Peace on Earth?

[Vouthon]

Does your belief system involve the anticipation (or hope) of an era of peace and human development here on earth? One in which warfare and armed destruction is either brought to an end or at least seriously mitigated?

Or, do your beliefs point towards future regression, disaster or pessimism about any hope in human progress? Is it a downward trajectory that lies ahead? Is the golden age behind us?

If you believe in an era of peace, what must first transpire before it can become possible?

I'm open to both religious and secular perspectives (i.e. Jewish messianic age, Christian millenarianism, Hindu Satya Yuga, a technological singularity or transhumanist society, Marxist views etc.)

 

[Axe Elf]

I'm a pan-millenialist.

I believe it will all pan out after thousands of years.

 

[joe1776]

I recently posted a thread on my opinion.

Global Harmony is Inevitable

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Does your belief system involve the anticipation (or hope) of an era of peace and human development here on earth? One in which warfare and armed destruction is either brought to an end or at least seriously mitigated?

Or, do your beliefs point towards future regression, disaster or pessimism about any hope in human progress? Is it a downward trajectory that lies ahead? Is the golden age behind us?

If you believe in an era of peace, what must first transpire before it can become possible?

I'm open to both religious and secular perspectives (i.e. Jewish messianic age, Christian millenarianism, Hindu Satya Yuga, a technological singularity or transhumanist society, Marxist views etc.)

I don't agree with a future era of peace. I feel humans are not special in the order of life on earth. As with all living, we are born, age, live, and die. The best we can do is to be tolerant of each other since we aren't here for a long period of time. The universe "doesn't care" about us. I'd see the definition of peace is to live in a healthy and supportive environment where we not only celebrate one's life into the world but we come together and celebrate one's death from the world. I read and probably heard about cultures not separating life and death as if death was something to be feared. With that in mind, peace is ideal but not long lasting.

The Dharma (Buddhist) talks of everything changing; nothing is static. When we die "with a smile" there is no need to be attached to the need for peace or the revenge to one's death. These things are illusion to the nature of life itself. To live in that state of changing being is the state of peace. When we do live as though things changed, we don't need to find peace. It's where we are we just need to get in touch with it.

To me, it's an individual effort; that's how my culture sees it. Some other cultures see it as a community effort. Regardless, none better than the other, the idea is world peace is ideal but takes a lot of work to live in the state of change knowing things won't exist forever. Peace is temporary just as pain. Learn to live with pain is peace not alleviation of it.

 

[Twilight Hue]

Does your belief system involve the anticipation (or hope) of an era of peace and human development here on earth? One in which warfare and armed destruction is either brought to an end or at least seriously mitigated?

Or, do your beliefs point towards future regression, disaster or pessimism about any hope in human progress? Is it a downward trajectory that lies ahead? Is the golden age behind us?

If you believe in an era of peace, what must first transpire before it can become possible?

I'm open to both religious and secular perspectives (i.e. Jewish messianic age, Christian millenarianism, Hindu Satya Yuga, a technological singularity or transhumanist society, Marxist views etc.)

Ultimate peace is a pipe dream. Evolution doesn't work that way, unless you would consider pedigrees in humans where you mate and breed desirable traits for peaceful tendencies and disposition. You might get more stability.

Even so, we would never get a truly peaceful world because of our chemical and biological makeup.

 

[Buddha Dharma]

I am actually glad you asked this, friend @Vouthon

Does your belief system involve the anticipation (or hope) of an era of peace and human development here on earth? One in which warfare and armed destruction is either brought to an end or at least seriously mitigated?

It is possible. Buddhism acknowledges humans are capable of great good, under the right circumstances. Right effort is a big part of it. That being said...

Or, do your beliefs point towards future regression, disaster or pessimism about any hope in human progress? Is it a downward trajectory that lies ahead? Is the golden age behind us?

My beliefs acknowledge that humans have a terrible condition. It may or may not be terminal to our species. That condition is ignorance. Ignorance fuels all our worse angels like violence, hatred, prejudice, greed, unkind words, oppression, and down the list we go.

Not only is this ignorance an actual problem, but so is lethargy and sloth in undertaking the steps to do anything about it.

If you believe in an era of peace, what must first transpire before it can become possible?

