The Blogs: A Political Easter Message

For over two millennia, Christians have been comforted by the message that Jesus died for them to free them from the guilt of their transgressions. Accordingly, many of them, as well as Jews, are responding to the dramatically deteriorating global security situation with the expectation of a messianic redemption. In the moment of greatest need, however, God, who proclaimed non-violence through Jesus, is expected to intervene harshly to put a stop to evil – instead of showing people even more clearly how a non-violent strategy works.

In this questionable view, little more is demanded of people than humbly to believe and pray. Such a passive role of citizens does not meet the educational requirements for the internalization of a worldview. These consist of a continuous learning process. In the case of the message of peace, i.e., the replacement of violence with peaceful conflict resolution, this process must lead to a growing degree of judgment certainty, which can distinguish, in particular, a false peace-promoting facade from authentic avoidance of violence. Without such judgment and clear identification of the destructive forces on one side and their positive counterparts, values, and perspectives on the other, the interactions between individuals and between groups cannot develop sustainably for the better. This is the more the case as the destructive side is waging a relentless war by any means.1)

The actual implementation of nonviolence, especially in the Ukraine-Russia war, requires courageous commitment beyond comfortable belief and prayer, as well as the aforementioned learning process. Powerless appeals and petitions do not represent an effective counter-strategy to the militaristic-authoritarian use of violence, persecution, and disregard of constitutional principles. Rather, what is required is peaceful resistance according to the rules of democracy. However, this only works in the environment of an intact democratic constitutional state. Therefore, any use of violence by citizens in the context of their peaceful resistance would be extremely counterproductive. The state executive would use this as an opportunity or pretext for harsh crackdowns, (further) restricting fundamental rights such as freedom of assembly and freedom of expression.

The great civil rights activist Dr. Martin Luther King himself exemplified this correct and only promising interpretation of the Christian message of peace with his courageous commitment to consistent rule of law. And he explicitly warned his fellow citizens against the cowardly passivity that would deny support to this commitment: “In the end, we will not remember the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”

For far too long, a media scene that is far too uncritical has prevented Western citizens from both the necessary learning process and the development of courageous commitment. Instead, people have been educated to unquestioningly accept a militaristic course of the political establishment, which predictably has led to the exact opposite of stability and sustainable solutions to problems. The American Founding Fathers, the far-sighted pioneers of our modern democracy and freedom, warned against such a fundamentally wrong course. Thomas Jefferson also identified the correct perspective: “I hope our wisdom will grow with our power, and teach us, that the less we use our power the greater it will be.”

But in the atmosphere of the Western media and education system, these warnings, as well as the foundation of values of our democracy, namely that of the American Declaration of Independence, have been forgotten and, in some cases, systematically suppressed. This is evident not least in the magnificent speech of the sixth President of the United States, John Quincy Adams, in July 1821. The occasion was the 45th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The complete text has only recently been made available again.2) – It is characterized by the courageous stance so urgently needed today against the forces of centuries of suppression of fundamental freedoms. And it identifies the causal forces of oppression and polarization that are now at work around the world.

Even more clearly than the Founding Fathers, John Quincy Adams was able to identify and justify the authentic course of the USA as a model of freedom: She (America, note) well knows that by once enlisting under other banners than her own, were they even the banners of foreign Independence, she would involve herself beyond the power of extrication, in all the wars of interest and intrigue, of individual avarice, envy, and ambition, which assume the colors and usurp the standard of freedom. The fundamental maxims of her policy would insensibly change from liberty to force…” – This exact situation has occurred and persisted at least until the presidency of Joe Biden. No one foresaw as early as John Quincy Adams, and formulated as clearly where the USA’s journey down the militaristic path would lead: “She might become the dictatress of the world. She would be no longer the ruler of her own spirit.“

Meanwhile, the entire Judeo-Christian cultural area is threatened, not least because overwhelmed politicians, uncritical media and a wrongly programmed education system have allowed such important warnings as those of John Quincy Adams to fade away.

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