Fighting for Peace

July 8, 2011 As delivered
The Temple
Interfaith Paths to Peace Annual “Recipes for Peace” dinner.

Fighting for Peace

My presentation is entitled “Fighting for Peace.” If you like the thesis, come back tomorrow when I will discuss “Having Sex for Chastity.” The idea that war makes peace is as silly as the idea that sex makes virgins.

We are witnessing remarkable progress in the modern world of peacemaking made possible through the art of artful language. War is all but gone—replaced by ‘self-defense,’ ‘police actions’ and most recently by ‘humanitarian interventions.’

But peace is not made through the quiddities and quibbles of lawyers or the rhetorical magic of diplomats. Peace is not linguistics and sex is not chastity.

Nevertheless, on a personal level, the mouth IS the first instrument of peace: but be careful. The difference between the sickle and the sword is the hand of the holder. The way up and the way down are the same.

Sometimes the best thing to do with the mouth is to keep it shut. And the very best way to open the mouth is by smiling.

Thích Nhất Hạnh [tʰǐk ɲə̌t hâːˀɲ] (TICK NYAT HAHN) the Zen Buddhist monk and peace activist said the most basic kind of peace work is the smile—and a compelling bit of folk wisdom holds whoever smiles will always have a reason to smile.

The English say fine words butter no parsnips but the Holy Book and our own experience teaches that a gentle answer turns away wrath as a harsh word stirs up anger. Proverbs 15:1.

I have a one-word recipe for peace: “hello” or if you’re less talkative “hi” works as well. The key is acknowledging people as people, ever mindful of Plato’s insight: be kind, everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.

A story from the Native American tradition fits well into this night of eating and feeding and feasting in the name of peace.

The tribal elder warned young people of the tribe: inside each of us lives two wolves: one wants peace the other wants war.

Which prevails a youngster asked? The elder’s answer was: that depends on which one we feed.

That’s a good segue into my own recipe for peace: I’ve cast it in ballad rhyme:

Look inside yourself for peace//
and if you find none there//
Quit your search and rest assured//
You won’t find it anywhere.


380 words
July 8, 2011 as delivered: The Temple
Interfaith Paths to Peace Annual Recipes for Peace program
3 minutes





RECIPE FOR PEACE


INGREDIENTS


Egg
Salt
Pepper
Water




INSTRUCTIONS

Submerge the egg in boiling water for ninety seconds, remove, peel, slice and serve with salt, pepper and a smile.




Donald Vish
July 2011