Sunday, July 02, 2006

Osama bin Laden Message

How does Osama bin Laden message affects you? Did it frighten you? Did it get you angry? He is bent on destruction, isn't he?

Violence is upon us. The media spread this message around the world and it affects us all. And if you are a person who reject violence, what do you do when you are confronted with violence?

This is the question I posed when I was young, living in a war-torn country, Vietnam. Sure, the short-term answer seems to be to arm yourself and fight back, but then, the cycle of violence would continue. And if you reject violence, and do not want to arm yourself, what do you do?

Does the advice 'Turn the other cheek, Love Thy Enemy' really work? That was the strategy I chose because I did not want to turn to violence. The fact that I am still alive demonstrates that this strategy can work, but to do this, you really have to open your heart and love your enemy. Beneath the violence that he displays, there is a pain within his heart. It is risky, but then, everything in life is risky. You simply make a decision that reflects you more and not let the environment affects you. And if your energy is strong, it might affects him, and opens his heart as well.

I was captured and a gun was pointed at me for information. I didn't say anything. He could have killed me, but something seems to stop him. He then turns his gun on another. Again, I didn't say anything. And again, something seems to stop him, and he just move on. If he had killed me, I would have forgiven him for he knows not what he is doing. I was faced with other conflicts as well, and at times, I had to fight. But then, it seems someone took over and was doing the fighting for me, and in the end, I was unharmed, but neither was the other. And at that point, I learned how compassionate people fight. And above all, there was calmness within me and not fear as I had expected.

This is a dangerous time. A person can be armed, but the weapon is getting increasingly dangerous. It can kill many people in an instant.

You can turn to violence and arm yourself, or you can train yourself in compassion and radiate it outward and affects the environment around you, and possibly bring peace to the world.

Osama bin Laden message is a message that can make your stomach churning, but then this is a wonderful time to practice your spirit of compassion. He provides you the opportunity to train yourself, and get your compassion energy stronger.

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