[3312]Beat Our Swords Into Plowshares

Taiwan Church News

3312 Edition

August 17 – 23, 2015

Editorial

 

Beat Our Swords Into Plowshares

 

2015 is the 70th anniversary after the end of World War II(WWII). Many nations around the world held memorial ceremonies to commemorate this historical event. Two most significant commemorative assemblies are held respectively in Europe on May 9 – Victory in Europe Day(VE Day), and in Hiroshima and Nagasaki of Japan on August 9 and 15 – Peace Memorial Ceremony. Especially, after receiving the destructive bombing of two atomic bombs, Japan government was forced to accept the Potsdam Declaration. And then, Japanese Emperor Showa read out his first ever “Jewel Voice Broadcast” (the Imperial Rescript on the Termination of the War) announcing an unconditional surrender on August 15, which was marked as the end of WWII.

 

Nobody likes war. Yet, when the human history was examined in retrospect, mutual killings among the peoples were never stopped. Nearly every page of the history books was written by blood and tears. Among the wars, two world wars in 20th century were mostly mentioned. Especially, the notorious WWII incurred more condemnations as the unprecedented scale of nations involved, cities destroyed and people killed. Not to mention the devastating impact after the atomic bombs dropped in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the unforgettable trauma and nightmare would always haunt in those soldiers and civilians beyond any understanding of the following generations.

 

The terror of the war could also be witnessed in a profound book, 5000 Years History of Warfares, written by a retired general Lee Zhe-fen, graduated from the 5th term of Hwang-pu Military Academy and had been acted as a force-commander. Lee said, “‘War’, what a heinous noun it is! Any occurrence of a war, innumerable lives were cost and countless properties destroyed. A whole country with her people would be annihilated during the war, or the community became destructively scorched beyond repair at least. Especially terrifying is the invisible destruction of the war: fallen morality, abnormal mind, rampant lust and lawless society”.

 

Even though the warfare could bring huge catastrophe, there are still some “leaders” instigating the war to defend their own interests, powers and ambitions. “Mission is a lie, war an excuse, as the truth is just a defense of the power”, this sentence clearly indicates the mindset of the warmongers as described by Proverbs 17,19a “One who loves transgression loves strife”.

 

May we can follow the advise specified in Micah 4: 3~4: “They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more”. Only through this way, can we enjoy the fruits of peace and happiness under the vine and fig tree in our own homeland without heinous horror anymore. Sincerely hope all human beings no more make any weapons to destroy each other. To increase our wealth and make our society prosperous, we shall beat our swords into plowshares!

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