Pieces Of Peace

Truth to Light

Pain is motion, pleasure too, emotions are
activities, peace is not calm, calm can be
sad, peace is not happy either, peace is rest.

Negative emotions, positive emotions,
hustles, achievements, failures, at the end of
everything man seeks peace.

When man is asleep, man is at peace, when
man dies, the living say, "rest in peace."

Peace is a state of nothing.

They can give you no worries, but no one
can give you peace.

Where two or more are gathered, peace is
far away.

Peace is simple, peace is easy, peace is
lonely, if you choose peace you will need
nothing else but man needs everything else.

True peace is near impossible to reach while
living in the society of men, man can only
get pieces of peace by detaching.

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My sense of direction

We all should set a goal, reaching for peace and freedom for all.

Bizzwizz

Daily writing prompt

What gives you direction in life?

View all responses

In life, we often seek a path to follow,

A direction to guide us through the unknown.

What gives us direction, we often ponder,

And seek a purpose to call our own.

For some, it’s the values and priorities we hold,

The things we cherish, the ideals we uphold.

When we know what truly matters in our hearts,

We can make choices that lead us to our part.

Others find direction in setting goals,

Creating a plan, and moving towards their roles.

With each step taken, a purpose unfolds,

And a path to a fulfilling life, we hold.

And still, there are those who seek direction in positivity,

Seeing opportunities in every adversity.

A mindset that keeps them moving forward,

Towards a life of wonder and reward.

In conclusion, what gives us direction in life,

Is a combination…

View original post 23 more words

a Vision of fierce idealism in a broken world

Leo Tolstoy knew plenty about the rank injustice, evil, and sheer brutishness that have dominated the world throughout history. He’d witnessed a public execution in Paris and had lived through the European revolutions of 1848, as well as the assassination of Tsar Alexander II, followed by the ultra-repressive regime of Alexander III.

By the end of the century, Tolstoy was reading daily newspaper reports about workers’ riots, bloody bombings by revolutionary terrorists, religious persecution, and pogroms.

And what counts is this:

Having lived through all of that, he never lost his faith in the possibility of goodness, of human promise.

In his seventies, Tolstoy asked to be buried on the spot where, as a boy, he and his brother Nikolai had discovered a little green stick — a stick on which they believed was inscribed the secret to universal happiness.

“And just as I believed then, that there is a little green stick, on which is written the secret that will destroy all evil in people, and give them great blessings,”

Tolstoy wrote in his Recollections (1902),

“so now I believe that such a truth exists and that it will be revealed to people and will give them what it promises.”

In War and Peace, one of Tolstoy’s finest literary achievements, no character embodies the spirit of idealism more than Pierre Bezukhov, the big-hearted, bespectacled Russian count who at the beginning of the novel inherits the largest fortune in Russia. After that, he enters into a disastrous marriage, becomes a leading Freemason before growing disillusioned with its politics, botches his attempts to free the peasants on his estate, and eventually winds up as a French prisoner of war during Napoleon’s 1812 invasion of Russia.

Then, just when he thinks things can’t possibly get worse, Pierre is brought before a firing squad. Prepared to die, he discovers, miraculously, that he has been escorted there only as a witness. Still, the sight of the blindfolded factory worker being shot in the head (which Pierre well realizes might just as easily have been him) is enough to shatter his every illusion he’s ever had about his own power, every ounce of his faith in

“the world’s good order, in humanity’s and his own soul, and in God.”

Yet he survives, both physically and spiritually, and emerges from captivity neither cynical nor bitter, but with a redoubled commitment to the ideals he has always believed in.

“I don’t say we should oppose this or that. We may be mistaken,”

He tells his wife after the war, upon returning from St. Petersburg, where Pierre has been trying to unite conservatives and liberals, who are at each other’s throats over the future direction of the country.

“What I say is: let’s join hands with those who love the good, and let there be one banner — active virtue.”

Share Your Smile

Peace has to grow in ourself first and then when we have that inner peace we may try to spread it by letting the smile coming on our face, letting our peaceful vibrations fill the air.

JanBeek

Mother Theresa said, “Peace begins with a smile.”

I believe it.

Do you?

Shortly after we

Moved to Montana,

I joined the

Madison Valley

Writers’ Group.

Smiles helped me

Make friends.

Shared writing

Helped us

Get to know

One another better.

.

