Mountain View Friends

     The common mindset of most people tells them they should respond to their fear by becoming hostile in response and attacking the threat.  This is most often a fatal error because it leads into a cul-de-sac.  In that place ever escalating violence ends only in death, injury, exhaustion and enduring hatred.  There is no victory in war no matter how successful one side is in conquering another.  War victories are an illusion, a failure to distinguish between peace and exhaustion.
     When we respond to threat by a parallel action (violence for violence) we more and more come to resemble what we are attacking.  We become repressive and nasty to our fellow citizens and call them traitors if they lack enthusiasm for joining our attack.  We cloak more and more of our government’s decisions in secrecy sheltering those in leadership from criticism.  Secrecy encourages our leaders and our soldiers to act in violation of the moral values that hold us together.  We abandon our own poor and those needing support in our society in favor of the warrior class and the wealthy who supply them.  We set about dismantling the legal protections of our citizens in the name of security.  Bit by bit democracy dies.
    We are here to tell you about another way.  In the silence we can find a way to transform fear into love.  How does this happen?  By stilling our thoughts and becoming quiet we let go of all those ego-centered notions that have been creating illusions about our relationship to others.  When we become still the truth of who we are can reach us and does reach us.  In the silence we discover that we are safe no matter what happens to us.  We find that others – even those who are hostile toward us can be persons we can get to know and care about.  There are skills that turn away wrath and open up a dialogue. 
    We know this way is not easy but the rewards are great.  Our human dignity and the dignity of those who might otherwise have been enemies is preserved.  We can find anew the truth that we are more alike than we had thought.  We can learn to respect each other’s needs and values.  

Please be quiet for us for a few minutes so that we can all find the strength and courage that will lead to peace.