the opportunity to remind her the number of men she had lived with.

That was a powerful revelation

She wondered, “How can this man know my secret life? Is He a prophet?” She answered back, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet.” She proceeded to talk about worship and the disagreement between Jews and Samaritans, providing Jesus the opportunity to teach her.
After listening to Jesus expound on worship and spirituality, and telling her He was the Messiah, she became convinced. She left her water pot, went her way into the city, and told other Samaritans about the stranger who could be the Christ; her testimony drew the people to Jesus.

People will listen to you if you articulate your views convincingly
Do not use force as the Boko Haram, Al-Shabaab, ISIS, Al-Qaeda, and other religious militants are doing
Aftermath of Boko Haram Islamic militants attack and destruction of a village and a Christian church in northern Nigeria
Aftermath of Boko Haram Islamic militant attack and destruction of a village and a Christian church in northern Nigeria

 

  • Do not attack people when they do not readily respond to your message
  • Show them the beauty of your cause, not the ugliness and hatred of your cause
  • Patiently discuss how the listener stands to gain when he or she accepts what you are offering.

(Read “Murder and rape in God’s name… God’s Executioners on the loose.”)

The Almighty God, the all Powerful One, does not compel people. Why should you? He says, “Come now, and let us reason together…” (Isaiah 1:18).

 

How to make people listen to you, and how to make people accept your message… Part 1

Many struggle with how to make people listen, and how to make people accept their message when they communicate with people.
God is Peace and Love; He hates violence
God is Peace and Love… He hates violence
Why do people not listen to you? Why do people hate you?
Have you considered that you could be the cause?
Have you been talking about a God of peace while portraying an angry and violent deity?
You make people hate you and your message when you use violence and coercion.

People may reject your message or opinion if you do not articulate your message convincingly. Think of how to make your message (or the information you are sharing) interesting to the listener.

Do not become frustrated and lose your temper when people  reject your message. Do not use violence to make people accept what you are offering them.

Preach the God of Peace.  Preach the God who cares and loves, and people will want Him to be their Lord. Don’t tell them about a loving God, and then present an angry and violent God! Don’t tell people your God loves, and then go out to kidnap helpless, defenseless girls and women.

Don’t tell people your God is compassionate and then go round capturing helpless people and decapitating them. You make people to hate your God when you do that.

God is Peace; He publishes peace and love

“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who proclaims peace, who brings glad tidings of good things, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!'” (Isaiah 52:7; New King James Version)

Faith comes by hearing not by torture; not by compulsion.
(You may want to read “Murder and rape in God’s name”…)

Help listeners make informed decisions by properly articulating your beliefs.

“Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God,” (Romans 10:17; New King James Version).

 People must not be tortured to generate faith in them. “For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation,” (Romans 10:10; New King James Version).

When you force people and torture them, you send the wrong message. You make people hate your religion. They associate your religion with violence and hate. They see your God to be an angry and violent God; and no matter how hard you try to make them see that your God and your religion is not evil, they will continue to see them as evil.

Your anger and violence will continue to erect walls of hate and anger. You should, therefore, show love and tolerance by demonstrating love and tolerance for people to see love and tolerance in your message.

Jesus and His followers did not use the sword to make people accept their message. He preached against violence, and told His disciples not to use violence to make people believe in Him.

He told His disciples to convince listeners. If the listener will not readily respond favorably, help create the necessary reaction that will trigger the interest in him or her. Jesus always led people to think through by asking questions like,

• “Who do men say that I the son of man am?”……
• “Who do you say I am?”

Jesus also made people to think through on what He told them. He was not in a hurry; he led His targets gradually to the point where they could assimilate the truth of His message. He addressed the need of His listeners. He told the Samaritan woman,

“Anyone who drinks this water will thirst again, but anyone who drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.”

The Samaritan woman’s desire was aroused and she asked for that kind of water which could make a well of water to spring up into everlasting life inside her.

When you make the listener reason through, he or she will become involved in finding the answer or solution together with you. He or she will not see the answer as one that has been pushed down his or her throat.

Note also that, in spite of all your efforts, there will be a few who will still not accept your views or message. Francis Bacon said, “People usually prefer to believe what they prefer to be true.”

