Violence

Christ rejects violence as a realistic means to reconciliation. He does so for at least two reasons. First, Jesus plainly stated, “all who draw the sword will die by the sword” (Matt. 26:52). The law of continuity is at work: fire produces more fire, hate produces more hate, violence fosters more violence. Second, violence does not address the real, underlying problems involved in any conflict. Violence is an attack against the person; it does not really deal with such underlying problems as fear, hate, and poverty. To assume that violence is the answer to personal, political or social problems would be a gross simplification. Violence eliminates understanding and, therefore, also reconciliation.