No Coincidences

Tag: bloodshed

  • November 2023 Israel-Palestine Conflict

    November 2023 Israel-Palestine Conflict

    I wrote about the Israel-Palestine conflict earlier this year.

    Here we are 10 months later. I encourage anyone to go read my original post. I just did. It helped me refresh in my mind the complexity of this issue. This issue clearly isn’t going away in our lifetimes. I think it’s only a matter of time before this issue could impact our actual lives so it’s good to be aware of what’s going on.

    Before I write this, be aware that I am aggressively avoidant of the news. It’s so conflicting and I don’t trust it. If I’m going to look into this topic, I’m going to do a lot of research and reading. Beth just said she didn’t know how to interpret the news because she’ll hear one thing and then the complete opposite from moment to moment. So, some of what I write here might be considered politically incorrect. I don’t care.

    I recently accidentally listened to a soundbite from the Republican presidential debate. Someone was asked what Israel should do to the terrorists, Hamas. The response was so… aggressive. I had a bunch of other adjectives there at first, for what the response was. I removed them because I don’t want to offend anyone. That said, I will voice my opinion here. I hope anyone reading who would use aggressive terms about what Israel should do will consider the complexity of the situation before proclaiming that Hamas must be destroyed by any means necessary.

    I just went to search for exactly what was said by that Republican candidate and found an article in the Washington Post with the title:

    “Candidates use violent rhetoric on Israel-Gaza war without mentioning humanitarian aid“

    I think it’s immensely important to remember that the pursuit of vengeance is causing more atrocities to be performed.

    Terrorism is bad. Obvious statement? Of course. So is retaliation, withholding food, water, and medical supplies to innocent people, bombing hospitals, war crimes.

    Division.

    Pro-Israel or pro-Palestine. These are labels.

    This entire world is focused on creating more divisions among us. Satan reigns in the hearts of men.

    The world is not black and white. The Book of Mormon is a story of two groups of people that couldn’t coexist. They had a centuries-long feud based upon an argument over the right to rule. It is written from the perspective of the Nephites so it can often incorrectly be characterized as a story of good guys versus bad guys. The story of the Nephites and the Lamanites is not a story of good guys and bad guys. It is a story of two groups of people with differing views, ideologies, politics, and cultures that each felt they were in the right.

    The world is not black and white. It is seldom as simple as good guys and bad guys. That’s what we’re seeing in the Middle East right now. A study of the Book of Mormon can show us exactly where this kind of feud leads. It can only lead to complete destruction on both sides.

    Some quotes from my last post on this conflict –

    “What’s worse is what is being done to Israeli people, we are becoming animals.” 

    Two Blue Lines

    “It’s clear that there will not be peace if we continue to demolish innocent peoples’ houses…”

    Two Blue Lines

    “All former Shin Bet (Israel’s internal security service, think the FBI) leaders were unanimous; Israel must talk with the terrorists.  They must talk with anyone that might talk to them.  Peace cannot come through military or tactics or fighting or intelligence.”

    Israel-Palestine Conflict

    “When conflict becomes decades of conflict, an eye for an eye becomes 100,000 eyes for 100,000 eyes.”

    Israel-Palestine Conflict

    The two great commandments of God are to love and to love (Matthew 22:36-40).

    This conflict doesn’t end until forgiveness and love supersede vengeance and bloodshed.

    Now, look at the cover picture, at the top of this post. Look at it closely. Stare at it. Put yourself there. Be the man in that picture for a fraction of a second. I did. That’s why I’m writing this post. My heart breaks for those caught in a war. My heart breaks for those who want nothing to do with this conflict, caught in between angry, vengeful, hateful factions. My heart breaks for men and women holding their dead children in their arms.

    I am not Pro-Israel or Pro-Palestine. I am Pro-peace. I believe we all should be.

  • The Glory of the Sun

    The Glory of the Sun

    I recently finished a book that was so packed with wisdom I couldn’t come close to taking it all in.  Every page provided a new insight.  Every thought was provoking.  It is amazing to walk through the minds of men and women so in touch with the spirit or some form of knowledge I don’t yet have.  It’s my favorite part of reading.  From reading his words and thoughts I could feel his closeness to our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, and therefore come closer to them myself.

