“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” (Matthew 5:9, KJV)
Many people speak of peace, and many say they pray for peace, yet few understand what peace truly is. Peace is not the mere absence of conflict – peace is both an inner state of contentment and well-being, and an external situation in which people can live joyfully, fulfilling both personal and professional interests free from coercion, exploitation and manipulation of dictatorial control.
The first peace I’ve described is what Jesus spoke of, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you.” (John 14:27, KJV). It is the peace, we as his followers, can maintain despite circumstances around us.
The second type is the peace which exists when all entities in a situation are devoted to the truth – they then can bring peace to any seeming disagreement. It is the peace we should always seek between our brothers and sisters in Christ and with others who have an understanding that truth is the only reality on which any “peace” can be predicated. Without this, there can be no physical peace.
Jesus Christ realized that His peace is a necessity for those who love him because they live in a world where many reject cooperation. He didn’t instruct us to merely pray for peace, we are instructed to live and work for peace and to use force when necessary to protect the peace of those who would be harmed by evildoers. This second type of peace is the antithesis of the world, it is why we are in the world, but not of the world…and why Jesus told us to be prepared to fight when necessary, ““Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.” (Matthew 10:34, KJV). Peace has been given us by Christ Jesus in our reconciliation with God and with our brethren – not with those who follow Satan.
Who are the peacemakers in today’s world?
Every individual devoted to the truth, to love, to God, becomes a peacemaker in his sphere. Perhaps you can think of a few individuals in your family or community, but can you think of any individual in government or any nation in the international arena who would consistently qualify as a peacemaker amongst nations?
Peacemakers are not only those who educate of the Godly and moral approaches to all matters in this world, they are those who stand up to fight the evildoers to prevent them from harming others.
It’s easy to see who is not a peacemaker…just about every nation of the collective West has been a warmonger adding to and initiating brutal aggression and oppression worldwide. The “leaders” (politicians and policymakers) of these countries have been the cause of millions of deaths and enormous suffering worldwide. While using words such as “peace,” “freedom,” and “democracy,” they inflict violence upon any who do not succumb to their exploitation and commands.
Then, there are the nations which have been artificially depressed economically while their Western controllers exploit the vast wealth of resources located in their countries. They are not peacemakers (currently). They are nations with leaders who were/are weak in spirit and strong in greed for themselves while their people suffer. Among these are nations, of which there are several, who are now taking back their country from the corrupt leaders in order to say no to further exploitation. In a quest to restore sovereignty, these are nations which seek peace for themselves and their brotherly nations, and who must currently fight to exert rightful control over their own fate in order to repel the collective West’s control. They are in no position to influence/assist other countries, as they must first fight for their own. They will become peacemakers.
With the collective West excluded, and the suffering nations – some of whom are breaking free from the West’s domination excluded presently, it leaves us with the nations most maligned by the West, countries such as China and Russia. And, yet, what role are these two countries playing in the world? Are they colonial powers like the USA, UK, or France wielding their military and economic might to force weaker nations into subjugation? Do they have a policy of threatening other countries to comply with an hegemonic agenda or else be sanctioned? Do they let innocent people starve to death in order to crush a government that does not become their vassal? Do they instigate wars thousands of miles from their borders? Do they encourage criminality, perversity, and disrespect of faiths in their society? The answer to all these questions is a resounding “No.”
Yet, ask almost any American who poses the greatest threat to their nation and most will reply, “China” or “Russia.”
Americans are consumers…as long as they have creature comforts, most think about nothing else in the world. They blindly regurgitate the propaganda provided them by their government and its media. Their perceptions are informed only by the illusory stories given them daily by their government. With even just a little research into world history and current geopolitics, their false beliefs about these nations would be shattered – but most of them will never do that little research. Why? Because, as I said, they are simply consumers. Truth does not motivate them – money does.
To most Americans, matters of reflection, contemplation, and history are not matters they devote themselves to – instead it is money and power – regardless of their stature in life that controls them. Truth is not their priority – thus, they call evil good and good evil both within their societies and externally worldwide. Their nations can persecute the truth-tellers because the vast majority of their people do not care about the truth.
So, what is China and Russia doing that they have such a bad reputation in the West?
They both have become global peacemakers…making them the antithesis of the USA.
