War is not the impetus for peace.

Part of the experience of being human is an acknowledged inability to fully and without reserve embrace the common grounds that are shared by and unite all together. As long as there have been organisms on earth capable of experiencing a sense of ownership of one kind or another, be it territory, power, or nourishment, there has been an element of conflict. It is a truth that as long as human beings have not achieved a full understanding of their unity, there will be expressions of personal ownership, entitlement, or the seeking of advantage over others. Saying this, we are not in any way dismissing the severity and pain associated with the conflicts that you speak of.

There will not be a moment in human development when all will live in total harmony. That being said, it is through witnessing that reality that there is increased commitment to find some ways of energizing an awareness of shared values, shared objectives, shared concerns, and mutual acceptance, whether the conflicts are personal, community based, or the functions of particular nations, religions, or philosophies.

The presence of conflict always intensifies the prayers, the wishes, and yes, the demands for peace. It is the absence of a shared sense of oneness that is the motivation for moving more closely toward the objective. There is no justification for war being described as the impetus for peace. There is no justification for annihilation, but with such tragedies, there is accompanied commitment to find ways of resolving these conflicts in a just and peaceful manner.