Waging Peace

What is the first thing you think of when you hear “Iraq?”

Judging from the frequency of cautions to “Be safe” I received when explaining my Middle Eastern summer plans, for many of us violence instantly comes to mind. To be fair, this association carries unfortunate truth: in May 2013, the UN estimates sectarian violence claimed the lives of 1,045 Iraqis.

In Northern Iraq, I remain safe, and feel as far removed from that overwhelming number as you do. In my comfortable bubble, I proudly call myself a pacifist, spontaneously cry when viewing even violent cartoons, and enjoy arguing (granted, not usually successfully) the absolute pointlessness of guns. All these nonviolent convictions amount to essentially nothing in my thus-far sheltered circumstances. But what about those who don’t have the luxury of only dealing with violence hypothetically? Does nonviolence really work for them as well?

New conviction, and one I’m prepared to argue: nonviolence works, if it doesn’t mean non-action.

Don’t worry, I’m not advocating a move to Baghdad, stopping guns and bullets in the air. I have zero idea how to stop terrorists from their already irrational, fear-inspiring actions, but I think it takes more than not shooting back.

In military terms, ‘preemptive’ refers to a strike, hitting the enemy hard before they can hit back. Preemptive love instead actively loves someone before they ask, or love back.

Preemptive Love Coalition daily “wages peace.” On the outside, heart surgeries may appear to merely put a band-aid on the effects of violence, instead of healing the source. But preemptive love is creative nonviolence in action. Through PLC’s work, people who view each other as enemies have worked together, entrusted their children into each others’ hands, and let go of hateful stereotypes for the sake of love. It’s not stopping a car bombing from happening today, but preemptive love addresses a much deeper root cause, so that someday maybe band-aids won’t even be needed. I have no idea what kind of band-aid could stop genocides or terrorism in the moment, and confess that obviously these thoughts are idealistic and uninformed. But I’ll take inspiring idealism over paralyzing cynicism any day. I hope to continue to learn from the lives of people like my friends at PLC, who have transformed idealism into action.

Violence is a reality of this world; you don’t have to be in a “dangerous” place to find it. You also don’t have to be in a dangerous place to actively fight it. Someday all violence, whether economic, physical, emotional, or spiritual will all be put right. To get in on God’s plan in all of this, maybe we just all need to be a little more active, and more creative. If heart surgeries can undo terrorism, how can you use your circumstances to wage peace?

 

Violence won't always have the last word...