Both nations focus on self-defense – not offense, as the USA does, for example. Both were instrumental in establishing the fastest-growing stable economic organization welcoming nations worldwide to participate (BRICS), and both have presented as some of the few to try to bring diplomacy through negotiations/stability/peace to worldwide conflicts. Russia is a nation which has brought thousands of Africans to study at universities and then returned them to their native countries to advance the education/medical care, etc. in their homelands. Russia has also been at the forefront with humanitarian help worldwide. Even now, despite the West’s reneging on the grain deal which never helped the poor countries it was purportedly formed to do, Russia is giving thousands of tons grain free of charge to the poorest countries of the world. Russia, who developed the first true Covid vaccine (unlike the USA mRNA “vaccines” which were not vaccines at all by the medical definition) and offered it free of charge to poor nations (and only at cost to others) and even extended it freely to United Nation’s staff should they want it. China and Russia are both leading millions of people into a multipolar world where mutual respect, trade, and diplomacy exists between all cooperating nations. (The entire world, including many previously exploited countries by the West, now have hope for their economies and societal advancement – only the minority 20% of countries of the collective West who do not want such peace and condemn the new international cooperation as it challenges the exploitative hegemony they have had).
Russia is still fighting and freeing people from the fascism of Europe to this day, just as they did in World War II. It will be Russia which finally puts an end to European fascism – not the West. These are but a few of the many peaceful solutions these two powerful nations are responsible for – millions are being blessed due to such cooperation and diplomacy.
Only the West is condemning the peace we see forming in the world, as it seeks not peace but instead seeks to maintain its control at the expense of others.
Most of the massively deadly conflicts in the world could have been prevented by the United States; indeed, many were caused by the USA overtly and covertly. Look at the tragically sad conflict between Israel and the Palestinians – the USA seeks not to quell the violence – rather, it is actively engaged in escalation – having the Zionist state as essentially a military base for its hegemony in the Middle East – the US never wanted to see true peace (respecting all parties) in the region.
Peace does not come by ignoring the legitimate position of one side. And in the Ukraine-Russia conflict, it was the USA/NATO which instigated it all – breaking its promise not to expand NATO (a militaristic expansion group – not a defensive alliance any longer) in the region, supporting the illegal takeover the rightful Ukrainian government through a bloody coup, arming the country, and allowing the persecution (rape/torture/murder) of Russian-speaking Ukrainians. The USA (using its proxy Ukraine) provoked the conflict. Why? Because the Wests’ collective ego believes in provoking and taunting the other great powers of the world to gain a perceived advantage – this is because the truth, the love of God, is not in them. They would rather risk catastrophic consequences, including global annihilation, than begin to focus only on their countries’ well-being and simultaneously respect the sovereignty of other countries.
Contrast the Wests’ many decades of instigating and exploiting conflicts with the restraint shown by Russia in defense of its people; it could have ended the Ukraine conflict very quickly if it had used carpet-bombing and other mass-killing techniques of the United States – but it does not. Unlike the West, Russia does not kill indiscriminately, rather it attempts to minimize loss of civilian life despite its enemies often embedding military in civilian settlements.
Human life has never been important to the warmongering USA and other Western nations – only power. They believe the end justifies the means – they believe evil justifies evil. As Orthodox, we know none of this is true, and thoughtful Orthodox never “stand” with any “side” which systematically engages in evil. We do not choose the lesser of two evils – we exhibit God’s loving empathy, compassion, and strength to bring sanity into the spiritually insane world. We understand the gravity of taking any human life, as all were made in the image of God, while simultaneously understanding sometimes the taking of life will be necessary. We seek justice, reconciliation, and peace – understanding not all have these values. We recognize those who righteously defend the faith and defend the innocent need our support for their spiritual/emotional/physical strength and healing.
Orthodox Christians must always seek to attain, cultivate, and maintain the peace of God within regardless of the external circumstances of our life. However, the second type of peace cannot be ours by merely speaking words, praying, and lamenting the state of the world. True peace between any group of persons is possible only when both are committed to truth. When one party to a conflict is not (and on the contrary, is committed to Satanic lies) then we must put on the armor of God and fight.
When up against demonically-controlled human beings, you do not serve peace with pacifism and saying nice-sounding words.
