Peace

What is it and how do you attain it? And moreover, is it really ever fully attainable in this world?

Of course, there are so many different understandings of what that word signifies.

Is it attainable? Yes. But you cannot be of the mindset...one race is better than the other and needing to preserve "our" culture. That type of thinking immediately divides people and 99% of the time, the ones that have less or are pushed aside as "lower class/less important" resort to violence.

Not to defend Al Quida, but America has been very arrogant in regards to our actions in the middle east (and the rest of the world) and then on one terrible September morning, most Americans who had no idea what was going on over there, were suddenly aware. Problem is, they should have been aware of world affairs all along...not just what was on mtv or the latest celebrity gossip show.

Over the past eight years, Americans have become very aware of the rest of the world and our place in it...be it war or the economy...and suddenly they are now acting as if other people actually live on this planet!

So, yes, it is attainable...it just takes time and people willing to look outside their little box of life and what is right or wrong.

After the news in India today, peace seems less likely but if anything I think it strengthens the defense of those who call for peace...especially since this was directed at civilians of the world.

I'm not talking about World peace, there is only one group on the planet right now who are not trying to live in peace.

But yea. I'm talking about inner peace, the peace that Christ gives.

there is only one group on the planet right now who are not trying to live in peace.

wtf???

ecthelion of the fountain wrote:

there is only one group on the planet right now who are not trying to live in peace.

wtf???

WARNING, WARNING- MAY INCLUDE NON POLITICALLY CORRECT MATERIAL.

Can you guess who?

here's a hint..

no as not NON POLITICALLY CORRECT MATERIAL. ignorant material, material judging an entire people on the actions of a few.
how many has not been killed in the name of Christ? does that make Christianity a religion of killing?
the ones that put on bombs are an extremist minority, the majority of all muslims don't even live in the middle east. all religion has their violent extremists, but most Muslims don't go blow themselves up. and the lost love between arabs and jews has nothing with islamic scripture to do. if you ask a Israelite and a Palestine why they hate the other, they will give the same answer "because they want to kill us". it is political propaganda that has nothing to with islam. the fighting over jerusalem is of course religious, but a point both parts have equal blame in.

islam is not more of violent religion then any of its abrahamic brethren

humm...

Where is the modern day "extremist" Christians, Buddhists or Jews that are killing people all over the world, based on their scripures?

And also, why do virtually none of the "non-extremist" Muslims ever Publicly condemn their extremist brethren.. like the Christian, Buddhist or Jews believe in doing when they are falsely represented?

.... just food for thought...

( What I said is no doubtt worthy for me to have a Fatwa put on my head too.)

bush told our previous primeminister "god told me to invade iraq", thats a religious reason to invade... christians have killed plenty during the last 50 years, both muslims and Christians of other Denominations, and on most continents too. in eastern Europe, in Africa even on Ireland.

they do all the time! i live in a town where the most common name on newborns is Mohamed, and i meet Muslims everyday that are toatlly democratic and sometimes even feminists. it just doesn't get media cover because it isn't very chocking. a headline like "average catholic does not support the killing of protestants" does not sell as well as "20 year old catholic blows up protestant church"

Well, even if BUsh is some sort of maniacal Crusader, which I don't think he is.. The soldiers that were sent over there.. are not on a Jihad to rid the world of Muslims.

I wish I could say the same for the Terrorist factions.

That being said, even 90 percent of Americans don't want to be in Iraq.. but at the same time understand our reasons for invading Afghanistan.. etc..

Oh...inner peace, did not notice it was about that. I guess this explains why this post was not in the dragons repose thingy.

I would think inner peace is possible. A lot of people seem to have it. And yeah, it is hard to define or describe this "peace".

If you are going to refer to it as the peace that Christ gives, then I suppose you could live a life similar to his and find inner peace by doing so.

I would think most people are happiest when they are doing the best they can in life for their own needs, only depending on others when necessary...while at the same time helping others and giving back. If you are always focused on yourself, I don't think you can be at peace...I don't think one can be at peace if they knowingly ignore the plight of others and do nothing to help in some way. There are thousands of ways to give back, be it local or international. I don't have any money to give but I was more than happy to participate in the aids and breast cancer walks. I felt very good inside participating in those and the atmosphere of both walks was very positive and caring. People seem to just say, they don't have time or money to help, but there is always a way to help a fellow human. I honestly think doing so, increases your personal happiness in so many ways.

I don't even feel like getting into the muslim/christian debate. Everyone makes mistakes, nobody is perfect. So, the Muslims are having a dark period right now. But that is what forgiveness and redemption is for, right? Learn from mistakes and move on to being a better person. Christians and America had their dark moments too.

