The truth about terrorists, and why we need to stop fueling the fear.
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Terrorists want us to talk about their deeds. They want us to spread the news. They want us to be afraid.
What if we stopped feeding the flame? What if we looked at where they came from, what has been modeled for them, and what their intention is?
We could ask any number of dictators, terrorists, and evil leaders of the world the same question. “What is your intention?” The answers might surprise us.
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Every behavior has a positive intention. You might ask, “What is the positive intention in these horrible acts?” In their minds, there is positive intention. In their minds, they are right. In their minds, they are doing the right thing.
We could ask any number of dictators, terrorists, and evil leaders of the world the same question. “What is your intention?” The answers might surprise us.
How each of us responds is just as important as how all of us respond. The world is in crisis. Buying more guns, locking ourselves up inside our homes, living in fear, treating others badly, is not the way to respond. The way is through love. The way is through forgiveness. It isn’t an easy task to forgive.
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” – Dr. Martin Luther King
I have often said, “They can only bring to the table what they know,” if they have been modeled only hate, it is up to us, who know love, to bring love to the table.
Why do we forgive terrorists? We forgive them because if we didn’t that would fuel the fire both in our own hearts, and in theirs.
We forgive because life gives us the opportunity to begin again every single moment of every day. Holding onto what was done, keeps us thinking of the past, and keeps us in fear for our future. Forgiveness brings peace and brings you to the present moment.
True forgiveness strips them of the power they thought they had. And what could be more powerful than that?
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Photo: Getty Images
I admire the sentiments, but I can’t help but think of a Civil war quote from one of the defeated Confederate generals: “You may forgive us but we won’t be forgiven. There is a rancor in hour hearts which you little dream of. We hate you, sir.” In regards to motivation, I certainly believe that you are accurate when you assert that every behavior -now matter how erratic or abhorrent- begins with a relatively positive, mundane, or benign intention: “In their minds, they are right. In their minds, they are doing the right thing” – After, no villain, tyrant, or… Read more »