Lent: Time to tame violence within us

The phrase "no news is good news" implies that the absence of information is preferable because it often means there are no problems or issues to report. Yet, in reality, hardly a day passes without occurrence of violence, both locally and internationally. 

And this has always made news. Violence may be described as behaviour involving physical force intended to hurt, damage, or kill someone or something. Like death, violence has never been part of God’s plan when creating humans. It is Satanic.

The Bible tells us of Satan who became corrupt before the arrival of humans on the earth. As a result of his corruption, he became dominated by aggression. Satan tempted Adam and Eve, who by their actions, did violence against God’s goodness and love.

They were banished from the presence of God, in the garden of Eden. Their son Cain killed his brother, Abel. Violence reached such a regrettable magnitude that God’s heart was grieved, to see for human beings misusing the freedom of choice He gave them (Genesis 6:6). God’s grief was, however, not a cruel and cold judgment but a true and honest judgment that creates a tension with God’s love for his creation. Our tolerance of violence has been highly developed through intense exposure to it.

The whole of human history is marred with abuse of power, domestic violence, child abuse, women abuse, violence in sports and language, slander, gossip, the violence of poverty, street crime, racism, wars, massacres, ethnic cleansing, divorce, abortion and every kind of torture and cruelty.

Adequacy

Emotionally inadequate people assert themselves by dominance and cruelty. They nurse the urge to humiliate, intimidate, torment, wound and kill people. Even the most outwardly religious people can have a violent heart, because of entirely misplaced religious conviction.

Religious wars martyrdom would, otherwise, not arise. Jesus suffered a violent, brutal death, conspired by one of His own disciples, and by religious leaders. Violence is also caused by greed or avarice. Greed is an insatiable desire for food, money, land, power, and other such things. In modern society, elections are one of the main pillars of democracy.

In Uganda’s case, however, elections have had history of triggering violence, and loss of credibility in the exercise. People’s rights of association and expression are violated, and certain segments of society, especially the youth, are disabled from engaging in the political processes.

Principles matter

Peacemaking is an active process. It requires action, based on right principles. Living the right way and keeping God’s law in respect of human relationships leads to peace and reconciliation. For this to materialised, government must end all forms of harassment and intimidation of journalists, opposition leaders and supporters.

It should ensure that arbitrary or abusive use of force and firearms by law enforcement officials is punished as a criminal offense under national law.

Anthropologists tell us that the human brain is qualitatively different from the animal brain. It takes formation of character: knowing what is right and exercising the will to do it. We must learn to treat people as people, not as commodities to be used up. We must practice the law of God’s love on all levels.

Time to renounce violence

The 40 days of Lent invite us to renounce the violence within us and around us, breathe again the new life of nonviolence, surrender ourselves to God's reign of peace, and walk forward with Jesus on the road to peace. Done properly, and sanctified by prayer, fasting curbs vices, elevates the mind, and confers virtue and its rewards. It increases energy and the ability to focus on peace. Jesus proclaimed the coming of godly kingdom of peace

. He assures us that violence does not have to be an individual choice in today’s violent world. In Matthew 5:9 Jesus clearly states that those who put their faith in Him and actively pursue peacemaking will receive the eternal reward of being called children of God, as they reflect the Father's character of peace and unity.

Thankfully, in Revelation 16:16 God reveals that at the end of time, Satan and his fallen followers will be defeated, and violence will be no more.