(You may also want to listen to audio messages)

Do You Preach The Militant God (Or The God Of Peace And Love)?

Some preach the militant God, while others  preach the God of peace and love. Do you preach a militant God or the God of peace and love?

Workshop... Ghana Christian University
Rockeybell teaching

 

I Preach the God of Peace and Love, because I believe in peace and love

(Visit the Peacemakers)

I believe in Yahweh God, because He is kind and does not hurt people.
I believe in Yahweh, the God of Peace, because He loves and He is patient. He helps us to understand Him; He helps us decide to want Him as our father and teacher.
Yahweh God is not militant; He is not a tormentor; He is not an unmerciful persecutor; He does not make people’s lives miserable.

Workshop on Islam-Christian dialogue
Workshop: Islam-Christian dialogue; University of Minnesota

He will not force people to come to Him. He will not force people to listen to Him. He is not like militant deities who compel people to worship them.

It saddens Him when we take the wrong road and walk away from Him.Yet He will not compel anyone to return to Him. It is His divine attribute not to use force. He is love; He is peace. He is the compassionate one. He persuades and explains how and why His way is the Life. That is why I love Him and that is why I preach Him.

When we reject Him, He does not leave us to the evil one, but whispers His loving words to direct us to the right way. He is constantly telling me, “Come now and let us reason together… Though your sins are like scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are as red as crimson they will be like wool,” (Isaiah 1:18).

He speaks lovingly and peacefully to everyone

He does not use violence to make people listen to Him. He does not force people to love Him. He speaks to our conscience and shows us how we can enjoy life in Him. In a loving and peaceful way He makes us see how our way is not the way of peace and happiness.

(See some of our books)

He stretches His loving arms, offering peace, joy and life to anyone who is willing to accept. He restores our souls and leads us in the paths of righteousness (Psalm 23:3). He forewarns us of any evil waiting to destroy us, and helps us to escape the traps of the evil one.

The evil one deceives us with enticements that lead to destruction

But Yahweh God of peace and love stretches His loving arms to rescue, without compelling people to accept the salvation He offers. Softly and gently He tells us,

“If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land. But if you refuse and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword,” (Isaiah 1:19-20; Holman Christian Standard Bible).

He is the God of Peace and Love

He is the God who persuades and will not force anyone. He is merciful; always demonstrating His attribute of compassion.

Indeed He is the God of Peace and Love

He tolerates views even when the views are against Him. He provides peace. He is not vindictive.  He is willing to forgive and wipe away our sins.

He tells us to live in peace with fellow humans. He says,

“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who proclaims peace, who brings glad tidings of good things, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!’” (Isaiah 52:7; New King James Version)

He sent the Prince of Peace (His Son) to preach peace and love

He sent Jesus to preach the good tidings to the poor, to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captured, to open the prison to those who are bound, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord and the day of His vengeance, and to proclaim comfort to all who mourn, (Isaiah 61:1-2; Luke 4:17-21).

I preach the God of Peace and Love
My God does not order decapitation of people who do not accept Him. Instead, He articulates His purposes convincingly and explains why all should accept Him as Lord and Master.

He does not spread hate, anger, violence or death
My God of Peace and Love will always be peaceful and loving

(Read the testimony of one who found peace in this God)

He loves always …  He will not hurt you.

That is why I preach Yahweh, the God of peace and love.

Where is the God of Peace?

Can a God of peace be so violent and brutal?

Where is that God of mercy and love that prophets of old preached? Where is that God who so loved the world that He sent His Son to proclaim peace, love and everlasting life? Where is that God who did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved? (John 3:16-17)

Rockeybell Radio ProgramViolent people make God to conform to their mode of thinking and behavior. They create a God who acts like themselves, and who treats people unkindly.

Why rob God of His true character and being?

Being angry and violent in character, violent people cannot present a deity who is non-violent.  The deity they proclaim is like them; violent and angry.

Read Rockeybell’s testimony…

Militants present a non-compassionate, non-merciful and angry deity.

They use religion to cause pain on fellow human beings

They create a vengeful supervisor of suicide bombers; a leader of killers of innocent people; one who supervises the killings of innocent lives.