Here is a poem

I wrote back then.

It’s still pertinent

(maybe even more so)

Today… don’t

You agree?

.

A Smile

.

“If you see someone without a smile,” the old saying goes,

“Give ’em one of yours.” It’ll chase away their woes.

It won’t hurt you a bit and it don’t take no time.

Might even be returned, and won’t cost you a dime.

.

If you see someone without a smile, maybe they just need

The kind of cheer you got – to bring ’em up to speed.

You might throw in a handshake, or a “Howdy, how ya be?”

Might be their first friendly…

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Darkest just before dawn

Marcus Ampe when looking over the happenings of 2016 told his public that when we should have to choose a colour for 2016 it probably would be ‘black’. Even the darkest black colour you might find.

Certainly here in Belgium and neighbouring countries we have seen many black moments caused by people living very close to us. Hundreds of people who lived in cities like Brussels (Molenbeek district), Verviers, Charleroi, Mons, just to name some of the most mentioned living quarters of those who killed many in Paris, Brussels, Frankfurt and further away many cities in Syria. A so called liberation of human race was on their lips by causing so much agony in name for their sort of Islam which has nothing to do with real Islam, a religion which has ‘salam‘ or ‘peace‘ in its name.

2016 may have been the year where Bad came over Good and brought with it Hate over Love. Though many still may believe in

Good over Bad. Love over Hate. {When it looks like hate is winning}

May we really believe that

“Good always wins”?

When we look around us it seems just the opposite. Those who do not mind to swindle and do whatever they can to make themself rich without taking care of others, seem to win. Marcus Ampe warns us for the political scene which is changing drastically almost everywhere in the world, not for the good. He warns for the populism which is going over Europe and the United States as a virus. As a Christadelphian he likes to look at what is prophesied in the Bible and by looking at that sacred book is not at all surprised of what is going on. In his eyes we can follow the notated signs of those old writings and see that we are heading to a third World War, though it may still many years before us. He likes to compare the last few years with the 1920ies and showed us also how the present days are very much related to the 1930ies, which should sincerely worry us.

He does not speak of an apocalyptic change like certain Christians may do, but likes to warn us to prepare ourselves and our kids for the coming period where very right wing politicians may gain lots of votes and even come into power.

Perhaps Jyoti Chauhan Singh, an Indian lady who reads Tarot cards and came to live in the United States, perhaps thinks on similar lines, saying the same as Mr. Ampe that

it is happening in every corner of this world. People around the world are bringing this change by their votes, by their say, and by their actions. Be it Brexit or current US election, or stimulated political environment in my home country India. This change is too much. Too much for us to handle and accept, and to adapt to. {When it looks like hate is winning}

Is that not the danger we shall have to face in the coming months?

Are not many politicians going to make use of and are going to instigate people against others and nourish the fear many already have?

For Mrs. Chauhan Singh the present President elect in the States was

not elected against a virtuous leader. It was not the fight between good vs evil. It was just bad and worse fighting with each other. You guess which is worse and which is bad. But, it was never a winning situation for USA, no matter who would have won. {When it looks like hate is winning}

speaking at CPAC in Washington D.C. on February 10, 2011. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I do not know why Clinton would have been so bad, because honestly her stupidity about the e-mails was not really a criminal act, like so many Americans would like us to believe. If they consider such stupidity already a crime or sin than the many frauds and bankruptcies of Donald Trump which many Americans never seemed to have remembered or noticed, would be “cardinal sins and death penalty crimes”

We also may notice that many people seem to have some nostalgia to some times they had it better, though at those times they ware hoping for better times and for having more material richness. But as we could know beforehand all those modern gadgets they can have today are not making them more happy. The opposite today lots of people are more lonely and feeling poverty more harsh than years ago, though we may see less poverty stricken people. Less tramps on the streets.

With a smiling or is it a sarcastic face Mr. Ampe may tell us that many people would love to go back to a time they are imaging there was, but which has never been so. Mrs. Chauhan Singh alsy pointing to the same fact

With this election, Americans have spoken very clearly that they want to bring back ‘good old days’. Doesn’t matter if those good old days are going to be good for rest of us or not. They want to go back. They want someone with traditional values, traditional promises. Although seeing the lifestyle of elect president I hardly think he is an epitome of traditionalism. {When it looks like hate is winning}

Mr Ampe analysed some body language of Mr. Trump and showed us how clever that man must be playing with his public. This cleverness should make us even be more alert. He also compare certain tactics with the way how Erdogan managed to come in his dictatorial position today. How he was patient enough to go from mayor of Istanbul, even having spent some years in prison after his mayorship to come stronger and more radicalised out of it, imposing the traditional Muslim values and going in against the civil state of the old creator of a dream state Turkey.