What must transpire is that the Blessed One's teachings>>> by this I don't necessarily mean the Buddhist religion as a theocracy, but the spirit of the Buddha's teachings- must begin to be applied and not only talked about.

We must try to understand one another when we talk. We must be motivated by love and kindness. We must want the good of all and not just self advancement. We must put aside glory and greed as selfish and uninformed aims- childish.

We must return to sharing and helping one another. We must make sure education informs future generations to make good choices, rather than keeping them in ignorance out of political gain. We must not let fear dominate our political discourse, or the poisons like aversion and animosity for past wrongs. We must not glorify violence and militarism as societies.

We have to teach basic ethics and forms of managing unhealthy emotion. We have to let guilt convict us when we do wrong, rather than insist on individualism. We have to let ourselves feel for the beings we hurt, and have an idea of the species we want to be. We don't have to be monsters. We can be good beings. We have to strive for that- hard, given our long-running bad habits.

I think Christianity and several other religions enshrine such ideas at a basic level.

The Buddha has given the remedy. I believe he was correct. I believe that with all sincerity.

 

[sayak83]

Does your belief system involve the anticipation (or hope) of an era of peace and human development here on earth? One in which warfare and armed destruction is either brought to an end or at least seriously mitigated?

Or, do your beliefs point towards future regression, disaster or pessimism about any hope in human progress? Is it a downward trajectory that lies ahead? Is the golden age behind us?

If you believe in an era of peace, what must first transpire before it can become possible?

I'm open to both religious and secular perspectives (i.e. Jewish messianic age, Christian millenarianism, Hindu Satya Yuga, a technological singularity or transhumanist society, Marxist views etc.)

Even the heavens are not at peace as the deva-s frequently fight with the asura-s. But it possible to make this universe a much better place for living than it is now, certainly... a form of heaven, possibly. It's also possible to make it hellish. Depends on our actions and those who will come after us.

 

[Buddha Dharma]

Even the heavens are not at peace as the deva-s frequently fight with the asura-s. But it possible to make this universe a much better place for living than it is now, certainly... a form of heaven, possibly. It's also possible to make it hellish. Depends on our actions and those who will come after us.

This is also a good way of stating things.

 

[MonkeyFire]

I believe in pacifism. It brings knowledge safety happiness and virtue.

 

[loverofhumanity]

I am actually glad you asked this, friend @Vouthon



It is possible. Buddhism acknowledges humans are capable of great good, under the right circumstances. Right effort is a big part of it. That being said...



My beliefs acknowledge that humans have a terrible condition. It may or may not be terminal to our species. That condition is ignorance. Ignorance fuels all our worse angels like violence, hatred, prejudice, greed, unkind words, oppression, and down the list we go.

Not only is this ignorance an actual problem, but so is lethargy and sloth in undertaking the steps to do anything about it.



What must transpire is that the Blessed One's teachings>>> by this I don't necessarily mean the Buddhist religion as a theocracy, but the spirit of the Buddha's teachings- must begin to be applied and not only talked about.

We must try to understand one another when we talk. We must be motivated by love and kindness. We must want the good of all and not just self advancement. We must put aside glory and greed as selfish and uninformed aims- childish.

We must return to sharing and helping one another. We must make sure education informs future generations to make good choices, rather than keeping them in ignorance out of political gain. We must not let fear dominate our political discourse, or the poisons like aversion and animosity for past wrongs. We must not glorify violence and militarism as societies.

We have to teach basic ethics and forms of managing unhealthy emotion. We have to let guilt convict us when we do wrong, rather than insist on individualism. We have to let ourselves feel for the beings we hurt, and have an idea of the species we want to be. We don't have to be monsters. We can be good beings. We have to strive for that- hard, given our long-running bad habits.

I think Christianity and several other religions enshrine such ideas at a basic level.

The Buddha has given the remedy. I believe he was correct. I believe that with all sincerity.

Awesome post. Beautiful read. Thanks for that.

 

[loverofhumanity]

Does your belief system involve the anticipation (or hope) of an era of peace and human development here on earth? One in which warfare and armed destruction is either brought to an end or at least seriously mitigated?

Or, do your beliefs point towards future regression, disaster or pessimism about any hope in human progress? Is it a downward trajectory that lies ahead? Is the golden age behind us?

