There is reason to think that war is not only inevitable but also desirable. What do I mean by that?
I read chapter 2 of Osho’s book on Jesus’ teachings recently. The name of the book is The Mustard Seed and it is considered by some people to be a classic. Link is below.
The relevant text that Osho commented on is as under:
Jesus said:
Men possibly think that I come to throw peace upon the world and they do not know that I have come to throw divisions upon the earth – fire, sword, war.
This text is from the Gnostic gospel of Thomas.
If we accept the fact that these are authentic teachings then not only Osho but also Jesus thought war to be not only inevitable but also desirable. Why would they think that?
The reason is that war is not the problem. The problem is man. Man is facing a battle within that he wishes to avoid. He is not experiencing peace within. And the natural result of that is that he or she projects the unease on to someone else. Anyone will do – the servant, the wife or husband or the child.
If you aim for ending war externally without having fought and won the battle within yourself then the peace that you get as a result will be a dead peace. Osho says:
… peace is possible if everybody is almost dead. There will be no war, no conflict but there will be no life either. It will be the silence of the graveyard. But that is not worth anything. Then even war is better because in war you are alive and vital.
So you are going to fight in any case because of your complexes within. It is necessary to think straight and choose your battles and be ethical while choosing to fight and during the battle. Avoid self deception and fight the persons who have harmed you instead of looking for scapegoats.
So what are the takeaways or the action points from all of the above:
- First point is that if war is inevitable then it is necessary for us to fight honorably. Respect the conventions of war, fight only after exhausting all other alternatives and give your adversary fair warning and a chance to defend himself. Remember Sun Tzu’s maxim – The true objective of war is peace.
- But it is much more important that you fight the battle within. The only true peace is that which you feel within. Not just peace but also growth and maturity come when you face conflict. So seek the inward battle. Don’t try to avoid it.
Only through that can we can live life and grow and mature. Avoid the peace of the graveyard.
I will end by referring you to Sun Tzu’s classic text The Art of War. Link is below:
I highly recommend the James Clavell edition. The introductory chapter alone is worth the price of admission.
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