Sherry Chandler has posted a “preachy” entry on both her blog and The Peace Tree.
The article deals with motherhood in wartime. Having been a mother for almost 30 years, she talks about the wars that have been going on during that time and how war affects the children. “Hatred perpetuates itself in the children and I have no idea how to stop the pattern. I can’t even perform the futile act of writing poetry about it,” says Sherry, who is a fine poet. “I’ve tried.”
Read for yourself. We live in a society of “perpetual hatred.” What can we do about it? Do we even want to stop war? Do we think it is a problem?
6 comments
Comments feed for this article
May 7, 2007 at 1:00 am
Jana Allard
This breaks my heart. We can never see a world without war if parents don’t change what they put into their children. As much as Sherry, you and I desire peace, I’m afraid we will never see it. There are little African boys, under the age of 10, who are taught to mutilate the “enemy.” They carry weapons and are happy to carve a body into pieces. From the day they are born, they are taught to kill and hate. We can only change our immediate “world” and hope others will follow our example. Another sad thing is we have spent so many lives and billions of dollars to “help” another country, but that country will never be at peace because of the parents who continue to teach hatred to their children. Helen, this problem is bigger than you and I can solve, but I am glad that you speak openly about it. I just wish more would hear.
May 7, 2007 at 8:39 am
helenl
So, rather than seeing this as muti-generational, we see a mountain before us and swear we can’t move it?
It isn’t about hearing only; it’s about acting in response to what we hear. It’s abour ” I ain’t gonna study war no more!” I’m not participating in govenmental killing. We must teach “little African boys” by example, which is, of course, the way we teach our own sons and daughters about the “peace” God sent to earth. But we must do it the way their mothers want us to do it, which is not necessarily the way our government thimks is best. What do our government know about teaching “little African boys”?
The Peace of God and the Spirit of God are the same (Three-in-One) Person. We must spread the gospel of peace.
Most women really understand the need to eliminate war and don’t want their children to go but are dependent on men to eat, so they don’t speak out. When a man leads against war, we must join him quickly, because there are so few men who are relly leading against war. Even on the Poetry Man’s site and The Peace Tree, you will notice, if you follow it for a while, that most of the comments come from women. The world needs women to speak out like it never did before. The world needs women to lead. It needs the men just as badly, but most won’t give up their unearned power to do so. God blesses the humble of this world who follow Him, not who’s higher on the food chain.
We (people who alive now) will most likely not live to see the end of war. But Revelation warns us of what will happen, if we don’t “get it together” in Jesus name. What on earth are Christians waiting for? Things aren’t bad enough yet? When they get that way, we’ll get the faith.
May 7, 2007 at 9:28 am
Sherry Chandler
Thank you, Helen. And Jana. Hopeless as the cause may be, it seems the only cause worth espousing. I have much trouble with this old/new militant Christianity. I was raised to believe in the Prince of Peace.
Here is Julia Ward Howell’s Mother’s Day Declaration:
“Arise, then, women of this day! Arise all women who have hearts, whether our baptism be that of water or of tears!
Say firmly: ‘We will not have great questions decided by irrelevant agencies. Our husbands shall not come to us, reeking with carnage, for caresses and applause. Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn all that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy and patience. We women of one country will be too tender of those of another country to allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs.’
From the bosom of the devastated earth a voice goes up with our own. It says ‘Disarm, Disarm! The sword of murder is not the balance of justice.’ Blood does not wipe our dishonor nor violence indicate possession. As men have often forsaken the plow and the anvil at the summons of war, let women now leave all that may be left of home for a great and earnest day of counsel. Let them meet first, as women, to bewail and commemorate the dead. Let them then solemnly take counsel with each other as to the means whereby the great human family can live in peace, each bearing after their own time the sacred impress, not of Caesar, but of God.
In the name of womanhood and of humanity, I earnestly ask that a general congress of women without limit of nationality may be appointed and held at some place deemed most convenient and at the earliest period consistent with its objects, to promote the alliance of the different nationalities, the amicable settlement of international questions, the great and general interests of peace.”
May 7, 2007 at 4:15 pm
helenl
Yes. “First they ignore you. Then they laugh at you. Then they fight you. And then you win.” – Mohandas Gandhi
May 7, 2007 at 7:16 pm
Jana Allard
Helen – I just read that quote from Gandhi yesterday. It is great. Another thing, Helen, I believe it is a mountain before us, but every positive action we take removes a small lump on that mountain. I do not allow my children to fight and I teach them to love. If they have squabbles that seem to persist, I will make them sit in a chair and hug for five minutes and give each other compliments. I will not tolerate remarks such as “I hate you,” “You’re stupid,” etc. We never name any race. In fact, my five year old was trying to describe a black friend she met in Sunday School and she told me about her hair, dress, and then said, “She is a little bit brown.” I want my children to see everyone as equal regardless of race or social status. Everyday they stand for what I have taught them, is helping to remove a teaspoon of the big mountain. If my children will continue to abide this way, they may possibly influence others and we have another spoonful of mountain removed. I don’t think the job is impossible, but I feel realistically I won’t see world peace in my lifetime. I should stand corrected on my final sentence. It should have said I wish more would hear, believe, and convert. If more would really listen to your points, then believe, they could then be converted to the doctrine of peace. People who truly believe in peace, will hate war.
May 7, 2007 at 9:32 pm
helenl
Thanks for the clarification, Jana.