We shall have to wait and see  to know how Donald Trump is going to use his power and how Marine Le Pen is going to drive her wedge through France which seem to be the under the spell of Muslim extremism and Islam fear.

Mr Ampe, like Mrs. Chauhan Singh seems to do also says we may not loose hope and contrary to how lots of people are concentrating on their own self, we should look more to others and try to come up for the weaker ones.
Mrs. Chauhan Singh writes

Losing hope is never an option. If we are given this result, we must be hopeful that there must be something good coming out of it. Give him a chance. He has already shocked all of us; he may surprise us too. Do not lose hope. Instead hope for him to change his ways, his words, and his actions, for the betterment of this country. {When it looks like hate is winning}

One of Mr. Ampe his main teachings, also as a retired teacher of ballet history, is that we should learn from history and that we should make others aware of possible traps lots of people in the past did not notice but became victim of. According to him by knowing the past we can avoid the same mistakes, which have been repeated so many times, because people did not know their history.

We always shall look at things and would love to see things changed. Man is not easy satisfied.

One also can wonder when  our world evolves if/ when and how many people would be ready for such changes, and if they are for the better or for the worse. In most cases lots of people are just not ready for the changes taking place.

Problem is not in these major changes but our inability to accept them. {When it looks like hate is winning}

One might also ask whether we shall be able to find enough people who shall be really wanting to pursue peace. To find enough people who really want to “raise awareness that peace in itself,” and willing to take steps with which to motivate others to go that track of peace making is something we should go for. Too many may be very confused and may not be sure which dreams might be the best for them. Though according to Mr. Ampe we should come to work together towards mutual peace and to the broadcasting of hope and positive thoughts, trying to take away the confusion there is today and putting right the wrong ideas about some people, religions and ways of life. He believes the change must come from each of us and that we are responsible for the evolution of the day. According to him, we ourselves are to convey the message and have even to adopt a certain attitude and should form a shining example. According to him, there also should be peace as a base in our own daily lives.

This peace will also make the connection with the other and this will be like a snowball effect to be implemented on this world.

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Preceding articles about overviews for 2016

Donkere periodes en het uitkijken naar vrede

From Guestwriters 2015 in review

Pokémon craziness

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Additional reading

1. Knife-trust in democratic sore back
2. Daesh hits heart of Europe
3. What Associated Press released on Wednesday 23 March 2016
4. Iranian media implicitly accuse Erdogan to have known of the Bruxelles’s attacks in advance
5. Hard questions
6. Terrorist attacks in brussels
7. Social media, sympathy & shocks
8. Europe unites to defeat terror
9. Silence, devotion, Salafists, quietists, weaponry, bombings, books, writers and terrorists
10. Declaration of war against Islam and Christianity
11. Is Europe going to become a dictatorial bastion
12. French authorities have shut down around 20 mosques and prayer halls
13. State of emergency and respect for human rights
14. Paris attacks darkning the world
15. Trump brand of migrant demonization
16. Trump brand of migrant demonization #2
17. Brussels-born Salah Abdeslam key suspect Paris terrorist attacks
18. Muslim Grooming (Rape) Gangs and Sharia
19. Amount of Muslims living in your country