Ash wrote:Well, even if BUsh is some sort of maniacal Crusader, which I don't think he is.. The soldiers that were sent over there.. are not on a Jihad to rid the world of Muslims.

I wish I could say the same for the Terrorist factions.

That being said, even 90 percent of Americans don't want to be in Iraq.. but at the same time understand our reasons for invading Afghanistan.. etc..

first of all you need to learn what jihad means... it's not about cruades at all. basically its the muslim version what some christians call "the narrow path". jihad is not giving in to temptations and living the life god wants you to live. if you like bin ladin believe that god wants you to kill americans, killing amercians becomes jihad in his eyes. in normal muslims eyes jihad equals not getting drunk, not cheating, praying everyday, being compassionate etc...

not on a crusade to rid the world of muslims no, but to rid the world of terrorists... same thing just different target. muslim extreme fundamentalists see you as evil, so they want to rid the world of you. just like you see them as evil and want to rid the world of them.

and i'm pretty sure 99,9 of the worlds muslims don't want to get "randomly selected" and have a hand up their ass everytime they fly. so yeah i'm pretty sure they want out too...

Dude, Islam is a great example of the cleverness of the devil, that is all I know. And Jihad is not anything like the Christians "narrow path". i have read alot of the Koran.

That doesn't mean I hate Muslims, but of the ones that are willing to kill people who do not bow before Allah.. I have no problem with them being killed first. They may have once been human.. but they .. just like many of the nazi's during ww2, are Monsters with human faces.. they have past the point of being human.

jihad is simply living the way Allah (god) has intended... if you think its holy war (thats how you used it in your previous post) you can't have read that much, or you just didn't pay attention. jihad means "the struggle"... if you don't see how that is alot like the narrow path then i guess you just subconsciously choose not to.

hey i'm okay with that, as long as you realize they are a very small minority.
also one more thing.it's not really about Allah, it's about sin. they see you as Babylon and Sodom combined. mr bin ladin has no problem with neutral nations muslim or not. he has familoy in sweden and once said "if america was like sweden there would be no need for this holy war"

Ash wrote:

ecthelion of the fountain wrote:

there is only one group on the planet right now who are not trying to live in peace.

wtf???

WARNING, WARNING- MAY INCLUDE NON POLITICALLY CORRECT MATERIAL.

Can you guess who?

here's a hint..

I have friends of all faiths and religions, for the most part, we all get along quite well. It is not the followers of any one religion that are refusing to live peacefully; it is the extremists of any religion that disrupt the peace.

ecthelion of the fountain wrote:

not on a crusade to rid the world of muslims no, but to rid the world of terrorists... same thing just different target. muslim extreme fundamentalists see you as evil, so they want to rid the world of you. just like you see them as evil and want to rid the world of them.

and i'm pretty sure 99,9 of the worlds muslims don't want to get "randomly selected" and have a hand up their ass everytime they fly. so yeah i'm pretty sure they want out too...

The sad thing is that the majority of the US will hear the words 'Muslim' or 'Islam' or 'Arab' and think 'terrorist', or they use the words 'Arab/Muslim' and 'terrorist' interchageably...I have been accused of being a 'terroris't on multiple occassions for correcting ignorant people with that mindset, especially after bringing up that my dad is part Arab.

ecthelion of the fountain wrote:

Same here

Geeez! Gone for a couple of days and what do you know...a political debate, how strange!!!

I could state my point of view but I think most people here know that I would not hate Muslims as a group. Of course, there are some areas in the middle east, where the so called schools "brainwash" their children in certain ways and those children cannot help but hold certain points of view until they can find the truth elsewhere...kind of like certain parts of this country, where education is taught along side religion (from Texas, trust me on this one, had to get permission from my parents to learn plate techtonics in school)...I don't really see the difference, other than the kids in the mid east are slightly more educated in a way, especially on world affairs. Not to say less extreme or right in their viewpoint...but certainly more aware of things outside of American Idol or the local church.


Sooo.....what of the inner peace discussion? There are a billion political/religion topics going on...a thought on inner peace could be interesting.

Peace comes with joy. Attain joy and then you will have peace.

i disagree. joy and peace don't always walk together, furthermore it is impossible to always be joyful

I found inner peace once I learned to love myself (flaws included) in order to love another.

you mean you live in constant inner peace? no offense but hail o mighty Bodhisattva!!!

your a funny one elf... constant inner peace would be nice ...I think I have to wait for the afterlife for that one.

I think your confusing joy with happiness.. they're not the same thing.

joy: rejoice
happiness: a state of well being and contentment
peace: 1. a state of calm and quiet 2. freedom from distrubing thoughts or emotions...in my case freedom from those evil people in my head.