Unrest Unsleeping

As the new year approaches, there is certainly no lack of stories to cover. (We have been taking a bit of a holiday break here at MC, thus the lack of coverage)

The Israel-Gaza situation seems to be the most urgent international crisis currently receiving MSM attention. Though, there is probably literally almost no way in the world of getting an objective account of what occurred, given the nature of the conflict.

The situation is akin to trying to heal a festering wound by wrapping it tightly in gauze and punching it occasionally, then ripping off the gauze expecting to see healthy skin. (amazingly enough, this ridiculous-at-best method of establishing peace has been tried repeatedly by foreign powers determined to "bring peace to the middle east".) And they actually give out nobel prizes for this! Though, I've long said that getting a Nobel Prize (except perhaps in scientific fields) is a sure sign that you have probably done things which will cause death and disaster.

Imagine you have a long-standing feud with another person. They have caused you and your family grievous harm, and you feel force is the only way to resolve the issue. Then some foreign leaders who have never been to your country (outside of maybe a tourist trip and/or short stay at the nearest Four Seasons), don't speak your language, etc, meet with some divisive figures from your part of the world, argue about semantics while eating food you will never be able to afford, all finally shake hands, and announce that they have solved your feud.

But, of course, nothing has changed for you. You just wait until another good opportunity, and strike out again. When this is done in a violent manner (as it tends to end up being), it leads to more violence, and more violence, until a pattern of conflict is established. When this pattern has occurred for decades in its present form, and centuries in other forms, it cannot change until the "hearts and minds" of the people involved change.

This sounds trite, but there is no other reality.

Actually, any attempt at a solution to the problem of violence in the Middle East that is based in a world view where people are seen as inherently good, is doomed to failure.

Which brings us back to this season. The only real hope for peace, is that which the angels proclaimed in Bethleham, so many years ago. "Peace on Earth, Goodwill to men on whom His favor rests..."

When Peace does not reign in the hearts of men, how can it reign in their land?

-()4|<.