If you believe in an era of peace, what must first transpire before it can become possible?

I'm open to both religious and secular perspectives (i.e. Jewish messianic age, Christian millenarianism, Hindu Satya Yuga, a technological singularity or transhumanist society, Marxist views etc.)

I think all people and all belief systems will contribute to world peace, contrary to what each religion believes that its religion will dominate the world.

There will be a golden age, a world spiritual civilisation, the kingdom of god on earth, but not as people have imagined it.

All Faiths will still exist but will get along like brothers and sisters. I think we will end up accepting each other’s religion and a world culture will be born. Millions already accept that there is truth and goodness in all the major religions. All we have to do is pass beyond this ‘holier than thou’ or ‘us and them’ mentality and try and see all humanity as one family inhabiting one planet.

Prejudices of race, religion and nationality are gradually being removed and torn down by things like interfaith and multiculturalism not to mention the interconnectedness as a result of trade, world communication and travel.

Women who have a less aggressive stance and a more family orientated attitude are becoming more involved in all aspects of life so our society which has been ruled by force now is on the verge of being replaced by consultation instead of confrontation,

The tendency since the last Great War has been to consult not jump to another world war and this is a very good sign of the golden age awaiting us that has been foretold in many Holy Books.

The Day the wolf and the lamb, the antagonistic and hostile religions, races and nations will lie down in peace together.

Peace to you all.

 

[YmirGF]

I am not a believer in "world peace", per se, but that said, things nowadays are already far more peaceful than they have ever been in the past. It is unlikely that a world with such a wide array of opinions will ever work together as one without inducement -- such as a worldwide calamity. That said, I do not see things going the way the nuclear winter either. There will always be strife in a world of competing ideas and behaviors. To expect otherwise reeks of sentimentality and a failure to appreciate the nature of the human condition.

 

[sayak83]

Does your belief system involve the anticipation (or hope) of an era of peace and human development here on earth? One in which warfare and armed destruction is either brought to an end or at least seriously mitigated?

Or, do your beliefs point towards future regression, disaster or pessimism about any hope in human progress? Is it a downward trajectory that lies ahead? Is the golden age behind us?

If you believe in an era of peace, what must first transpire before it can become possible?

I'm open to both religious and secular perspectives (i.e. Jewish messianic age, Christian millenarianism, Hindu Satya Yuga, a technological singularity or transhumanist society, Marxist views etc.)

As a staffer, do you think peace in this website between all users is possible? Currently my standards are pretty low...

 

[loverofhumanity]

I am not a believer in "world peace", per se, but that said, things nowadays are already far more peaceful than they have ever been in the past. It is unlikely that a world with such a wide array of opinions will ever work together as one without inducement -- such as a worldwide calamity. That said, I do not see things going the way the nuclear winter either. There will always be strife in a world of competing ideas and behaviors. To expect otherwise reeks of sentimentality and a failure to appreciate the nature of the human condition.

I think that if you look at humanity objectively, you will see that the vast majority of people are peace loving, fun loving humans.

It’s only the tiny minority, a miniscule of humanity that commits crimes and atrocities that get blown up in the media who sensationalise everything because they have an agenda to make profit from ads.

But realistically, humans are basically non violent and good. If one looks at the media one would think we can never make peace but the reality on the ground is entirely different.

We all here have different views and share them peacefully. How many here aren’t peaceful? If anyone, it’s the tiniest of minorities as in humanity. Bad news just dominates but it doesn’t even constitute 0.000000001% of the reality on the ground which is people are mostly good, hard working and peace loving.

We are manipulated to only think negatively but people are inherently good and beautiful. Peace is inevitable once we realise it’s within our grasp and stop listening to negative spin.

 

[Hockeycowboy]

Does your belief system involve the anticipation (or hope) of an era of peace and human development here on earth? One in which warfare and armed destruction is either brought to an end or at least seriously mitigated?

Or, do your beliefs point towards future regression, disaster or pessimism about any hope in human progress? Is it a downward trajectory that lies ahead? Is the golden age behind us?

If you believe in an era of peace, what must first transpire before it can become possible?

I'm open to both religious and secular perspectives (i.e. Jewish messianic age, Christian millenarianism, Hindu Satya Yuga, a technological singularity or transhumanist society, Marxist views etc.)