God has always told his people to protect the vulnerable, to do any less is to be complicit in the evil. It is the inner peace of God which strengthens us to fight the evil around us while simultaneously being willing to always forgive and have dialogue when another proves themselves receptive to the goodness and light of truth.
The West is now using their divisive tactics in other nations to bring strife and discord among the Orthodox Church (some of whom have sadly succumbed to the lies, choosing to fit in with the world and its secular ideology rather than choosing God’s truth above all else).
Whether regarding the conflict between Ukraine or Russia or regarding societal degradation, there is absolutely no justification for a true Orthodox believer to side with evil. Those who claim to be Orthodox, who simultaneously accept schismatic “churches” and deviations from the apostolic faith show that they value the opinion of man over God’s. For example, when they side with the schismatics in Ukraine, or place humanistic tolerance above God’s laws, or choose to remain silent or side with the violent crimes of Ukraine against Russian-speakers, such persons, among them even monks and priests, are committing a sin which is warned against in Isiah 5:20 (KJV): “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!”
For example, one cannot simply proclaim, “No war,” quote some Scriptures, while having ignored the terrible suffering and death the people of the Donbass suffered for all these years…nor can anyone truly committed to God’s peace ignore the decades of warmongering the West has been engaged in against people worldwide.
An Orthodox Christian either cares about the truth or he is not following God, for God is only in truth. For the Orthodox in the USA and worldwide who find it more comfortable to align themselves with the Western values surrounding them instead of God’s values, I believe God’s judgement will be upon. To know God’s teachings on how to live righteously and to choose the opposite …or to know of those persecuted and to not align with those who protect them is to willingly choose to do evil. It is as James 4:17 (KJV) states: “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.”
Sadly, many in the USA who claim to be Christians are proudly stating that they “Stand with Israel,” and even attempt to justify Israel’s indiscriminate retaliation against the people of Gaza by citing the evil which was perpetrated upon them in the recent attack. Yet, I reiterate, evil does not justify evil.
Self-defense on any side of a conflict must never include barbarism. Yet again it is the Americans who seek to monopolize on the conflict (they essentially made/allowed) with some of its politicians now appearing to be very excited at the prospect of major war. Many Americans, ignorant as most are, know nothing and care nothing for the plight of the Palestinians – their civilian deaths are valueless to many Americans. The protection of civilians (on both sides) must always be the priority in any conflict.
Anyone with the love of God within seeks both cessation of the hostilities and an end to the needless civilian deaths and a just settlement of the land conflict. If one lovingly prays for Israeli civilians – they would also pray lovingly for Palestinian civilians and vice versa. A true follower of Christ would never justify murder by either side, yet this is what I see many American Christians doing.
An Orthodox Christian is saddened by the terrible tragedy exacted on both Israel and Palestine and never ignores history. They will not side with the Zionist regime nor with Hamas – they will side with God’s love of all and recognize all of this was preventable if not for the collective West making the circumstances in which the horror resulted. True Orthodox Christians will seek only to de-escalate and propose implementation of the two-state solution developed long ago. As it is, the United States has only focused on persuading Middle Eastern countries to accept the artificial state of Israel while ignoring the need for Palestinian statehood thus promoting American hegemony in the Middle East.
The world is facing the potential of an enormous conflict militarily…it would be the ultimate and final battle in the spiritual war between good and evil (of which many smaller battles take place daily). There can be no peace among those who reject God or are false brethren pretending to follow God when they follow men (Satanic). Those with the peace of God will always find the evildoers plotting against them, and it is such situations we must ” Put on the whole armour of God” to become instruments of God’s justice. -Ephesians 6:11, KJV.
Those with patience and empathy, righteous indignation rooted in truth, and who without equivocation will stand for and fight for the truth can be called the peacemakers of this world…the true children of God. Be one.
In whatever capacity you find yourself, use your God-given talents in service to the truth in every spiritual battle brought into your midst. Do not cower away in fear or some false Satanic idea that pacifism is of God – be strong, bold, courageous for your faith and protect those who are persecuted. Evil must always be fought. “Peace” is not peace unless just for all.
One must go to the peacemakers if peace is sought – not to the warmongers.
Geopolitically, it is time the world turns to Russia (and others such as China) to negotiate as intermediaries in conflicts.
” Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” – Ephesians 6:10-13, KJV.
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