IF YOU WANT PEACE: PREPARE FOR WAR?
The desire for land and territorial occupations, strive for economic power, political and rulership struggles and now religious extremism are major causes of war.
By Taiye Olaniyi
Humanity is surely at the crossroads, "war in the east, war in the west, war up north, war down south" so says Bob Marley and the Wailing Wailers. Can we or can any of us deny that the entire world of man is enveloped by war of all sorts to such an extent that prayers for Peace though unending but yet seems unanswered?
Humans are so warring these days to such an extent that even though many had died, maimed and traumatised in the two previous world wars, the rate at which simple and compound interests and conflicts culminate in wars today give an impression that peace only is attainable only when enemies are ward off by higher fire power.
There is a great amplitude in the adage, "If you want peace you prepare for war." On and upon this adage, numerous nations of the world are getting engaged in conflicts and as one conflict, war or what have you ends, or get resolved by whatever means, preparation for protection so peace could reign again begins, but then, through another round of acquisition of weapons.
How just or / and unjust is any war at all and in which way could any one justify a war that gets other fellow beings out of circulation? The desire for land and territorial occupations, strive for economic power, political and rulership struggles and now religious extremism are major causes of war. In all these wars no one whether from the offensive nor defensive sides could possibly boast of victory, neither of peace as heritage. There is however a war for which you and I must prepare if truly we want peace, attain and enjoy it to its most profound level. That is the war the mystics of all persuasions refer to as a Holy War.
Of course, nothing holy should be seen or perceived of any iota of impurities as such, a holy war must ensue in the inner being of individual man so that the battle line is drawn, fought and won when the soul is rescued by the refined and higher self from the lower that is always immersed and engrossed in the attributes of the darkness of the mundane world. This holy war is difficult to fight but yet most desirable for Peace Profound.
How easy is it for one to relish in purity, be guided by Conscience and stand on solid rock of truth to claim boldly the destruction of sociological and political wickedness, not oppressed members of one's family, not changed the hand of the scale to cheat the buyer, nor filched away another man's land including being unnecessarily possessive. When the sword of the spirit is made to pierce our hearts, would it lead us into seeking redemption from within thus rescuing us from thoughts inimical to progress and process of seeking God and peace from within?
The holy war for which we should bother to engage ourselves daily is one in which when fought enplaces in one's heart the burning flame encapsulated in the Creed of Happiness : " I shall begin each morning unafraid, and shall seek the wonderful gift that the day will bring to me. I shall be guided by intelligence rather than belief, and shall see truth and ignore no fact. I shall control my thoughts and guide them into the highest realm, holding my cherished ambitions and sacred ideals uppermost in my mind".
If only your take and quest is for eternal peace, joy and happiness, then deploy your thoughts, words and actions to the sacredness of human life, the freedom of thoughts, of education, worship and what have you. We all belong to the same humanity, to the sacred dictum of "The fatherhood of God and brotherhood of man".
God bless our world, the happiness and joy of God Almighty.
Taiye Olaniyi, a retired Postman of the Nigeria Postal Service, lives in Lagos.