ARETALOGIA
kaikkeen
maailmaan
Aretalogia to
the World
The being of all is far and
deep, deep, who can find it?
The
way of mankind to the world peace
1. The sinister clouds of war hanging over mankind
I was born
in December 1944, at the same time as the conclusive battles of the 2nd World
war were fought. The peace negotiations with Soviet Union had changed the
situation the war in Finland. One of the terms of peace was to expel German
soldiers from Finnish soil. So former companion in arms became enemies. Hence
began the war in Lapland causing evacuation of the whole province. My family
had been evacuated to Lohtaja (in Central coastal Finland) where I was born.
After the war the evacuees returned home to Lapland, finding everything burned
and destroyed by retreating German troops. I lived my early childhood amidst
ruins, mines, shortage and sorrow. Mothers wept over their dead sons, wives
over their husbands and children their fathers. My two uncles were killed in
war and I remember vividly the image of my grandmother sitting with a wet
handkerchief in her hand.
Our first
home after war was built by my father at the place where German troops had had
their prison camp for Russian soldiers. 27 prisoners, died from diseases,
starvation, frost and brutality, had been buried in a small graveyard near to
the camp gate. As a child I was often standing by the graveyard, looking at a
Russian Orthodox cross erected on the mound and thinking the hard destiny of
prisoners. They died far off their home and family. Perhaps, somewhere in the
east grandmothers were weeping over their lost sons and children of my age were
in vain waiting their fathers come home. At that time I became convinced that
there never should be war again.
I am
really sure that anyone who has undergone the horror and brutality of war or
seen the sorrow and pain caused by it, agrees with me. Nevertheless, the entire
history of humanity from Bible history to our times is filled with wars and
brutality. Scarcely ever there has been a nation living without any wars in the
world.
After the
2nd World war, at the same time as ruins were repaired, the new better world
was tried to create by establishing UN and the International court of justice
and declaring the human rights, by aid of which all the international
controversies should be settled without any armed confrontations. Even so, soon
after that the Cold war broke out and the arms race began. Afterwards there has
been not a year without waging war somewhere on the globe. The Berlin wall was
built in 1961 for a symbol of the divided world and the threat of 3rd World war
was averted by balance of terror.
2. Efforts to achieve peace
As long as
men have fought there also have been persons aspiring to permanent peace. Many
Grecian philosophers, Buddha, Muhammed, Krishnamurti and Jesus Christ the
Nazarene inter alia devoted their life-work and even sacrificed their life to
the better future of humanity. After the 2nd World war they also have set out
many forums, besides UN, to discuss and settle questions of war and peace. For
instance, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, OSCE,
concentrates on to conciliate the ideological contradicts between Eastern and
Western Europa. The peace movements and dashing peace marches have also been a
noteworthy part of political development in last decades.
President
Gorbatshov has been one of the great humanists among heads of states. His
ideals of glasnost have changed maps of Soviet Union and all Europe, and he
also took effect on terminating of the cold war. The national values and
security of small nations have been more significant in his times. Kuwait was
defended by the concencus of opinion of the UN Security Council after
occupation by Saddam Hussein. Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania became independent
and many other small nations, Chechnya inter alia, had a gleam of hope to reach
statehood.
But how
has it turned out? Where is the spirit of glasnost? Where are the rights and
security of small nations? During the last ten years we have heard terrible
news about atrocities in former Yogoslavia. Now the identity and freedom of
Chechnyans has been shattered in Russia. By what right Russia is destroying
Chechnya? Who is the terrorist, Russia or Chechnya? And what will be the
destiny of other small nations after Chechnya has been dashed to pieces and
Russian leaders have became national heros. The sinister clouds of war are
hanging over mankind again and people are indifferent concerning all the
atrocities being turned to small nations. Where is UN and the International
court of justice? Where are the peace movements and peace marches? Where is the
solidarity of other nations? What is OSCE doing?
Anarchistic
ideas like neo-Nazism are spreading like plague in Europe. The present
government of Austria is just a top of iceberg, which has been viewed with
disfavour also by European ministers. Instead of that no one has the courage to
criticize Russia and the nationalism there, at least not EU and the Council of
Europe. The same negligence was found also in the 1930's in times of Hitler's
takeover. This time we should not wait too long. Wake up, mankind! See what is
happening around us and where are we going.
