Linkedin - Spiritual Writers Association posed the question What can we as Spiritual Writers do, to ward off the impending confrontation between Islamic Extremists and their declared war on the rest of the world?
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Anyone who is not uneasy about the current threat posed by Islamic Extremists has not been following the news OR has a different philosophic mind set than most of us. Just the mere mention of ISIL, BokoHaram or Jihad causes an uncomfortable reaction in a peaceful heart.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 What is the Christian attitude toward these extremists that we as spiritual writers should foster? Pope Francis gives us a clue, but the real answer lies in Jesus Christ. The Linkedin Spiritual Writers shared some very challenging responses.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Barbara Kellam-Scott addresses some of the political and spiritual nature of the problem: 鈥淲e can continue to demonstrate grace and hope and refuse to be ruled by fear. The extremists don鈥檛 even much want our attention; their atrocities are posing for the benefit of each other, waving their masculinity. They are not thoughtful or even ideologically driven. They are best defeated by the Desmond Tutus, the Malalas, and each of us who just go on expanding the strength of the spirituality that binds all humanity together.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Brenda Basco Hopkins also suggests a political analysis and, again, a healing spiritual solution: 鈥淲e must recognize that the Super-ego is the driving force of their thought-system, and Hate and Fear is the energy that propels their action. Which means that ultimately all their seeming power and force will come down to nothing when we do our part of releasing our own fears and secret hates in our hearts through the application of unconditional loving acceptance for claiming our power over them and choose to release them to Healing Loving Light.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淥ur own private and personal unresolved issues contribute to the 鈥榝alse鈥� power of the Super-ego Islamic war against the world. So, we need to do our own personal healings of our private unconscious resentments, fears, self-doubt, guilt, anger, etc.聽
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭he Limitless Love from our Holy Creator of the Universes is the only True and Real Power there is ... anything that is the opposite to this i.e. fear and hate are false creations鈥� by our limited ego-mind鈥� [replacing] our Limitless Loving Mother/Father God.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Paul Gehrke, who posed the question we are discussing, says that we are a force for good, and that by reaching out to our Islamic brothers and sisters and 鈥渇orgoing revenge/hate/and fear鈥�, we make a reasonable difference.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Gehrke warns: 鈥淭he topic I have put forth will eventually touch us all, and denial of this reality鈥n the near future events could prove costly, as the fanaticism actually touches us through鈥� acts of terrorism鈥lose to home鈥� this time it truly will be worldwide.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Gehrke cautions, 鈥淭he strongest Spiritual commitment and action will be needed to confront its darkness and single mindedness.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Brenda Hopkins points out, 鈥淚n Jesus鈥� Beatitudes, doesn鈥檛 it say, 鈥楤lessed are the meek; for they shall inherit the Earth鈥�?
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淪o when we release and heal our own secret hates and hidden fears鈥� through our own unconditional loving acceptance, because judging them and us does not help heal them, then there is no need to fight back with guns, bombs, and other machineries with fancy strategies.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Imagine what the world would be like if we all had the attitude of Jesus towards those who fill the world with hate and discord? We can live each day with a sense of justice, peace, love, mercy and kindness. The reign of God is in our hearts as Christians. There is a better way to live than fear and distrust.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 I will give Barbara Kellam-Scott the last word: 鈥淚 care about them [the victims]鈥� I pray鈥n hope of softening the hearts of their captors. ISIL wants only to humiliate Europe and North America, but they care most what other angry folk in their own part of the world think about whether we鈥檝e been humiliated. Our military retaliation only strengthens their claim that they鈥檝e succeeded.
