Peace: Too Frightening?

I receive a very conservative political e-mail because I want to read a variety of opinions. That e-mail contains links that, from time to time, I check out to see if there is anything of value being expressed. Unfortunately, the articles are seldom worth reading, much less responding to.

However, in reading one very nasty diatribe against "liberals" and Cindy Sheehan, I could not refrain from sending an on-line "letter to the editor" in response.

However, I received an e-mail saying my letter had been rejected for publication.

Why? Oh you know the excuses they give, but the truth was: it's too frightening.

God's word is always harder to follow than the litany of hate.

Here's my letter:

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Bob Pappas makes his reputation by labeling rational people, whose opinions differ from his, enemies of the state.

Hitler did that to Jews, liberals and homosexuals and rode to power on it.

Likewise, Pappas would like to ride to power on the backs of all who clearly see that the war in Iraq was optional and cannot achieve its stated ends of "freeing the world of terror."

Indeed, the latter idea – that the war in Iraq can free the world of terror - is revealing itself to be ridiculous.

Mahatma Gandhi brought freedom and independence to India with his principles of peace. However, Mr. Pappas cannot advocate for that kind of effective action because it takes more bravery to stand without weapons than it does to kill.

In this way he shares the philosophy of the terrorists who strap bombs to their backs and blow up innocent people.

Until we are willing to sacrifice our bodies for peace, as we sacrifice the bodies of our soldiers for war, people like Mr. Pappas will reign supreme, glorying in their rhetoric while others die.

His invective is, frankly, sickening. And for him to compare the pre-emptive war in Iraq with World War II is political trickery.

But he is just a pawn in this machine of war he praises, a very frightened man under all that bombast, he does not offer us help, but fear and loathing. I ask everyone to pray for him, and for our nation that is being dragged down the wrong path.

The battle is not yours, but God's. 2 Chronicles 20:15

Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. Isaiah 2:4

Clyo Beck

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I ask you all to pray for all people spouting hate including the web publisher who is so afraid of my opinions that he dare not publish them.

Just as we are urged to want God as much as a parched man longs for water, so must we long for God's peace with that same need.

Let us all pray to be filled with that longing, and soon.

Clyo