Mankind is not able to create a peaceful existence for themselves Earth wide (Jeremiah 10:23); but Jehovah God will establish His rule over the Earth (Daniel 2:44). In fact, it's what people have been praying for, for centuries (Matthew 6:9-10)...most people don't even realize what that prayer means.
The results of God's rule, will bring much-needed relief for humans! -- Revelation 21:3-4; Psalms 46:9

 

[loverofhumanity]

Mankind is not able to create a peaceful existence for themselves Earth wide (Jeremiah 10:23); but Jehovah God will establish His rule over the Earth (Daniel 2:44). In fact, it's what people have been praying for, for centuries (Matthew 6:9-10)...most people don't even realize what that prayer means.
The results of God's rule, will bring much-needed relief for humans! -- Revelation 21:3-4; Psalms 46:9

Remember that the reason the Jews rejected Christ was that they expected a King to come from heaven seated on a throne but instead the messiah was born in a manger to the son of a carpenter.

Interpretations of the Kingdom of God differ widely. Most think in the same superstitious terms that caused the Jews to reject Christ so it won’t be a Kingdom come from the sky and God will not wave a magic wand and all of a sudden we’ll all be buddies. That’s just repeating the superstitions interpretations the Jews had of Christ

If we sit on our hands like the Jews did, and they’re still waiting, we ignore signs that God’s Kingdom has already come and it is being established now. We should learn the lesson of what caused the Jews to reject Jesus and not fall into the same trap again, but it appears Christians have.

Interpretations are a dime a dozen and not worth clinging to as we may incur spiritual death through too much attachment to our own interpretations. This is what Cause the Pharisees to reject Christ. They died spiritually because they worshipped their own interpretations.

The most learned Bible commentators of today and the Pope have all missed the second coming of Jesus for the exact same reason the Jews did the first coming, because of too much reliance on personal interpretations.

Instead of looking at Jesus they looked at their own interpretations and so were misled. Today, billions of Christians worship their own interpretations and so have missed the second coming of Jesus and the Kingdom of God.

Yet, like the Pharisees and Saducees before them, they insist they have true knowledge and are of the saved.

So Christians have missed the second coming because they worship their own interpretations instead of looking at the Face of the Promised One.

 

[Deeje]

Does your belief system involve the anticipation (or hope) of an era of peace and human development here on earth? One in which warfare and armed destruction is either brought to an end or at least seriously mitigated?

Or, do your beliefs point towards future regression, disaster or pessimism about any hope in human progress? Is it a downward trajectory that lies ahead? Is the golden age behind us?

If you believe in an era of peace, what must first transpire before it can become possible?

I'm open to both religious and secular perspectives (i.e. Jewish messianic age, Christian millenarianism, Hindu Satya Yuga, a technological singularity or transhumanist society, Marxist views etc.)

As a Bible believer I can say that I am looking forward to the day when God's Kingdom rules this earth and all humanity will have one government that is incorruptible to guide and direct all our activities. This will guarantee peace and security for all.....forever.

According to the Bible's prophesies, mankind will never bring about peace on the earth.
Man has been allowed to try all forms of human rulership in order to prove that he cannot do so successfully without the guidance of his Creator.
No matter what form of government man has tried, nothing works out for the benefit of all. Power corrupts, and no human is immune to this temptation. The more power a man has, the more corrupt he will become. We can see this corruption in all facets of human activity where wealth and power dominate.

Things will get a lot worse before they get better. God will allow humans to go to the end of the rope he gave them, because it was the only way to show them the full consequences of their actions. The end result will be proof positive that we are hopeless at ruling ourselves without God and gaining power over others never leads to a good outcome.

There is a "great tribulation" ahead that is worse than anything experienced by man before. (Matthew 24:21) This describes the very last details of the collapse of the current world order. There are dire predictions coming from the leaders of the financial sector.....according to them, a global crash is imminent. It will lead to severe hardship for many as the nations struggle to gain control. Never before has the world been in such a disastrous financial situation. The Bible describes "anguish of nations not knowing the way out".
See “Your Deliverance Is Getting Near”! — Watchtower ONLINE LIBRARY for more details.