They dictate to God how God must behave and what He must want.

They become angry when we tell them that a merciful God is not unmerciful and  violent.  They attack us because we present God as kind, benevolent and merciful; they see us as weak or timid. They prefer a God who is violent.

The God of the militants is a militant. His love is different from the non-militant God.

They tell us that God is merciful… that God is compassionate. Yet they present to us one who is always angry and one who does not forgive. They present to us one who orders his people to decapitate people who do not accept his teachings. Instead of explaining and convincing people to understand him, they preach fear and death!

Jesus told His followers,

“Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?” (Matthew 26:52-53; New King James Version)

Jesus taught us to love, to tolerate and to forgive. He said God can defend Himself, and so we do not need to fight and kill for God.

Listen to our audio messages…

Man’s duty is to warn and not to compel (Ezekiel 3:18-21). The choice to accept rests with the hearer.

In the Bible when Gideon destroyed the altar of Baal, and the people rose up against him, wanting to kill him, his father, who incidentally was priest for Baal, said that the people should let Baal plead for himself, because it was his altar that had been torn down (Judges 6:28-32).

In the Qur’an we read, “There is no compulsion in religion …” (2:256) and “If you strive (or fight) you strive (or fight) for yourselves, for God does not need the help of his creatures …” (29:6).

If God cannot defend Himself, how then can God defend His worshipers?

Jesus told His followers,

“Whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, ‘The very dust of your city which clings to us we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this that the kingdom of God has come near you.’ But I say to you that it will be more tolerable in that Day for Sodom than for that city.” (Luke 10:10-12; New King James Version)

Jesus told His followers not to compel people. He also told His followers,

“… the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service. And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me.”  (John 16:2-3)

People are maliciously attacking our site because we preach peace and we tell people not to hate
They are maliciously trying to hijack our site and prevent us from spreading the words of love

On April 23, 2015, a total of 2,104 malicious login attempts were recorded from across five (5) different countries. On April 25, more attacks from other countries were still being recorded; some even from Thailand, Italy, France, etc. The attacks have not stopped. By 28 April, we have experienced 2,305 malicious login attempts.

Anger, hate and violence is everywhere. Persuasion, however, is the preferred Christian method of presenting views or beliefs.

People will not happily love and serve you if you use force. You will always have to force them to love you, and that would not be genuine love.

You may want to learn about winning without attacking…

Religious Intolerance

Religious intolerance is destructive

We are being constantly attacked and threatened

Attackers and hackers are attempting to disrupt our programs.  They want us to stop discussing the evils that others are propagating. They think that, as we discuss the evils propagated by their fellow believers, the world will regard all of them as evil.

Mahatma Gandhi said, “Anger and intolerance are the twin enemies of correct understanding.”

In their anger, some of them even resort to using brute force to make us give up.

Winning Without Violence

However, instead of hitting back at them, the Bible entreats us as Christians to adopt the non-violent way. We hope they will understand that, their actions will rather make people to see them as enemies of peace and truth.

They constantly attack and hack our site because they are not comfortable with the truth 

They know that we are not against their religious beliefs; we do not attack what they believe. It is the angry and violent method some people use in promoting their faiths that we oppose. We believe that people should be allowed to make their own choices. The attackers, however, do not want people to have their freedom to choose. They want to stop us from promoting  peace and the freedom to choose, so that they can continue to promote violence, anger and mayhem.

Their actions confirm our writings; that some people love violence and cannot tolerate different views.

Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God,” (Matthew 5:9).

For books on peacemaking and how to make people listen to you visit…

Peacemakers should always help other peacemakers to promote peace. Genuine seekers of truth and peace will fight for truth and peace to prevail.

People proclaim they are preaching a God of peace and of love. Yet they promote violence and brutality; as if the deity they preach is a violent one.

Whether you are a Christian, a Muslim, an African Traditional Religionist, Buddhist, Hindu, etc., attacking people to make them accept your religion is not the right way to promote a God of peace and love.

