Beautiful words and pictures

Dear friends, I do not wish to snub your style, but do please address practical issues.
Problems need to be confronted with down to earth analysis and perpetrators of mistaken policies need to be challenged.

What do you believe are the 'burning issues' today?
War, Hunger, Our Planet, Violence, Human Rights, Our Shrinking Freedom

These are the real issues.

What in your mind is the biggest obstacle for peace?
Fear

Mainly fear of national neighbours. And we let our governments to be war-like and prepare for war on our behalf.

Do you believe that today an individual can help effect change in the world?
Definitely

Wish it were true. But it is just a comforting illusion. We may prevent a child from dying by contributing to some charity, but that does not help the thousands who die at the same time.
Only turning the military machine into a peace promoting one will make a real change. But that is a task far beyond the capability of single individuals. Strength lies in concerted team effort: Alltogether now, NOT IN OUR NAME...

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Comment by Janos Abel on March 11, 2010 at 12:49am: Just imagine if all those fighting over seas stopped for five minutes to give a "pretty picture" to someone else. Hummmm, war over!

I agree, it is a question of balance. A balance between encouraging and consoling fellow well wishers, and wondering what will stop the lassies and lads overseas long enough to distribute pretty pictures and words instead of mayhem.

Comment by Janos Abel on October 26, 2009 at 5:25am: It is difficult not to appear to look down on the "tree hugging" friends, the love teams.
I do "ponder" :-) a lot over how to minimise this risk but no effective guidance so far. So I sound the note but can not prevent it from irritating the people who are already in the right team..

My vision is to have many teams doing what they are guided to do, and together we usher in the Possible Good World. The task is big enough for all types to have a role.

I am touched by your description in that other post "...as I am serving the soups in the soup lines, carrying blankets along the back streets where human beings are cold and nutrition bars to the hungry there also...". I have been there (doing the necessary "first-aiding", I mean) but I did have quite a bit of rage in me leading to a burnout. At 72, I need to look deeper for the remediable causes and engage in the hazardous task of asking others, for whom it would be appropriate, to do the same, so that "we the people" will be heard in the places of "systemic power".

Comment by Tina on October 26, 2009 at 3:36am: Dear Janos, Pardon however, There is nothing wrong with "kind words or pretty pictures" for me. Yes there are issues and many people address the issues, debate the solutions, discuss the matters, listen to the news reports, read the papers and witness heated wars and arguing.
These practices can hardly be avoided unless you have a sharp pointed shovel and bury your head in the dirt!
What tine things we do for our friends to cheer them up or on in their quest to strive for world peace and solutions to problems is a good not an evil, Sir.

Along with becoming cynical and hateful the world is turning brother on brother, Mother, sister, and firend against friend over "issues" and nothing is being resolved. Some people believe that by living in love and kindness, by being what we desire this will help the world to change.
So if you would beg our pardon, while we are striving to help with all of the serious and perplexing world issue, AS we strive for peace and unity, please indulge us as we smile, or hug, comfort or encourage, it is something that this big ole might and mature world lacks alot of. Just imagine if all those fighting over seas stopped for five minutes to give a "pretty picture" to someone else. Hummmm, war over!

We have many "intelligent conversations, we vote when we are able, we march, we sing, we dance for our causes, we write letters of concern, some demand to the governments, we sign petitions..and a bunch of us give hugs and something lovely to read or to look at after a long day in a tiring world.

So do you think we could compromise a little here. You keep the forums open for the top notch intelligent discussions and a few of us hippy, tree hugging types will keep the love baskets flowing with any luck and/or blessing we may make one tiny dent in a very troubled world.

Oh yes, My Grand Father was a wise man, he once asked us children how one should eat an elephant? Answer ONE BITE AT A TIME. Our world got where it is with YEARS of effort, so our "little bites" out of crime are better than where we were yesterday. See My glass is forever almost full not nearly empty, the teacher always picks the kid who smiles and mean kids must stay in for recess...Those are the things I know for sure Janos, So May He who gave you life, bless and keep you, and pour a heap of tolerance upon you to tolerate us who wish to spread some love and cheer with the lemons! Hugs, Tina