Love is Destroying the World

by Cleo DeLoner  

Many people believe that LOVE conquers all, but it is LOVE that is destroying the world. We as human beings have become so accustomed to violence, hatred, evil, and anger. It is those who LOVE these things who are the destroyers of our world.

The evil that is perpetrated upon us every moment is done so by those who LOVE it. It is not done out of necessity, but out of LOVE. Far too many people LOVE to do horrible things. 

It has been this way since the beginning of time and will continue until the world has been successfully eradicated. One by one, those who LOVE these practices are growing in numbers. In a world where we are caught up in accepting this type of LOVE, many have lost hope. They have lost their dignity, their pride, their honor, their loyalty, and their morals. It is easier to chalk these acts up to, mental illness, drugs, alcohol, religion, and childhood experiences. When in fact, it’s because of LOVE.  I want to believe that these people have the same capacity for LOVE as they do for evil, instead of just the capacity for the LOVE of evil. Most people are capable of both equally.  It is frightening to know that there are entire societies who believe in these types of evil as good. Their LOVE is the LOVE of evil. How are we as a collective group who do not believe in this way of life, supposed to combat it? Do we inflict evil on them in retaliation? Some believe so. Do we in turn become the same type of evil that we are fighting? I do not believe so.

There is said to also be a necessary evil. I’m not entirely sure what that means. I do not believe that what is done in revenge is always evil. However, there is a fine line that can be crossed over into evil while retaliating. We must be careful to not take it out of context.

When America was attacked on 9/11, the majority of Americans wanted revenge, and rightfully so. Just as a few years ago after the attacks on Paris, they also want revenge…and rightfully so. Fight fire with fire. Fight evil with evil? When this type of LOVE consumes an individual, or in this case, an entire society of people, what options do we have? 

Somewhere in the Bible, it talks about loving your enemy and praying for your enemy. As an American Soldier, I struggle with this. It goes against everything I was trained to do. As a Christian, I struggle with this. I am unable to comprehend this philosophy. It is confusing to me. The Bible also talks about asking God to prepare my hands for battle and to give me a stronghold over my enemies. King Solomon talks about how there is a time for everything. A time for LOVE, a time for hate, a time for war, a time for peace.

So I propose the question to you. What time do we currently find ourselves in today? Do we pray? If so, what do we pray for? Our enemies? Strength in battle? To make our enemies our footstool? Peace? If for a moment, put yourself in the position of our enemy. They believe what they are doing is right, and good.

They believe in their mission down to their very bone. The majority of the world obviously disagrees. But to those that LOVE evil and LOVE committing violence on a world of people who are innocent, to them… we are not innocent at all. They feel that we are threatening their way of life. When someone feels threatened their fight or flight kicks in. In this case, the entire world feels threatened. Some will fight, some will flee. Others will pray for peace. 

Some of those who choose to fight will die. Some of those who choose to flee will live hunkered down in their safe corner of the world pretending that this type of evil does not exist. Some of those who pray for peace will be disappointed in the discovery that there is no peace without war, therefore; there will be no peace other than that which war will bring.

I choose to pray.

I will not pray for peace.

I found out years ago, that peace on a global scale is simply unattainable. I will not pray for our enemies. I will pray for the warriors who will be fighting this evil.

I will pray their hands are prepared for battle. I will pray that they will gain a stronghold over our enemies. If threatened, I will fight…to the death if need be. For I too have the capacity for violence in defense of the weak and the innocent. In defense of what I LOVE.

I believe in peace within, I have seen glimpses of that in myself. I believe in peace among small groups of people. But how can we pray for peace in this world, when we cannot even attain it within ourselves?

Why would we expect this global phenomenon when we don’t expect it on a smaller scale? Those who will fight this evil also have LOVE…

The LOVE of freedom The LOVE of country The LOVE of humanity This is the LOVE that can and will destroy those who intend harm on the people of this world. Until then…

The people who LOVE to hate whose actions continuously display these types of evil, It is their LOVE that will continue to destroy the world.

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This first appeared in The Havok Journal on September 23, 2018.