God is Almighty; He does not need the help of frail humans to fight His battle. He rather fights and delivers His children from the hands of enemies. People who kill other people and force their beliefs on people are not promoting the way of the peace-loving God. Jesus told His followers,

“… a time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service. And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me,” (John 16:2-3; New King James Version).

The Qur’an says, “Let there be no compulsion in religion…” (2:256), and in 29:6 we read, “And whoever strives, he strives only for himself. Verily Allah stands not in need of any of the ‘Alamin (mankind, jinn, and all that exists).”

God told Ezekiel to warn the people and leave them to decide for themselves. Man’s duty is to warn, not to compel (Ezekiel 3:18-21). The choice to accept rests with the hearer. God does not coerce people. Jesus said we should not use force to make people accept God, (Luke 10:5-12).

We live in an age of hate and violence

Communities nurture hate and instil in their offspring anger and hate against people they disagree with. Violence is being perpetuated, and religions are using violence to promote their cause.

Why should innocent people suffer when other people have disputes? Why do terrorists pick on the helpless to destroy?

How can a God of peace and love use violence to make people love Him? Can’t He use His tremendous power to turn the minds of people to love and worship Him without resorting to violence?

Jesus asked us to conquer by persuasion and not by force or threat.

Martin Luther King said, “Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

God is Love, and Jesus taught us to promote peace through love. He taught us to love our enemies, to love those who curse us and who spitefully use us.

People of other religions, after listening to my radio message, call me on the phone to explain that their fellow believers who use violence to promote their religion are not true believers. These kind and gentle people are not happy when their fellow believers use hate to promote their faith. However, it is not my duty to say what their religion advocates. They should come out boldly to tell the world that their fellow believers who use hate and violence are not helping to promote their cause.

Paul asked the Galatians, “Have I, therefore, become your enemy because I tell you the truth?” (Galatians 4:16)

We speak against violence, and not against the religion they believe in.

 

To learn more about the Peacemakers, please visit ….

Blessed are the Peacemakers… Part 2

Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God,”(Matthew 5:9).

The CrossHolySpirit And The Crescent
The Peacemaker:  The CrossHolySpirit And                                             The Crescent

Jesus taught His followers to strive for peace always. Being the Prince of Peace, Jesus  abhorred violence.

Albert Einstein said, “Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding.”

  • Attacking people rather emphasizes people’s perception that you are not a peacemaker.
  • People will see you as evil and your cause as inimical when you attack and kill their loved ones. They will hate you.
The Charlie Hebdo attack

On the morning of 7 January 2015, Islamist terrorists armed with assault rifles and other weapons forced their way into the offices of the French weekly, Charlie Hebdo, in Paris. They fired up to 50 shots, initially killing 11 people and injuring 11 others, shouting “Allahu Akbar” as they shot and killed.

Though the satirical newspaper, Charlie Hebdo, was wrong in provoking Muslims, the Islamist terrorists, too, were wrong by attacking and killing.

The attack on Charlie Hebdo rather made the paper sell millions

Before then the paper had never sold in enormous quantities.  The paper had even closed down and reopened. The response by the Muslims won sympathies around the world for Charlie Hebdo; although Charlie Hebdo was wrong in caricaturing other people’s faith. The attack  failed to stop the Atheist weekly from mocking religions.

Across the world (particularly in Europe and Africa) Muslims reacted violently to express their anger. In Niger,  Muslims burned churches that had no relation with Charlie Hebdo, simply because they are Christian churches.

The BBC carried the reported attack on its website.

See the BBC report

Why did Muslims attack the Christian churches when an atheist newspaper mocked them?The Atheist Charlie Hebdo had caricatured Christians, Jews, and other religions; they too are victims just as the Muslims.

In France, people not related to Charlie Hebdo were taken hostage. Some  people even died in rescue attempts.

Muslims tell us that Islam is a religion of peace and that there is no compulsion in religion. Yet Islamist militants continue to attack and kill in the name of a peace-loving God. They slit the throats of people they have captured while reading the Qur’an and shouting praises to Allah.

Religion should be used to promote peace and love

We ought to portray the peaceful attributes of our religions. We should make people see our prophet or mission as good and not evil.  The attack on Charlie Hebdo, the killing of innocent people and the destruction of churches rather painted a negative picture of the religion the militants promote.

