Friday, November 13, 2015 terrorists viciously attacked innocent civilians in Paris. As I write these words, 129 people have died and 352 were injured under a cowardly act tightly wrapped in hate. By definition hate means: "to dislike intensely or passionately; feel extreme aversion for or extreme hostility toward; detest" (Webster's Dictionary). Hate is the vilest of the human emotions and most of the time, I believe hate is born out of heresy and misunderstandings. Differences can sometimes stoke fear in people - a fear that ultimately leads to decisions with horrendous consequences.The Islamic State has declared war on the West. But their type of fighting and heinous humanitarian crimes committed throughout the world in the name of religion is foreign to many of us. These people are international bullies attacking people who are unarmed, unprepared and usually in the midst of enjoying life. Westerners are confused, mystified, horrified, disgusted and angry. As leaders of the free world head to the G-20 Summit this week, formulating a strategy to defeat ISIS will be at the top of their list. I am not a military strategist, but I do know this: ISIS does not appear to understand love and eventually, that will be their undoing.
ISIS keeps coming with one brutal attack after another and yet they never seem to grasp that we do not cower in fear or surrender to their violent demands. Instead, we unify. Lighting candles, linking arms, raising voices in song, raising flags in defiance and strengthening our stance against you - in love. Yes, we will come after you. In the end, because of the atrocities you are committing against humanity, the people of the world who do not condone violence, will defend their right to life in a way you are not prepared to defend. Military strikes are a small part of the strategy and sometimes governments announce these strikes giving you time to defend yourself. Or sometimes, in your mind, giving you permission to hurt civilians instead of armed militia. But know this ISIS. People are praying for you. People are forgiving you. People are hoping you will see the error in your ways. People are listening to a voice that says above all else, love one another. Is this why you are angry with us? Many Westerners do not follow the path of wealth, greed and power. No, many of us follow the path of joy, hard work, family, love, tolerant religion and forgiveness. Did you hear those bells ringing through the streets of Paris on Saturday? Did you see people on their knees with tears streaming down their cheeks? Did you see the tiny tea lights illuminating Paris - the city you desperately are trying to darken? Here is the thing. Your acts of hatred strengthened our love and illuminated our light toward a higher ground. People around the world, in churches, communities, driving cars or walking on their own, were sending out prayers for healing. And here is the other thing - they were not all Westerners and they were not all Christians. They were humans that understand love is always the answer and hate will eventually dissolve like sugar in hot water.
Eventually, the ripples of hope will reach your hate camp. And these love circles will surround you like the people you tried to encase in the concert hall. But the ones we touch won't run screaming and won't be dragged down an alley drenched in blood. They will just leave you. That is eventually happens with hate. You entice lost people with dreams of power, money and greed - the very concepts you kill innocents for every day. But humans grow weary of hate. The emotion is tiring, degrading, and unfulfilling. Eventually, your recruits will look for something more - something that does not involve death and destruction. Eventually, they will follow the path of forgiveness and redemption, the path of light, the path of love, the path of life. So, one day, perhaps our paths will cross and you will take my life. But know this, you never took my light. And someone else will pick up my torch to carry on the fire of love that darkness can never extinguish. Joy, my friend, joy will always have a place in this world. And Paris, will always be the city of light and the city of love. Vive le France!!!!
