{"id":4848,"date":"2015-01-15T17:41:29","date_gmt":"2015-01-15T22:41:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thefest.com\/?p=4848"},"modified":"2015-01-15T17:42:15","modified_gmt":"2015-01-15T22:42:15","slug":"give-peace-a-chance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thefest.com\/give-peace-a-chance\/","title":{"rendered":"Give Peace a Chance"},"content":{"rendered":"

Have you ever really thought about what that means? Ever let it sink it? Why did John Lennon think he needed to urge us<\/em> to give peace a try, a sample, a chance? Could it be that he was convincing us to consider peace because he knew that we are non-peaceful at heart?
\n 
\nDuring the Age of Enlightenment (the 18th<\/sup> Century), great thinkers called philosophes<\/em> spent a great deal of serious time and thought trying to determine whether man was inherently evil or inherently good. In France, Ren\u00e9 Rousseau wrote an essay asserting that man is born good, but is almost immediately corrupted by the world around him. In England, John Locke wrote an opposing essay asserting that man is born evil (the church calls it \u201coriginal sin\u201d) but is rescued by laws and by society\u2019s uplifting ethics.
\n 
\nThere was no \u201cwinner\u201d in this contest of ideas. Some people favored Rousseau. Some favored Locke.
\n 
\nI hold with Locke. I believe that a young child will lie, if given the chance\u2026that he will say cruel things to another child\u2026that he will put himself or herself before anyone else. I think that only parents, teachers, mentors, and extended family can teach that child to be selfless\u2026 can convince that child to be kind, tactful, giving, and loving. Many of you will disagree with me. That\u2019s to be expected. People have been arguing this point since the 1700\u2019s without resolution.
\n 
\nLike John Lennon, I believe that we have to learn<\/em> to give peace a chance.
\n 
\nThis past week, the world has revolved in utter chaos. Twelve people were murdered in a Parisian newspaper office for speaking their minds. Hostages were taken by the assailants and murdered. Terror was on our lips. Violence, hatred, and suspicion reigned supreme.
\n 
\nIn his famous chants about the divisiveness of \u201cisms\u201d in his song, \u201cGive Peace A Chance,\u201d John seemed to know that peace has little hope in our society. Early on, we take sides. But like that radical young man, Jesus of Nazareth, John urged us to turn the other cheek and to be a neighbor to people unlike ourselves. He reminded us (in \u201cInstant Karma\u201d) that if we fail to do this, \u201cInstant karma is going to get you\u2026gonna knock you right in the head!\u201d Okay, John, we hear you.
\n 
\nBut giving peace a chance!? Can that ever really happen? I\u2019m very, very, very skeptical. However, despite all the evidence of its impracticality, I still believe that seeking peace is our ultimate goal.
\n 
\nHowever, giving peace a chance doesn\u2019t mean blindly trusting everyone. Some people are untrustworthy, and we\u2019d be stupid to toss our pearls before them. Giving peace a chance doesn\u2019t mean being na\u00efve or foolish.\u00a0 Giving peace a chance doesn\u2019t mean forgetting the wisdom learned from the past. And certainly, giving peace a chance doesn\u2019t mean buckling under to bullies. What it does<\/em> mean is that we should act daily as if \u201cWe Are Unafraid\u201d to bring good into the world, no matter what.
\n 
\nIn so many of his songs (even \u201cHappy Christmas, War is Over\u201d), John reminded us that we are all called to do good things, great things. And if we are called, we must try.
\n 
\nI\u2019m willing to give peace a chance. How about you?
\n 
\nJude Southerland Kessler
\n 
\nhttp:\/\/www.johnlennonseries.com<\/a>
\n 
\nTo hear the songs in this blog: <\/strong>
\n 
\nGive Peace a Chance https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=RkZC7sqImaM<\/a>
\n 
\nInstant Karma https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=vEjUQ15lyzk&feature=youtu.be<\/a>
\n 
\nHappy Christmas, War is Over\u00a0 https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=z8Vfp48laS8<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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