LIVE for HOPE, despite...

LIVE for HOPE, despite...

Despite the horrific slaughters, oppressions, abuses going on at the present time by Russian Orthodox Christians, Islamic jihadists of Iran and many other Muslim fanatic regimes,
the immoral and unjust twistings by extreme Left (Democrats) and extreme Right (Republicans) in modern America,

And the past worst of worst 20th century with more than 150 million humans killed in 50 years...
over 150 million pre-born infants executed...

And the endless abyss of history past including the Napoleonic War, 7 Years War, English and American unCivil Wars,
Ottoman-Hapsburg War, 30 Years War, French Religious Wars, Crusades, and back...
DESPITE, all those worsts. And endless common crimes...

BECAUSE of the contrary OPPOSITE WITNESSES
through the ages of what is good, true, caring, kind, just, relational, rational,
sharing, patient, forgiving, humble, meticulously honest, generous, peaceful, protecting, rejoicing, unselfish, altruistic, wise, LET US
follow Transcendence (G-d), moral realism, reason, guided science, and human rights,
working diligently to create a better future.

Listen to the great minds from some ancient Hebrew prophets such as Amos,
Plato and other Greek thinkers,
altruistic versions of Asian and Buddhist thought such as Ashka in the 3rd century BCE, a convert to Buddhism who allegedly freed his slaves, emphasized non-violence, tolerance, hospitals, opposed slave-trading, and supported animal care.

Yeshua, Jewish apocalyptic reformer in the 1st century CE, who emphasized that all humans ought to love others as themselves, even their national enemies! But he was executed by the Romans.

Early Waldensians, Francis of Assisi, Petr Chelcicky and early Bohemian Brethren were opposed to war,
George Fox, William Penn, Swiss Brethren and Menno Simons, all pacifists,
Spanish leader Las Casas, anti-slavery against Native Americans,
peacemaker and abolitionist John Woolman,
19th century Abolitionists including Lucretia Mott,

Elizabeth Fry for prison reform, Leo Tolstoy, Gandh, Catherine Booth and her son Herbert Booth of The Salvation Army, Charles Harrison Mason, Black leader of Church of God in Christ and pacifist in 20th century, early Pentecostal leaders,
and of course MLK,
A.J. Muste, Nelson Mandela, Abdul Ghaffar Khan, Muslim pacifist leader,

Dorothy Day, Catholic pacifist and reformer, Catholic Thomas Merton,
Vietnamese Buddhist pacifist and reformer Thich Nhat Hanh, South Afrcan Desmond Tutu, Ronald J. Sider, leader in the Brethren in Christ,
and many more.


In the LIGHT,

Daniel Wilcox