The Trouble With This World

I had an interesting exchange today on Facebook.  As with any other Internet social network, you always risk offending someone or another.  The ironic thing is this exchange came from a guy that somehow landed up on my friend list.  I accepted his invited awhile ago and I guess I had erroneously thought he was a mutual friend of someone I know.  Needless to say, it turns out that he isn't anyone I know at all.

I had posted a link about the killing of Osama bin Laden by the United States and expressed my apprehension about how it made me feel.  I don't believe that killing someone -- even if they have committed such atrocities -- is going to bring about world peace.  In my mind, taking a person's life in the name of world peace makes no sense.  I fear it will only insight more violence by the fundamentalists that really only need one small reason to justify more of their terrorism.  The part that really bothered me the most was the fact that Americans were celebrating in the streets.  I feel that people can obviously have an opinion about this event, but in the name of peace they should keep it to themselves so as not to add more fuel to the already very volatile fire.  My number one concern is that retaliation will take place, and in a VERY big way.

Several of my friends posted similar sentiments, although many agreed that it was probably something that had to be done.  I also agree that removing this man from the formula might cause some change, but deep in my heart I believe someone else will only take his place and the violence will escalate as a result.  The bottom line is that you cannot fight evil with more evil.  History has proven this time and again.

So what is the answer?  I have no idea, except that human kind may never realize that there really isn't an "us" and "them."  We are all from the same source and we all share 99.9% of our DNA with ever other human being.  Therefore, what we do to others we ultimately do to ourselves.  I guess this sentiment comes from a place of spirituality.

My last comment is that the person who posted the accusations professes to be a Christian.  What every happened to the commandment "Thou shall not kill?"  This is the part that really baffles me.  Here is a copy of the post I'm referring to:

Have you all forgotten who started this? If standing up for what is right bothers you, maybe you should move to Switzerland. And the "it makes us no better than them" remark, are you serious?!?! Do you REALLY feel that way??? Or maybe you're like Mrs. Obama who has never been proud of her country in her adult life.  

The comments that my friends and I posted never warranted this kind of response.  But clearly our comments touched this person's "pain body" in some profound way.  It's sad really because this person really doesn't get it.  My response to him was as follows:

The definition of "what is right" is different for some people. I still believe that violence begets more violence. Celebrating the death of another, no matter how bad that person may have been, will only insight more violence. You are obviously entitled to your opinion, but please allow others to express their opinion as well.