What Equals Peace?

What really does the word "peace" mean today? If we think about it, most of us equate the word peace with the absence of war; at least I know I did until a few days ago. I live on a military base, so there is usually a nice amount of support in the community. I was stopped at a stop light and just happened to glance over at an advertisement board a local restaurant had set up. Instead of posting the daily specials, I saw a message of peace. The sign read: "Peace is much more than the absence of war." When I read those words, it really urged me to think about what peace really means.

If you plug in the word "peace" and ask for a definition on Google, you will find several meanings for peace. A lot of the meanings equated peace with the absence of war, but if that were the case, why does the message on the sign bother me so much? I got to thinking. Why is there a lack of peace or a harmonic atmosphere in the world today? Granted, America is involved in two wars and there are countless other wars throughout the world, but if these wars were to suddenly stop would world peace be imminent?

There are other aspects to achieving peace. There are environmental factors that must be dealt with to obtain a state of peacefulness. There are also political issues which need to be acknowledged and solved in order for us to live in a state of peace. There are many different issues that contribute to the lack of peace in the world.

Peace and the Environment

There always seems to be a struggle when it comes to taking care of the environment. This can become a detrimental factor when trying to create world peace. Many of the developed countries tend to blame the less developed countries for environmental factors and vice versa. These differences of opinion cause a rift when trying to create a sense of utopia.

The United States, alongside other developed countries, have taken strides to overcome the environmental issues at stake. However, some of the less developed countries tend to blame the developed countries for their unwillingness to create a sustainable environment. Under developed countries feel they are being preyed upon when big corporations move their operations overseas and create environmental issues, such as pollution. These feelings can create a sense of uneasiness, thus forbidding a state of peace to be established.

Peace and Political Issues

Everyone knows that politics plays a big role in establishing a peaceful state. Even here in the United States, we do not live in perfect harmony. We are blessed to have a government which allows us to have differing opinions, but when those opinions become so strong, a sense of peace is almost unachievable.

Political issues are not just here in the United States. There are so many differing political views throughout the world, making it harder to live side by side peacefully. We see it daily in the West Bank where Israel and Palestine have been fighting for years. Peace is definitely unachievable when there are too many differing opinions of politics.

Peace and Religion

Religion plays a big role in achieving world peace. There are too many different religions and even people who lack a belief in religion. There is always going to be one religion that believes it is the only and true way. Of course, those of us who are religious tend to feel their religion is the right way. These feelings of religion can and have sparked uneasiness throughout the world.

The radical Islamists, for example, have waged a Holy War against western civilizations, mainly because of their religious beliefs. This is not the way to achieve peace. When a group of people feel they are being threatened or live in a state of fear, it is almost absurd to think peace can coexist in such a world. Until each religion is able to acknowledge the others, peace cannot be achieved. I am not necessarily saying that religions must say another is better, just a mutual respect for differing religions can go a long way when trying to establish a state of peace.

Peace and Society

There is a lack of peace when it comes to basic society. In modern day, society is classified into categories. There is the small group of individuals who control most of the riches of the world. Then there is the larger group of individuals who make it possible for the first group to be wealthy. Finally, we have the impoverished group who just want to make a living to support their families. The social spectrum of society today is hindering our chances of obtaining peace.

The cliché "the rich keep getting richer and the poor keep getting poorer" is more than a cliché, it is a reality. It is no wonder people are robbing others and causing so much unrest throughout the world. Peace cannot have classifications and labels. Peace means that those who do have more should be willing to help their neighbors out, whether it be by monetary gift or just a job. In order for society to become peaceful, we must work together and take care of each other.

In closing, achieving peace is much more than calling a truce to all wars. Peace is something that involves a world that lives in harmony. To achieve true peace, we must look beyond the wars and take the additional steps to living in a peaceful world.