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.

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

Power of Persuasion…. Part 1

The Power of Persuasion: How and Why

Islamic Militants may not know that persuasion has tremendous power to convince listeners.

Jesus taught His followers to use persuasion
He showed them how to win without attacking their opponents

(We shall discuss how to win without attacking as we progress.)

WINNING WITHOUT ATTACKING — Paper (Hard Copy) version of “Persuasion is Better Than Force.”

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Jesus demonstrated the power of persuasion when He communicated with hostile or difficult people.

The Samaritan woman had lived with several men. She needed salvation. However, because of the hostility between Jews and Samaritans, Jesus knew she would not accept the truth from Him, a Jew. Jesus, therefore, started a friendly dialogue to make her talk to Him. She was surprised that a Jew would ask a Samaritan water to drink. Jesus ignored her remark and dealt directly on her spiritual need.

He led her patiently to the point where she could assimilate the truth and admit her sins. With enmity out of the way, and Jesus now a friend, she could ask for the living water that Jesus said He had.

Abraham Lincoln said, “I conquer my enemies when I make them my friends.”
Proverbs 15:2 says, “The tongue of the wise uses knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools pours out foolishness.”

Coercion, hate and violence do not win people’s sympathy.

Militants use violence to promote their religion, and yet they claim they promote a peaceful God and a peaceful religion.

The Bible presents a tolerant and peaceful way
Jesus told His disciples to use persuasion

Jesus gives true peace…

” Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:27: New King James Version)

Christ’s Spirit makes us tolerant

Before he became a Christian, Paul persecuted Christians. But when he became a Christian, he learned the way of the Master Jesus – persuasion.

Why militants can’t tolerate others

They were trained from childhood, by their parents, peers and community leaders, to express themselves through violence. They were not allowed to exercise their own freewill to accept God, but were forced to do so.

Growing up in such environments, they copied the violent behaviors of those who influenced them, and became violent. When they fail to convince people, they become frustrated and end up attacking people. They call their violence ‘peace,‘ because that is how they know peace to be.

John Locke said,
“…true and saving religion consists in the inward persuasion of the mind, without which nothing can be acceptable to God.” (John Locke, A Letter Concerning Toleration. Buffalo, New York: Prometheus Books, 1990; page 20)

Read Rockeybell’s testimony…http://www.peacemakersteam.com/rockeybells-testimony.html

Jesus exhibited a perfect spirit of tolerance.

The disciples were angry with some Samaritans who would not allow Jesus into their city. They wanted to call fire from heaven to consume the Samaritans just as Elijah did in 2 Kings 1:9-12. Jesus rebuked them, and said, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.” So they went to another village.” (Luke 9:51-56)

Jesus said,
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” (Matthew 5:43-45; New King James Version).

We hear of Boko Haram killing innocent people – destroying towns and villages. Yet we know that the Almighty God is peaceful and loving. They abduct women, and rape some of them. Can the victims accept that Boko Haram presents peace?

People will, therefore, continue believing that Boko Haram, Al-Qaeda, Al-Shabaab, and all militants are violent.

To be continued

God’s Executioners: Killing In God’s Name… Part 2

Killing in God’s Name

Jesus Christ taught his followers the way of peace; not to kill, but to express their views or beliefs without violence

Jesus did not come to kill; He came to promote a new order, modifying the Old Testament way of doing things.
He told His followers they should not compel people to accept their message. He said,

“But 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)

When we attack people to promote our cause, we make them to see us as violent

God does not compel people to love Him

God sent Jonah to go and preach to the people of Nineveh so they would change from their wicked ways, else He would destroy them. It was not because they did not worship Him.
Jonah fled to Tarshish in a ship. God sent out a great wind on the sea and created turbulence. Jonah told the frightened mariners that he was the cause. He said they should throw him into the sea for the turbulence to cease.
All that while, God had not killed anyone. Innocent people did not suffer because of Jonah.

They threw Jonah into the sea, and the sea ceased raging. The result was a profound impression on the people; they offered sacrifice to God and took vows.

God did not use force to make them obey, and He did not kill them because Jonah was around them.

In spite of Jonah’s behavior, God spared his life. God prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah. No mention of what particular fish it was. After three days and three nights, Jonah realized God did not intend killing him. He prayed to God, and God made the fish vomit Jonah on the shore. Jonah went to tell people to change their ways and they did.

God forgave them and turned His anger away from them.

That is the way of a peace-loving God

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Welcome to “Conquering Without Being Violent.”

Can Violent Militants Change?

Daily we read of Islamic militants (Al-Qaeda, Al-Shabaab, Boko Haram, ISIS, etc.), The Lord’s Resistance Army, and suicide bombers using violence to press home their demands. They attack and kill innocent people as they force their decisions and beliefs on them.
School pupils explode in anger and shoot their colleague pupils and teachers.
Islamic militants abduct girls from schools in rural African communities, claiming their religion does not allow females to have education. They rape some of them, impregnating them in the process, and eventually sell them or compel them to marry men the girls do not love.

A loving God does not use hate to make people love Him

“Conquering Without Being Violent” discusses how persuasion convinces people rather than force.
Abraham Lincoln said, we conquer our enemies when we make them our friends.
Jesus told His followers never to use force to make people accept their views. He told His followers to love their enemies; not to hate them.

Topics to discuss on this platform include:

Engaging people in peaceful dialog
Disagreeing without being offensive
Defending without being polemical

You can conquer by persuasion without being violent

Do you get angry easily?
Are you violent in your reactions?
Do you want to form a new loving and patient habit?
Do you want to turn enemies into friends?

Discussions will include:

Using gentle ways in presenting views.
Training our angry emotions to calm down in angry situations.
Helping the brutish husband to learn to listen.
Helping a disrespectful child to learn to listen and obey.
Helping the cantankerous wife to learn to listen.
Helping the opinionated boss to learn listen to other views.

Truth should be able to persuade and draw people to one’s cause

A person who is persuaded to abandon his or her position voluntarily, will see it as his or her own decision; he or she does not feel coerced.

Is there hope for the chronically angry person?

Why do some people get angry easily?
Can the violent person change?
Can the hot-tempered person change?

Conquering Without Being Violent

Communicating with difficult people, anger control and making people listen

Tag: conquer