A Season of Nonviolence

At the beginning of Lent about 150 people in my church signed a pledge promising to monitor and work on limiting the violence in their daily lives.  I was one of those people.  Each of us took home a purple bracelet stamped with “A Season of Nonviolence” to remind us of our commitment.  Some people give up a favorite food for Lent—our sacrifice was to give up violence.

With this commitment we acknowledged that peace begins within us, our families, our faith communities, and beyond.  We agreed to show respect for ourselves and others in word and action.  We said we would communicate carefully, peacefully, and eliminate violence in our speech.  We would listen to others, especially to those with whom we disagree.  We pledged to apologize when we hurt others, and forgive those who hurt us.  We would respect and care for nature.  We said we would practice nonviolent recreation.  We pledged to be courageous and challenge violence in all forms.

There were those at my church who didn’t take the pledge—they simply couldn’t do it.  Some of the people who did said it was hard.  My pastor confessed that she had to give up one of her favorite TV shows, CSI, and switched to the cooking channel instead.  One 15-year-old boy took his pledge very seriously.  He switched from spring football to track.  He said that he liked the nonviolent approach—it made him feel much calmer.  This teenage boy was not only brave enough to tell his peers, who didn’t understand, but he also stated his view for TV cameras in an interview about our church project.

And me?  I found it a bit easier than some of my fellow members.  By nature I am a fairly quiet, nonviolent person.  I am not easily angered.  I don’t hit or throw things.  I seldom yell.  I don’t like violent TV shows or movies so I rarely watch them.  However, I became aware of how pervasive violence is in our society.  Threads of it run through our daily lives and we are oblivious.  While I did not have to switch my bracelet as often as others (we were to switch wrists each time we encountered violence), I found violence in both expected and unexpected places.

It is hard to listen to the news or read the paper without finding violence in it.  In fact, I would say it is impossible.  Our media knows that it sells and they highlight it.  I found it difficult to avoid this sort of violence.  I encountered a violent scene in an unexpected place—I attended a special dance show aimed at elementary students.  A local dance company performed excerpts from some of their recent dances.  I was surprised when they included a piece from a dance based on Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus, a very violent play.  In this dance the queen was given a plate of something red, obviously bloody, which she stuffed into her mouth.  During the question and answer period, one child asked what she was eating.  The adult avoided answering and told the child to research it.  Another place where I encountered violence was at a church leadership conference that I attended with my pastor and a few others.  War-like language was used multiple times plus we were even shown a picture of Jesus holding an assault rifle.  Seriously?

To my dismay, I even caught myself a few times.  I lost my patience with my adult daughter and yelled at her over the phone—totally counter-productive.  While listening to a radio report about North Korea’s provocative threats against my country, I found myself wishing violence against those leaders.  I was ashamed.  During a conversation I was told something that totally frustrated me and “I could just shoot her” popped out of my mouth.  Oops.  Of course, I didn’t mean it.  Why did I say it?

Violence in all forms is woven through the fabric of our society.  It is so common that we often fail to notice it.  The first step in developing a more peaceful world is to notice the violence.  Peace begins from deep within us—from love and respect for others and the world around us.  As Mahatma Gandhi said, “Nonviolence is not a garment to be put on and off at will.  Its seat is in the heart, and it must be an inseparable part of our being.”  To achieve a nonviolent society, we must first learn to sit and listen to others so we may truly understand them.  Nonviolence requires commitment from all of us.  “Nonviolence is not inaction.  It is not discussion.  It is not for the timid or weak.  Nonviolence is hard work.  It is the willingness to sacrifice.  It is the patience to win.”  (Cesar Chavez)

Today is Easter Sunday, the end of Lent and my church’s “Season of Nonviolence.”  We were invited to place our purple bracelets into the offering plate.  I did so knowing that from now on I will be more aware of what I say and do.  I will strive to live with love and peace in my heart, and try to summon the courage to speak out against violence and for justice in our world.  Nonviolence begins with the individual.  It begins with me.

3/31/2013