    The name of the book was The glory of the sun which refers to 1 Corinthians 15:41:

    “There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory.”

    Doctrine and Covenants 76:70 reads:

    “These are they whose bodies are celestial, whose glory is that of the sun, even the glory of God, the highest of all, whose glory the sun of the firmament is written of as being typical.”

    Sterling W. Sill, author of this book, was a general authority in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  He was asked to share a series of gospel messages each week for a year over the radio.  The series was called “Sunday Evening from Temple Square.”  Those 52 addresses were put into this book.  It’s amazing to see that so many unique and powerful messages can come from one individual. 

    Sterling W. Sill

    Every message was so good, I could randomly turn to a page and share an important thought.  There was one in particular I found pertinent to our current moment in history.

    Elder Sill shared his messages at the height of the cold war so there is an emphasis of freedom and liberty throughout. 

    In one of his addresses titled “Five grains of Corn” Elder Sill reviewed the custom of Thanksgiving.  Elder Sill pointed out that Thanksgiving is a uniquely American holiday.  It is a day we give thanks to our ancestors who bravely came here and suffered through much hunger, affliction, and death.  He reminded me that during Thanksgiving we give “deep gratitude.. for the rich productivity of American soil.”

    I believe it is important for us to remember the blessed nation we are fortunate to live in.  The United States of America is a chosen land.  One thought Elder Sill presented was the idea that we live more lavishly and comfortably today than any king in history.  He pointed out that if we had to live as King Solomon, even in all the glory of his palace and kingdom, it would be a great hardship to us.

    What a thought!  The average person in America lives with more comfort than any historical king!  How blessed we are and how often we take for granted this great nation we live in.  It truly is a promised land. 

    What has always separated America from any other nation is our freedom – the freedom that gives us the ability to worship our God however we please. If you look at the short history of the United States it becomes quickly apparent what separates us.  It is the freedom we enjoy, particularly religious freedom.  It saddens me that as a nation we are turning from the God who has so blessed us.  It is part of the agency God has given us, the freedom this nation is founded on, that currently allows so many to turn from God.

    This paragraph from the book rings so familiar to our current landscape that I will quote it in whole.  Elder Sill says:

    “In the United States we have just gone through a great political election to decide who would represent us in the governing councils of our country for the next four years.  We have been sharply divided on issues and people.  We have settled the matter by an appeal to the ballot box.  No blood was shed, no life was in danger, no one had any thought of trying to liquidate his opponent.  No one even pounded with his shoe or threatened to throw it at anyone.  Now all Americans will settle down and give full support to the government that they, under God, have created.  Now we will all unite in building a greater America and help to carry out our divine mission to promote freedom, justice, and happiness in the world.”

    Election day is tomorrow.  It is my sincere prayer that we as a nation can unite and support whoever wins this election.  It is my prayer that there is no bloodshed, danger, threats, or pounding of feat.

    The final and important point Elder Sill gives in this message is about our faith in God that I have already mentioned.  Specifically, the devotion to His Son, Jesus Christ. 

    The Mayflower Compact, written by those coming to settle a new America reads, “We whose names are underwritten have undertaken for the glory of God to establish in Virginia the first colony for the advancement of the Christian faith.”

    The New England Federation Compact Agreement reads similarly, “We all have come into these parts of America with one and the same end, namely to advance the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ.”

    I hope we can remember our Thanksgiving for this promised land.  I hope we can remember the freedoms and liberties we enjoy, and how great it is to be a part of the democratic process.  Finally, I hope we can remember who it is our ancestors came to America to serve, who’s kingdom they wished to establish. 

    “America was established as a kind of laboratory or experiment station to show what would happen to any people who cared and dared to follow Jesus Christ.” – Elder Sill.

    How blessed our ancestors were and how blessed we’ve been as we’ve looked to Jesus Christ.  I hope that can continue.