Photo
Preserved unchanged, it is “a stark and powerful
symbol of the most destructive force ever created by humankind,” says a UNESCO
* article. In 1996 the building was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List as
the Hiroshima Peace Memorial.
Sadly, though, such poignant memorials have not
stopped war, which is often caused by greed, nationalism, and racial,
religious, and tribal hatred. So, will warfare always be with us?
What about terrorism?
Terrorism is
systematic, premeditated and calculated. The primary objective is not to
produce a large number of deaths and injuries. The carnage is only a means to
an end. It helps to create the atmosphere of bewilderment and fear that
terrorists want, in order to discredit the authorities and publicize their
cause. Let's look at some factors that are behind the violent terrorist acts.
Hate.
'Terrorism fuel is hate, "says Louis J. Freeh, the FBI director.
"Those who nourish this hatred live in a world painted in the colors of
prejudice, marked by conspiracy hues and framed by ignorance."
Oppression.
"You have to admit that the irrational goal of the leaders of certain
groups and some countries is to annihilate other cultures," writes Stephen
Bowman in his book When the Eagle Screams (The Eagle's Cry). "But it is
also obvious that much of the terrorism is born of despair."
Frustration.
"In so many cases, the basic motivation of the terrorist is a genuine
frustration with political, social and economic forces seemingly immutable,
"says the editor of the book Urban Terrorism.
Injustice.
"Terrorism is the symptom of a problem, not the actual cause," says
Michael Shimoff, in his essay "The terrorist policy". He continues:
"Our long-term goal should be to eliminate the social causes of terrorism
and basic policies. While we fight terrorism, we must also make vigorous
efforts to enhance freedom, dignity, justice and humanitarian values. Only when
those vigorous efforts have effect it is that we can turn our operations to
combat terrorism and counterterrorism. "
The truth is
that human efforts to combat terrorism - even if the motivation is sincere -
will not succeed in dealing with the causes of the problem. The solution to the
problem of terrorism is beyond human capacity.
"The
technology that aims to thwart terrorist attacks on commercial airlines could
not accomplish what scientists expected," says New Scientist magazine.
"After several years of experimentation, no detection system meets the
minimum requirements set by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA,
acronym in English)." The agency wanted a system to make a scanning electron
ten bags per minute, which detect "several kilos" explosive 95
percent of the time, which, however, present a false alarm rate
"next" 1 to 2 percent. However, the devices that use X-rays and metal
detectors cannot detect the "current favorite weapon of terror" - the
plastic explosives. Was used a plastic explosive to jet the Pan American
exploding over Lockerbie, Scotland, in 1988.
The well-known
German Journalist Fritz René Allemann explains so their strategy: "The
terror - sometimes used the most brutal and cruel way, the highly refined times
and cunningly executed - seeks to achieve the upper classes and shake the lower
classes from their lethargy and fatalistic resignation, by demonstrating to
them that governments and the rulers are not beyond reach.
So it is that
the methods of religious conflict in Northern Ireland and the "liberation
movements" minority in other countries have spread to the prosperous
countries of the West. "The urban guerrillas" move in the middle of
modern cities like jungles, whose huge apartment buildings and impersonal
streets offer shelter and cover. lightning attacks, including bank robberies,
bombs, "executions" of unpopular politicians and prominent
personalities of kidnapping to force the release of imprisoned comrades, have
become the order of the day.
In the
meantime, another factor, often overlooked, greatly contributes to this climate
of violence. Which is?
Clerical
involvement
A religious
person would, in all honesty, ask why religion has not been more effective in
moderating the political violence. It is not Christianity opposed to violence
and use of force? Does not advocate before, love of neighbor?
Heinrich
Albertz, the former mayor of Berlin, ordained minister of the Evangelical
(Lutheran) and synod member, provides a glimpse of the answer. During a
television interview in late 1974, admitted: ". We are all guilty of things have come to this point because they are,
after all, our sons and daughters".
His words are the fact that one of the four alleged leaders of the
notorious German terrorist group Baader-Meinhof, who is up against five counts
of murder and numerous counts of attempted murder, bank robbery, arson,
bombings, currency counterfeiting, and theft of large amount, is daughter of a Protestant minister
ordered!