Jesus told His disciples not to compel people (Luke 10:5-12)
  • When a deity directs innocent people to be massacred…
  • When a deity instructs that children be abducted…
  • When a deity instructs that  women be kidnapped and forced to marry others…

That cannot be the way of Peace

  • The Islamist militants, Boko Haram, continue to devastate communities in Nigeria in God’s name…
  • In Pakistan, militants attack schools and kill innocent people in God’s name…
  • In Iraq, people are killed by suicide bombers, etc.,  in God’s name…

These mass killings are done by people who claim they promote a God of peace…

No religion or ideology can wipe out all other religions

  1. The Islamic Jihad (or Holy War), which started in the 7th century, could not wipe out Christianity and the other religions.
  2. The Crusades, coming 400 years later to stop Islam being forced on Christians, could also not wipe out Islam.
  3. Hitler tried to exterminate the Jews from the face of the world… and he failed.

Only the Almighty God has the power to wipe out all things that He does not want to exist.

Jesus, the Prince of Peace said,
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God,” (Matthew 5:9).

Read Rockeybell’s testimony

Blessed are the Peacemakers… Part 1

 “Anger is a wind which blows out the lamp of the mind.”  (Robert Green Ingersoll)

Many people find it difficult to stay calm when angry

We live in an age of hate and violence, and instill anger in our children. Everywhere, violence rules.

The world needs peace, not violence and hate.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God,” (Matthew 5:9; New King James Version)

Blessed are the peacemakers When we are experiencing or expressing excessive anger, we use the emotional center of our brain, rather than the thinking part of the brain. We get out of control, and may do or say things without thinking properly.

Proverbs 16:32 says,

“He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city,”(New King James Version).

Chronically angry people have difficulty restraining themselves

Their emotions are like fire burning inside their bosoms. They cannot tolerate other people’s opinions. They usually respond by acting violently to register their displeasure.

Jesus commands us to be peacemakers. The world needs peace. The ability to stay calm when things go contrary to one’s expectations is important.

We can learn to cultivate self-control and tolerance if we use the methods we have previously discussed on this platform.

“Also do not take to heart everything people say, lest you hear your servant cursing you. for many times, also, your own heart has known that even you have cursed others,” (Ecclesiastes 7:21-22).

For more on peacemaking go to…

Habits or behaviors are choices that we make

Anger is a characteristic, which we imbibed over a period, and which had become part of our characteristics. These choices eventually became part of our daily lives called habits. We can undo it just as we formed it. You can change and become a peacemaker.
Children born in angry and violent environments grow up practicing angry and violent behaviors. If we train our children to be non-violent and tolerant, they will grow up to be non-violent and tolerant.

“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it,” (Proverbs 22:6; New King James Version).

How to behave in angry situations

The emotional center of the brain reacts so quickly to threats that an angry person may react to anger feelings before the judgment and decision-making area of the brain responds. In other words, anger can make our bodies respond before our thinking brain has a chance to evaluate and decide what to do or how to react properly or wisely.

In anger, we may end up doing things we may later regret. Proverbs 14:29 says,

“He who is slow to wrath has great understanding, but he who is impulsive exalts folly,” (New King James Version).

  • Stay calm in angry situations.
  • If you find it difficult to stay calm, find something else to do, or walk away and allow yourself time to calm down.

“The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, and his glory is to overlook a transgression,” (Proverbs 19:11; New King James Version)

When you calm down, and the thinking part of your brain reengages, you can then deal appropriately with the issue.
Proverbs 17:14 says,

“The beginning of strife is like releasing water, therefore stop contention before a quarrel starts,” (New King James Version).

Abigail Van Buren said, “People who fight fire with fire usually end up with ashes.”
Deal with your emotions

  • Be calm and tolerate your opponent, no matter how he or she shouts at you
  • Don’t be offended by his or her offensive attitude

Seneca said, “The greatest remedy for anger is delay.”
Control your angry responses or emotions by restraining yourself. When you repeat the action over a time you will eventually develop a forbearing attitude. Our habits are the actions that we repeated until they became automatic or almost automatic.

Read Rockeybell’s testimony/conversion
To be continued