Reflections from the Custodian Vicar of the Holy Land on the Middle Eastern conflict: hatred fuels an inhuman indifference, “revenge is the opposite of forgiveness”
By: Ibrahim Faltas – Vatican News
Published on:
The commandment “Thou shalt not kill” is the fifth commandment that confronts us with the inhumane possibility that a human being may take the life of another. The Ten Commandments ask us to observe the love of God and love for our neighbor to walk the path of salvation. For us Christians, and for all humanity, not killing should be a moral law.
Death is the opposite of life. Killing is the opposite of living. Giving life is the opposite of taking life. Who has the power to take life? Who can kill or order the killing of another human being? Who allows these deaths to multiply and, having the power to stop them, does not? I think these are obvious questions that many in the world are asking and to which no one has an answer. They are questions of consciences that feel the lack of truth and justice. The death of even a single human being hurts, the deaths of innocent and defenseless human beings hurt terribly. The lack of human compassion is incomprehensible, indifference is inhuman. Hatred is the opposite of love, revenge is the opposite of forgiveness.
Where does so much hatred come from? What drives one man to make another suffer? Violence cannot be stopped; we don’t even find it in the animal world where there is more solidarity among similar beings.
The killings of unarmed civilians in the Holy Land continue. Violence and death tolls in Lebanon, Palestine, Syria are rising, yet the deaths in Gaza are numbers that increase but no longer make the news. Thousands of displaced people live in tents and discomfort, thousands of survivors suffer from hunger, thirst, and have endured heat and cold that has returned after a year. Aid still does not arrive because it is still being blocked. Many cannot be saved because there is still a lack of medicines and hospitals. Many are buried under the rubble, many have not had a dignified burial yet.
Death and destruction are sown, human lives, houses, roads, places of support for body and spirit disappear; the wonder of nature given by God to ungrateful and irresponsible humanity is destroyed. Killing and destroying for interest and power. Killing is also done with the disinterest towards the basic needs of others, with indifference and with the lack of decisive actions to stop the war, despite having the means to do so. Not killing also means not supporting war and striving to stop it. Enough. Do not kill!