Law and order will never be restored despite an attempt to unite the world under one government. The only way to bring about world peace will be by strictly controlling human activities. Freedom and democracy will be the casualty. Humanity will revolt. Enforcers are already trained and ready to take control. No one will take kindly to what is coming.

The final solution will be introduced by God when he brings this entire world system crashing down..... replacing hopeless human rulership with the superior rulership of his Son. The Kingdom of God in the hands of his Christ, will "come" and take control over earth's affairs and usher in a new and lasting peace that will be permanent because God's will can finally be done "on earth as it is in heaven." It is what Christians have been praying for in the Lord's prayer for almost 2,000 years....most without realizing what the words actually mean.

Only under the rulership of the "Prince of Peace", can humanity flourish as it was intended to be at the beginning.

Revelation 21 describes the outcome when Christ brings God's rulership back to the whole earth....

"And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea is no more. 2 I also saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God and prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 With that I heard a loud voice from the throne say: “Look! The tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his people. And God himself will be with them. 4 And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.”

This is not a new universe or planet, but a complete restoration of what mankind lost in Eden when they rejected God's rulership over them. The "Holy City" (New Jerusalem) is the heavenly government of God that will give obedient mankind the opportunity to live as God first intended for them.....no death, no pain or suffering and no reason to shed tears of grief at the loss of loved ones. This former world system, the cause of so much heartache will have "passed away".....never to be seen again....and good riddance!

This is what I look forward to.

 

[Augustus]

Does your belief system involve the anticipation (or hope) of an era of peace and human development here on earth? One in which warfare and armed destruction is either brought to an end or at least seriously mitigated?

Or, do your beliefs point towards future regression, disaster or pessimism about any hope in human progress? Is it a downward trajectory that lies ahead? Is the golden age behind us?

If you believe in an era of peace, what must first transpire before it can become possible?

I'm open to both religious and secular perspectives (i.e. Jewish messianic age, Christian millenarianism, Hindu Satya Yuga, a technological singularity or transhumanist society, Marxist views etc.)

I have no expectations for global peace, violence is part of human nature and will continue to be so. Sometimes things will be better, other times they will be worse.

Technological advances, mass media and interconnectedness have brought many advances but also created a world which is more fragile than before and where smaller numbers of violent people can have bigger impacts.

Climate change and overpopulation certainly open the possibility for resource conflicts and even significant ecological collapse. Technology may be able to mitigate this, but there is no guarantee.

AI has created a possibility for mass unemployment in the not too distant future perhaps leading to increases in marginalised and disenfranchised communities.

Romantic violence (the idea that violence can drive utopian social progress) is something that has and will always exist. At the moment were are lucky that Jihadism is such an unpopular ideology and appeals to so few people. Sooner or later a 'mass market' violent ideology will gain more traction as Marxism and fascism once did.

I see no teleology in human society that necessitates global harmony and while wars might be less frequent, they are more destructive than before. History is cyclical and tragic, not progressive and redemptive, we are doomed to repeat the same failures we have always made as that is the human condition. All of the modern 'global harmony' type arguments have been made countless times before, there is nothing new under the sun.

It still won't stop people claiming this time it's different, this time it's really going to happen, this time we really have transcended human limitations...

Its really just a secularised salvation narrative where due to Divine Providence Progress, Jesus Christ Reason will triumph over Satan irrationality ushering in The Millennium The End of History and global harmony.

 

[HonestJoe]

Does your belief system involve the anticipation (or hope) of an era of peace and human development here on earth? One in which warfare and armed destruction is either brought to an end or at least seriously mitigated?

Or, do your beliefs point towards future regression, disaster or pessimism about any hope in human progress? Is it a downward trajectory that lies ahead? Is the golden age behind us?

My “belief system” is pragmatic realism and I see no reason to expect our future developed to be fundamentally better or worse than it is today or has been throughout human history. Our conflicts are part of what we are, for all their negatives and problems, part of why we’ve survived and developed as a species in the first place. I’m not convinced that overall we’d actually benefit from eliminating them, even if we could.

 

[Sunstone]

I think Stephen Pinker might have an argument that violence has been decreasing over time. I hope he's right.

On the other hand, I suspect we'll see a large thermonuclear war sometime in the next 80 years. My only grounds for suspecting it is human nature. Our species tends to do the stupid sooner or later, and then over and over again.