3. War
is argued brutality
Protecting
his own and other people's life is one of human's essential features. Few of us
really is able to kill a man. It is not possible even by means of hypnosis to
get one to do things against his ethical and moral conviction. Therefore, so as
to get people to kill each other, even without guilty conscience, they have to
argue killing by glorifying it and denying the human dignity of enemies.
Enemies are often called as terrorists and barbarians whereas ones own military
operations are argued as the battles for the native country, the only right
faight or idea. People are even ready to kill for a bright piece of metal
called a decoration. Also the nations beyond the conflict can avoid to have
responsibility for them by declaring e.g. Chechnyans terrorists.
A case in
point of branding a nation as dangerous militarists was the events leading up
to the breaking the war between the Soviet Union and Finland in 1939. The first
shots to Mainila village in the Soviet Union really were fired by Soviet
troops. In this way invasion to Finland was made to seem to be just defence of
country. As well it is very hard to believe that small and poorly armed Chechny
could be a serious threat to great Russia. Rather it seems that Chechny has
fallen a victim to implicit idea of great power and individual seekers after
power.
4. The
psychological background of wars
Wars never
break out by accident. There always is long-standing purposive national
manipulation behind them. Events in Germany in the 1930's were a warning
example of that. The world-wide economic crisis and depression at the end of
the 1920's prepared the ground for spread of Nazism. Party leader Hitler rised
and he was appointed as state chancellor in January 1933. On the last of
February Hitler laid the statute of the state of emercency and revoked the
constitutional rights of people. The law of protective custody was made at the
same time and first concentration camps were established already in March 1933.
Ten thousand dissident citizens considered to be unpatriotic and dangerous were
crammed in these camps. Hitler also forced through a law according to which he
was able to pass the parliament in decision making.
When
Hitler had rised to all power he started an unprecedented manipulation of
people. Among other things, the press and the broadcast as well as libraries
and bookshops were under strict control. Also many newspapers were suppressed.
For that reason German people were driven into mass psychosis and in the next
election for the parliament Nazis got 92,1% of votes. Events following that are
terrible and shocking. 25% of Polish people and 6 million Jews were destroyed,
and the casualties of the 2nd World war totalled 50 million.
These
things that happened in Germany in the 1930's can occur anywhere in world. The
social hypnosis means the hypnotic influence of authorities over people. It is
very dangerous if the press, broadcast and television are under a control of
some political, ideal or religious group. The majority of people form their
opinion in accordance with public opinion. The lack of alternative views make
people impressionable for psychotic ideas and in this condition they do what
they are told. Very few citizen are able do disagree with public way of
thinking and act unlike all the others. And frequently, these individuals are sent
to prison or silenced.
5.
Fight against wars with spiritual arms
Wars never
end by fighting. The defeat and the offence against national rights and pride
always gives rise to a new war. Our only change to avoid outbreak of war in
future is to set out on the purposeful way of mental progress and factual
information. No more manipulation, social hypnosis or distortion of facts and
there will not be wars anymore.
The way of
spirit is the only effective way to the better and more rightful world. As Jesus
the Nazarene taught us: "Love your enemies and pray for those who
persecute you". "If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to
him the other also". "Do not resist an evil person". "Do
not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment. But I tell you
that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again,
anyone who says to his brother, `Raca', is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But
anyone who says, `You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell." These
words imply a seed of the new and better world for both individuals and
nations. Unfortunately, these teachings have been forgotten and the Christian
religion has changed into ostensible religion by aid of which nations have been
governed. The idea of the only right faight has led people into numerous
religious wars in the all world.
Jesus the
Nazarene taught us the reality of mental progress. We have to grow as
individuals and nations to love each other, other nations and races and meet
the people believing in different way as brethren, too. They are people like
us, sometimes even better in some respects. "There is no fear in love. But
perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one
who fears is not made perfect in love." How anyone can hate somebody
loving him?
Dear
friends! With these words of love we can avert conflicts between individuals
and nations. Let us love each other an do our best for their good. Let this
planet become a planet of peace and love.
Aretalogia to the World - front page
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