Skip to main content

Why Atrocities?

Image
By


 Hello friends,                       Why Atrocities?       Nov. 5, 2014

 “Jim, why do people do atrocities, like make war, kill each other and women and children?” asked this teacher on the left in one of 16 talks at a high school in Barranca.
I answered, “Well, that’s a tough one. I’ll have to think about that. Just off the cuff a number of things come to mind. First God has given us free will. We are free do awful things if we decide to.

 The TV is probably part of why too. How many killings do we see there every week? I imagine it tells us unconsciously that killing is just a part of living in the world today.

Another is playing games on the internet where one shoots things to win. I understand the military uses such games to train soldiers to kill.  They start shooting things, then are gradually are switched to people and then the people are turned into the enemy and then the devil. Then when the soldiers are in the field they are switched to real people. Probably that same process happens in our thinking too.”

 Pray for the success of the peace talks between the Colombian government and the FARC in Havana, Cuba. Many Colombians feel it will be a big step in ending the 50 year civil war and are hopeful.

Shalom, Jim


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Hope in Iraq

By
Dear Friends, I have recently finished Peggy Gish’s book An Iraq Journey of Hope and Peace . It brought me to deep prayer at times, helping me to see US soldiers as human beings and breaking down some of my stereotypes of them. It also helped me experience the personal pain of Iraqis who are caught in the war as opposed to hearing statistics in the news. This was peacemaking taking place in my own heart and mind. Peggy’s honesty in sharing her own personal struggle and admitting her own mistakes is challenging to my own peacemaking. Another aspect of this book that was inspiring to me was that when CPTers in Iraq realized they were making a mistake in midst of sharing with Iraqis, they were able at times to change right then and there. This is clear evidence of the Spirit at work. It also gave me a sense of how God was able to use the seemingly small amount of people, just six or so, to make a significant difference for the good in this horrible situation. I am adding to this messag...
Post a Comment
Read more

An Incredible Prime Minister

By
           An Incredible Prime Minister     Dear Friends, a hopeful happening,                  Two years ago, Ethiopia was a basket case. The government seemed to be losing control The majority Oromo people were restive under a rule that seemed to rob them of their place. The traditionally powerful Amhara rioted. A state of emergency brought silence on the surface, but underneath the nation seethed. Civil war threatened. A foreigner was killed. Tourism waned. Finally, the prime minister resigned. The church prayed earnestly. Then, unexpectedly, eight months ago, the relatively unknown Abiy Ahmad was elected prime minister. What followed was equally unanticipated. In a bold, courageous acceptance speech; Ahmad announced a policy of peace, love and unity for the nation and its relationships with the rest of the world. He made sweeping promises and, to...
Post a Comment
Read more

Colombia Reports

By
Introduction Letter Jim Fitz is a member of Plow Creek Mennonite Church, in Tiskilwa, Illinois. He works full time in peacemaking, which includes about 3 months a year with Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) in Barrancabermeja, (Barranca for short) Colombia. In the Barranca area, CPT there provides protection from the threats to and killing of various armed groups by being a nonviolent presence and witness for about 100 farm families. Jim will be in Barranca area Oct.1- Dec. 22. During the application process for Christian Peacemaker Teams, one of the first things that the CPT interviewer said to Jim, " Do you realize this is a very dangerous situation and do you have a bunch of people who can pray for you?" This gave Jim some hesitation but upon some reflection, he felt that he had a church full of people who would pray for him. He also felt a clear call to this work. He felt he was ready to try to risk his life for peace in the same way soldiers risk their li...
Post a Comment
Read more