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 published: 2005-07-19

Love Is Stronger

After the Attempts in London

Fahne Friedenstaube

Da nos la paz

Give us peace

Gib uns Frieden

Foto: Archiv ©2005

 

INTERNATIONAL, Fr. Alberto Eronti. Since the terrorist attempt in Madrid, the question which would appear from time to time in the media was: "Where will the next one be?" Logically, there is no society which can live in permanent tension; therefore, after the peaks of tension come the periods of détente. This is a reality to which the human being is naturally inclined. Days before the 7th of July and on the occasion of two simultaneous happenings: the G8 meeting and the announcement of the city which would host the 2012 Olympics (London seemed to be one of the favorites), some of the European journalists asked themselves if the coincidence of both happenings might not mean that it was an "opportune" moment for terror. No one could confirm it or deny it, one simply had to wait. That which was feared by some occurred…..again the terror and the horror…..once again fear and death…..once again to weep for the dead and to locate the helpless…..once again…..

What is distinctive and uncommon in these attempts? In what had been feared for some time: this time the "men-bombs" were not foreigners. They were British citizens, born and reared in the United Kingdom. This time the actors were "one of us, like us". Nothing in their conduct made their families, friends, or neighbors suspicious…..nothing.. Their lives were so "normal" that not even the wife of one of them—a father of an eighth month old child—suspected anything. In this sense, the spiral of terror has reached a maximum point and a natural reaction, at least for a time. There will be suspicion and a lack of confidence in one another as well as fear and insecurity in everyday living. I am not going to touch upon the theme as to whether the English were naïve in their faith in democracy nor if the almost closed Moslem neighborhoods of London impede the affective and cultural true incorporation. Regardless, one must wait to see how and in which ways the lives of Londoners will change. It is and it will be very difficult to live this way.

A Reality Which Is not Always Meditated Upon

How to explain this reality? There are historical, political, economical, cultural, and religious reasons which make up the framework which is impossible to simplify at the time of giving an opinion. But in the Arab world there is a deep-rooted and intense emotion: "the enemy has a name and it is foreign to us", and without a doubt they name the United States and Israel. This emotion is so intense and so wide spread that they are not capable of examining their own fault of responsibility when facing the reality of their own countries. This is a theme which Egyptian writer, Nawal el Saadawl, points to when she says: "All Arab governments, from their origins until now, have never worked for the people, but instead have worked for their colonizers" and she adds, speaking about her own country: "We have become an American-Israeli colony depending on assistance from the United States which in fact reverts back to the United States". Many of the Arab countries have petroleum reserves and deposits which make up an incalculable wealth. Nevertheless, more than 90% of the population is marginalized from the benefits produced from the exploitation and which in fact benefits a few within and many more on the outside. This inability to react internally, which is understandable because of its culture and history, projects them "toward the exterior enemy". This intense emotion of being exploited and humiliated by the exterior power is, along with the growth of fundamentalist Islam, the fertile ground to cultivate hate. Hate, as we know, is related to death.

To Use Horror to Create Terror

The paradox of this reality is saying that the "strong actor" is more vulnerable than the "weak actor". It is the old cat and mouse game, but this has its advantage: it has no face. It is known that it is going to strike but one does not know where, when or how. Its action is always a surprise. This advantage allows it to use the most deadly weapon: horror to create terror. Its "targets" are generally common people, men and women, young people and children of all social classes. The more the horror, the more the terror. If this is not so, then how can one explain the action of the man who blew himself up to kill children in Bagdad? What is attacked and intended to paralyze is the affective domain of the people. Terror becomes a method of war. But the "powerful actor" has another unsolvable problem: he cannot, supposing that he wanted to, dialog or negotiate. He is defenceless.

A Road to Peace Born from Religions

Where could a torch of hope be lit? From religions. Everything seems to indicate that from political power, al least for the moment, nothing or very little can happen. But the so called Great Religions can advance more. We must not minimize the role of faith nor the capacity for action and the influence of the different religions. The most recent efforts we can still recall. We can suppose that the leaders of the Religions are the ones who have to set the example and must pave the way, but this does not impede each believer from being a builder of bridges and of attachments. Only from faith in God, and I first think of the monotheistic religions, can the road be paved to love and from love to peace. Only faith in God can open the path to forgiveness and mercy. Only faith in God gives us the strength to ask, to accept, and to offer forgiveness. This responsibility of the monotheistic religions is essential in the present and the future of the West, of the Middle East and Northern Africa. Their histories and cultures intersect and are called to live together in peace. Not in vain has the "Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialog" had a most noteworthy role in recent times. But this is not enough. The leaders are called to go first, but every believer has the moral obligation to be an instrument, an instrument of encounter, of dialog, of respect, and of brotherhood.

The Spirit of Assisi

The so called "spirit of Assisi", referring to the encounters for prayer taking place under the protection of St. Francis, has been and is a sign for the direction to take. No one should be paralyzed by terror. No one should think that that which occurs "over there" does not affect me. If the human aspect has always pertained to everyone, today—understanding and living well globalization—pertains to everyone more than ever before. No one is saved from anything. What "touches" a human being, also "touches me". Paul VI had already warned about the so called "culture of death", and to which he proposed to respond with the "culture of love". They are not mere words nor a simple expression of desire. It is a mission for all believers. This mission should be taught and learned in family life, in each human group, in each religious center. It is in the family, the "first school", where either one receives or does not receive unconscious assumptions for love, respect, tolerance, understanding, and acceptance of one another. If it is not "learned" there, it will be difficult to learn it later or elsewhere. The family is the source for primary attachments for all persons. Therefore, without family or the spirit of family, dialog, communication, and communion with others is unthinkable.

A Culture of Love and of Life

Hate is death. Love is life. It is not enough to not want a "culture of death, a culture of fears", we have to work and build a "culture of love and of life". Today in politics, politicians can do little. Men and women of faith can do more. Jesus conquered hate without tolerating it and loving those who condemned Him and crucified Him. It was not in vain that the first two conversions narrated in the Gospels as fruitfulness from Golgotha are the ones of "one who was crucified with Him" and the one of the Roman Centurion. As John Paul II proclaimed in Chile: "Love is Stronger". Yes, love is stronger.

Translation: Carlos Cantu, La Feria, TX, USA



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