In fact, the
majority of Catholic and Protestant
clergymen not affirm openly advocating violence and terror. But the statements
of these clerics are a lower measure of its contribution to terrorism than
their actions. Are very similar to the parent who tells the child not to
smoke, but fails to help you understand fully why, while at the same time, he
continues to smoke - so encouraging wrongdoing. Therefore, the clergy may condemn what terrorists do, but they themselves have
cultivated the soil in which the seeds of terror and violence have taken root
and flourished. As well?
Well, consider the methods of religious leaders
during the hundreds of years in the Middle Ages when they were strong enough to
impose its will on the state. It is not true that their bloody crusades,
terrifying inquisitions, burning of "heretics" witch hunt,
"conversions" by the sword, and other violent tactics, fill the pages
of history with evidence that they had no aversion to terror and violence when
it was advantageous to them? Is the time changed this underlying acceptance of
violence?
The history of
the two world wars in the heart of Christianity answers that not! The historical record shows that political
leaders on both sides of the two conflicts could count on the fervent support
of the churches to send their young people to commit violence. He said
Major General Brigadier English, Frank P. Crozier ". The Christian Churches are the best promoters of eagerness to see blood
we have, and made them free use" Religious terror continues in
Northern Ireland continues to demonstrate this tendency to violence among the
peoples of Christendom, no matter how many words of peace come out of the mouth
of the clergy.
So, just missed small step to some clerics who
supported violence warrior type for God and country "would advocate
violence in support of political causes that some people believe" fair
". Advocating this, the pastor of the Presbyterian University, Henry
W. Malcolm wrote during the period of the revolt of radical students against
the Vietnam War:
"Those
who complain that the clergy should not be involved in public issues such as
politics, economy, poverty, war and peace, not
really understand the history of the ministry. It is they who provide visible evidence of
the most basic teachings of their faith. This does not go unnoticed of radical
students across the nation. "
Hence, showing
the extent to which the clergy may engage in political movements, as well as
simple words, Malcolm says:
"If this
also means that some action has to be taken to change society addressed in free
society, one should also try it. In all, that's
why the campus pastor becomes involved with the radical students. "
News now pile
up is churchmen involved in the movements of "liberation" around the
globe. Many not only verbally advocate the overthrow of that label systems
"oppressive", but the real
participation of themselves in this violence. So lend an air of respectability
moral violence, as if it were the will of God. Typical are the words of the
Colombian Catholic priest Camillo Torres, who died some time ago under a hail
of bullets soldiers:
"Revolution
means to install a government that feeds the hungry, the naked view and
instruct the ignorant, in short, a pursuing love. For this reason, the revolution is not only a
possibility for Christians, but indeed a duty, if it is the only effective
means of achieving this love for everyone. "
You can blame the modern-day young people are led to believe
that the way to achieve a just society is through their own efforts - that act
in harmony with the will of God, who does not want or cannot act? William
F. Starr, Protestant advisor at Columbia University, noted that the concept of
the late German Protestant theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer, was that it is
"the world itself, the man himself as living in the world that meets needs
and tackles problems and not God. " To this, add Starr: "As Bonhoeffer
listeners, do not ask more for God to do what man can do for yourself and for
each other."
So, if the man
takes care of himself, then "destroy what is destroying you!" Seems
to many to be a legitimate solution of frustration at the failure of human
governments. But is it?
It would be shortsighted to believe that terrorists
are wrong in all their conclusions. Instead of overlooked is the fact they
recognize the failure of the current systems in dealing with political,
economic, racial and environmental problems. But is your solution - a violent
replacement of current systems by other chosen by themselves - is correct? Or
was it simply exchange one form of oppression by imperfect humans otherwise?
On the other
hand, that results of their efforts can have those who advocate that operates
"within the system"? Although talk and work too, is the condition of
the affairs of the world is moving in the right direction? The existence of
increasingly poor, unemployed, illiterate, hungry and homeless - and now the
largest number of refugees - responds emphatically: No!
Not shown
imperfect humans, adequately enough, they cannot make the necessary global
changes to bring peace and happiness to all mankind?
We all are guilty if don't take action so as not collapses de world.
Milu Ramalho
16-06.2016
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