Pacifism and You: A Primer
Chapter 1: Pacifism in Theory
Pacifism. What is it? Websters describes it as:
opposition to war or violence as a means of settling
disputes. But is that all there is to pacifism?
Does that really say it all? Well, sort of. But
not really. There is actually much, much more. And
I'm happy to have the opportunity to share some of
it with you. Firstly, to understand pacifism, one
must first understand love. So what is love, you
ask? Well, love is understanding. It is accepting
one another for ourselves. But it is more than just
that, my friend. It is a feeling of closeness, of
oneness, you might say, with someone else, or better
yet, with everyone else! Because, yes, love can
be universal! Love can unite us! Love can be the
answer! But! (And this is a big but...)
But you
have to let it be the answer. For so many people,
love is a crutch. Love is a tool to an end, a way
to reach a goal, a rest stop on the highway of their
lives. Now, these people have not embraced love.
And as such, they cannot feel what a pacifist can
feel. They cannot feel what someone who truly
understands love, who truly understands what it
means to understand, who truly knows love. So
that is first. Understanding love. Let it in.
Let love into your soul, let it shine its clear
light on your soul and straight into your heart.
Now that we understand the necessity of love, we
can delve into pacifism. And it is a simple step.
Pacifism is simply an extension of the love, the
light, in your soul to those around you. To
those who have not yet received the gift of love,
to those who have not yet opened themselves to
that gift, who have closed themselves to the light,
shading themselves in hate and fear, your light
will envelope them. It will bathe them in its
warmth and comfort. It will break through their
self-made and self-fashioned shields of bitter,
cold fear and warm their souls. It will make them
see, like you have seen for so long. To those who
have received the gift of love, who have opened
themselves, taking in the warmth and beauty of
the love of understanding and the love from
understanding, your light will gather with theirs,
it will coalesce and combine with theirs, forming
a brighter light and as more receive the gift, an
even brighter light of souls, of free souls loving
each other, loving love, and even loving those
who would not love them, who remain, as of yet,
closed. So this is the gift that is pacifism.
The light, the understanding, the love... It
can all be yours. In fact, it will all be yours.
If you have not yet, open yourself to our light.
Chapter 2: Pacifism in Practice
"Yes," you say, "I understand what pacifism is.
I understand what it means. But what I really
want to know is what else? I mean, what does
it really mean?" You may not know it yet, but
what you are referring to is pacifism in
practice. This is the subject of our second chapter.
What does it mean to me now? What should I do
now that I understand pacifism? First! Practice
love. Spread the word. Even if you haven't
been able to fully escape the bonds of disharmony
(for they are woefully strong bonds), even if
you are yet to break the chains of hate (for
they are chains forged on pain and misery), start
to slip those evils by merely spreading the word.
Where you are, greet your fellow people, be they
beast or being. "Hello!" How much time and
energy does that take? None! So first step:
practice. The light of love comes only with
understanding. The gift of peace is received
only with preparation. So pay your dues! It
is not hard, and it won't be long until your
second step: accepting the gift, and breaking your
chains. What are these chains of which I speak?
"Oh, I have no chains! I don't know what you're
talking about!" you protest. But! But! What
is that? What is that you are holding in your
hands? I think that might be... Oh, yes! It
is! It is a tool of hate. It is a tool, forged
by those who wish to draw blood when they should
truly wish to share love. And yes, brothers and
sisters, it is a chain. Think of your life here.
Think of every being whose existence you have
shattered. Please, don't worry, I do not
intend to accuse you. I only want to show you
your chains. Every life you have ended with
hate rather than enhancing with love is a link
in your chain. It is a key thrown from the
lock of hate. But with understanding came the
key to all locks. You have that key. Unlock
the chains. Put down your tools of hate. Do
not strike out against your fellow beings.
Become ready for step 3: joining. Once you
have completed the first two steps, the last
is simple. Join the movement of love. The
only movement that does not seek its own
destruction, but its propagation! Join with
the pacifists, and there are many around you
even if they themselves do not know it as of
yet, and become a prophet of love and light. Do
it today. Start now, your chains are long and
your bonds grow tighter. Unlock the chains
that bind your soul!
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Be at peace, brothers and sisters! Love one another! Spread the
word! Drop your weapons and hug your neighbor! Give peace a chance!
Don't be afraid to LOVE!!!!!!!!!
Chapter 3: So Now What?
So you've become a pacifist. So you've made
the decision that will set you free. So you've
thought about it, prepared yourself, and joined
our struggle. And it is a struggle. People,
crazy as this may seem, will resist our message.
But it isn't really crazy. No, they are just
living their weak lives they way that they always
have. The way that their ancestors did. They've
been taught that what they do is right, but inside
they know. And it is that inside feeling that you
must reach. You must break through the outer shell.
You must love them so much that no amount of
pain and suffering that they have endured will
keep you from reaching them. You must do this,
you must. It is your life, your wish, your sole
purpose for being now that you are a pacifist.
So now what? That is your question. "Hey," you
ask, "I'm a pacifist now, so now what?" Well, first
I must stop to congratulate you on opening yourself
to the light of love and casting away your chains.
Well, next, what you must do is help others who
are not so fortunate as you. Go out amongst
them and do what all good pacifists do: spread
the word. Yes, spread the word of love to the
unenlightened and the enlightened alike. For
it is sweet music to all of our ears. Be it in
voice, in song, in writing, on a sign, in symbol,
or in action, spread the word. This is first duty
as pacifists. However, it is sadly not enough, in
some cases. No, some among us have spent so long
in the darkness of the valley of hate that they
can no longer even see the great mountains of
love that surround them. To these people your
signs, your voices, your actions of love will
only anger and confuse them, and they will
go on perpetrating lives of violence and
destruction in place of lives of love and ful-
fillment. Well, with these people, you must
take a different approach. A more direct
approach. Start by convincing them to put
aside their tools of hate. Show them that
they do not need such mere toys when the power
of love is enough to shame any mere creation
of steel, leather, wood, or any other man
made item. If that does not work and the lost
soul continues to pursue a violent life, then
you should, no, you must stop him. Gather
your forces of love, gather a group of pacifists
and stop that poor soul from adding to his or
her chains of hate and blood. Be vigilant,
be strong, and perhaps most of all be persistent.
There will be many out there against your movement,
young one, but you must not let them stop you.
You are the light, they are the dark. And light
will always expose darkness. Darkness can never
conceal light, it is the light that must recede.
You are the light. Expose the darkness of their
souls to them. Open them to the light. That
is "What now?"
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