Breaking the Cycle of Violence

Dear Friends,

I have an older brother and a younger sister. My brother is only 2 years older than I am so we tended to have a lot of “interactions” growing up. Occasionally, one or the other of us would do something that upset or irritated the other one. It might start with a word or a poke or some other perceived injustice. In order to “restore justice,” the “injured” party would do some kind of in-kind or “appropriate” retaliation: a word, a poke, a shove… Of course, the other would then retaliate and we begin our escalation. In order to “get back” at the other one, the response had to be at least as much as what was incurred… Hence, the escalation. We would keep going until my mom intervened or one of us got hurt. (It was usually me since I was the younger one!). This is a simple but real example of the Cycle of Violence.

In my example, my response was always to fight back. The other response in the cycle of violence is to run away or be a victim. This happens when the receiver of the violence thinks that they are not strong enough to fight back. It creates victims and reinforces a situation where it occurs like the stronger party is victorious and “wins.” It may create a “stable” situation where the victim lives in fear but it is far from a “peaceful” situation.

One can see this cycle of violence playing out all around the world and all through history. One might say that this is the way of the world. It is captured in phrases like: “the law of the jungle” and “might makes right.” It is the dynamic behind all the wars and is clearly on display right now. It is so common that it is just taken for granted that this is the way the world works. Jesus’ teaching and life challenges this…

In the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew (in particular), Jesus says, “You have heard an ‘eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth,’ but I say to you, ‘Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.’” Many theologians including Walter Wink (see accompany article, The Third Way) point out that this offers a way to break the cycle of violence. In fact, Jesus not only offers this as a different way, but commands it! Instead of responding with violence or passivity, Jesus tells us to proactively love the person doing the injustice and violence in order to create a new dynamic. Of course, Jesus does not only teach this but his life is a lived-out story of this. He did not “conquer” the leaders in Jerusalem and he did not run away. He engaged in a way that exposed their violence and injustice. People like Mahatma Ghandi and Martin Luther King, Jr. also provide examples of people who trust in this dynamic of love in order to transform oppressive systems to create the possibility of real peace, justice, and right relationships. It is not an easy path. It involves courageous forgiveness. People get hurt and people die. The possibility, though, is a truly just and peaceful society and relationship.

What’s the alternative? Watch the news. A lot more killing. A lot more injury and killing… and, at best, a cessation of overt violence. But it is not peace. The seeds of hate and revenge are sown deep amongst the victims and their families only to grow with time.

Of course, the main thing that occasions this reflection is the war on Iran. My raising up of Jesus’ message of the third way is in no way a diminishment of the suffering that the Iranian people have endured under the current regime. So many of the ways that it exerted and remained in power had evil effects. My prayer continues to be that the people of Iran, the Middle East, and the whole world find a way to live in true peace. I pray for the victims of the bombing and fighting going on now and their families. I pray that God can bring something good out of all this suffering.

May we find ways to be courageous and creative in loving.

Peace,

Pastor Phil