Anger Never Persuades

 Dear readers 

Have you ever been so ANGRY you've wanted to kill someone? 

One time when I killed a couple of ants, more ants came and then it turned into a bunch of ants. Before I knew it, I was killing so many ants and they literally started to swarm the whole floor so I stopped. I was doing this outdoors, so I just ran away from the whole situation. I promptly let go of my hate of ants and I kid you not, to this day, I never stomp or  squish ants. I just flick them and pray it lives so that its whole colony doesn't come and bother me. I mean I still hate ants, I just no longer kill them. 

I hate hate

I know, hate is a strong word. My parents discouraged my use of the word hate as much as curse words. But it truly bothers me that people who disagree are unable to communicate and exist without hating each other. Hate precedes violence. Hate precedes wars. Hate precedes the public murder of political figures. It is hate that perpetuates the celebration of those that have been killed by hate. 

I think you know that I'm talking about. 

Someone recently shared their views on Charlie Kirk's death. They were passionate in their belief about how his death was being used as a scapegoat or a distraction to cover up the bombings sanctioned by a certain world power. I was shocked because I had never thought of his death being a form of public manipulation. I was shocked because I think there may be some truth to this—evidenced by how much social media coverage this tragic incident is getting. 

Reminder: Thank you for being respectful as I open up discussions on sensitive matters. I appreciate all thoughts, although I do have my firm beliefs, I try to be open-minded too. So here's my two cents that no one asked for. 

I think Charlie Kirk's murder was profoundly horrible. But I also think that murder and all violence borne by hate is profoundly horrible. I think it hurts the human race collectively. It hurts our humanity as a whole. So I also think that sanctioning bombs on enemies -—especially on communities filled with innocent families that have not signed up to any war, is just as morally wrong, no matter their ideology or way of life. 

Wars and Rumours of Wars 

I told my friend that I think it is so awful what is happening in the Israeli-Palestinian war, and I think death anywhere is just awful. It literally makes me so sad to think of anyone suffering from so much violence, especially violence motivated by hate. Both scenarios; wars, and political assassinations, affects me as an individual and all of us as the Human Race. The death of all innocents from violence makes me sad. It soothed my heart when my friend agreed.  They were able to retract some of the hate they hadn't realised they harboured against someone who didn't deserve to die. 

They then went on to share an experience about how they spoke with a loved one affected by the war. This war made my friend's loved one declare hate towards all Israelis and a burning desire for them all to die. How shocking. My friend thought so too, saying "Do you hate even the little children? Do you want them to die?" 

I did a light research on the topic of hatred and found that Book of Mormon reveals that the Lord is aware of such predicaments. 

4 Nephi 1:9 captures the endless cycle of feuding nations, the Nephites and the Lamanites, "And they were taught to hate the children of God, even as the Lamanites were taught to hate the children of Nephi from the beginning."

The Saviour teaches us to overcome this hatred with love. He says, "But behold I say unto you, love your enemies⁠, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them who despitefully use you and persecute you," (Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ 3 Nephi 12:44).

Ideologies can be changed. The world can change! But not through violence and oppression. 

"Anger never persuades." 

This one statement is what inspired this week's blog entry. It was given by President Nelson, leader of my church organisation, in a FaceBook Video. 

With all the confusion and hatred and violence occurring on a daily basis on the global and personal level ... it's so hard to find the answers on solutions to all these problems. 

What is it I always promote whenever I have questions? 

Heavenly sources. 

I am filled with so much peace and joy to be able to tell you that God has foreseen this in our day and he has provided prophets to help us navigate this dark world. 

My favourite person walking the earth is named President Russell M. Nelson, he is a prophet, seer and revelator. Meaning—he has visions from God and lets us know what God would have us hear. He is also a whooping 101 years old this year which is just superb. Have you ever listened to the pearls of wisdom from a centennial (person who has lived 100+ years)? Have you ever heard from a centennial who is an ordained prophet of God? I have! 

He says that anger never persuades. Hostility builds no one. He encourages us to be peacemakers. He says that we CAN change the world, one person at a time, one gesture and one kind word at a time. 

If you have NOT already seen this video I'm referring to, please find the link for it at the end of this blog post. 

May it inspire you to be kind. May we all be open-minded instead of blinded with hatred. 

I don't want anyone reading this to get too bogged down on the Charlie Kirk tragedy, or the tragedies of war. Instead, I leave you with an inspired question that I would love for you to answer in a comment: 

How can we be peacemakers even when we disagree with others? What does that look like in the every day scenario? Can you think of a time when you were blessed because someone chose peacemaking instead of contention?

Also, how can you persuade me to love ants? Help, pls. 

Written with love, 

Eliza.

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