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Further reading

1. Paris Attackers Had Already Appeared in the Islamic State’s Propaganda
   It has already been established that the on-the-ground leader of the Islamic State’s atrocities on Paris
2. Belgium knew in 2012 already that Paris suspects were plotting attacks
   Belgian authorities knew as early as 2012 that terrorists linked to the bloodshed in Paris were plotting attacks in the West. But little was done to disrupt the build-up of a network that subsequently became a cornerstone …
3. Fugitive Paris attacker Salah Abdeslam captured in anti-terror raid
   He was shot in the leg and arrested in a major police operation in the Brussels neighborhood of Molenbeek
4. Paris Attacks Suspect Wounded, Arrested In Brussels Raid
   Salah Abdeslam, a suspect in the deadly Paris attacks, has been wounded and arrested, following a raid in the Belgian capital, Brussels, after four months on the run.
5. Hollande Chairs Emergency Security Meeting — France Determining Next Move After Arrest of Suspected Terrorist Salah Abdeslam, a French…
6. Muslims in Molenbeek are on the side of Salah against the belgian police. Take in more muslim immigrants so we enlarge the Salah’s Fan…
   The so called refugees are all muslims, I don’t see why we should let them in. Now that we know the destructive attitude of freemasonry we also know we mustn’t let them do what they ask.
7. One Paris attacker buried just a day before his brother was captured in Brussels police raid
   Brahim Abdeslam, who blew himself up in November’s attacks, was laid to rest the day before his brother Salah was captured.
8. Top Lawyers of Belgium, France in Suspected Terrorists Abdeslam Case — Focus on European jihadists
9. How Recent European Terror Wins Led to Abdeslam’s Capture
10. ISIS Launches Coordinated Attacks in Brussels Airport and Subway
    Early reports from Brussels are that two coordinated attacks have taken place with the first being at the Brussels Airport Departure Terminal and the second within the Brussels Subway system.
11. J’accuse ! L’attentat que les services craignaient
    Avec colère suite aux événements de ce matin, j’accuse la Belgique d’avoir été attentiste depuis des années et de n’avoir jamais donné les moyens aux services de Renseignement de faire leur travail professionnellement pour tenter de prévenir ce genre d’attaques.
    … Outraged about the events of this morning in Brussels, I accuse Belgium of having endorsed a “wait-and-see” policy for years and having never giving to the intelligence services the means to do their job professionally to try and avoid this kind of attack. …
12. Leighton: Terror cells are a lot bigger than Belgium authorities anticipated
13. Terror attacks in Brussels kill at least 34, story developing
    Terrorist bombings at a subway station in Maalbeek and at Zaventem Airport have killed at least 34 people and injured another 170. Two bombs, at least one of which is believed to have been a suicide bombing, struck the …
14. Bombing in Brussels!
    Today, once again, Islamic terrorists have attacked the west. This morning, Brussels became the latest city to come under attack with a bomb detonating on a metro train …
15. Islamofoobikot pitävät terrorismin voimissaan
    Ennen kuin Brysselin terrori-iskuista oli kiirinyt tieto Suomeen, Helsingin Sanomat kirjoitti viime syksyn Pariisin iskujen tekijöiden jahdista. Belgiassa 18.3. kiinniotettu Salah Abdesalam piileskeli kuukausien ajan
16. Islamofoobikot pitävät terrorismin voimissaan
    Ennen kuin Brysselin terrori-iskuista oli kiirinyt tieto Suomeen, Helsingin Sanomat kirjoitti viime syksyn Pariisin iskujen tekijöiden jahdista. Belgiassa 18.3. kiinniotettu Salah Abdesalam piileskeli kuukausien ajan …
17. Het raadsel, Salah Abdeslam
    Op 13 november vorig jaar reed hij zijn vrienden naar de Parijse plekken om toe te slaan. Dood en verderf te zaaien, angst aan te jagen, het leven te vernietigen dat hij met hart en ziel haatte.
18. Del estupor al sopor: atentados jihadistas, habituación europea, y jamais vu liberal-progresista
    Creo que estoy progresando. Esta noche, alrededor de las 3am, fui despertado por el zumbido de mi teléfono celular que se encontraba recargándose, apoyado sobre la mesita de luz.
19. The Religion of Peace Strikes Again
    This morning we awoke to the news of a deadly terrorist attack in Brussels. Isis claimed responsibility for the bombings at the airport and the Metro station.
20. Why Belgium?
    ISIS has claimed responsibility for separate explosions in Brussel’s Zaventem airport and a central metro station that killed 34 and wounded over 200.
21. Don’t Blame Whitey!
22. Belgium’s approach to immigration and security again under fire
23. CAIR Cannot Be Trusted To Police Radical Muslims
24. Brussels
25. Molenbeek-Saint-Jean
26. After Brussels, Europe must abandon its safe space and face reality
27. Hidden in Plain Sight: Salah Abdesalam’s 120 Days on the Lam
28. Waking Up to the Brussels Bombs
29. Aboard the Eurostar to Brussels
30. Two belgian politicians elected in Molenbeek committed themselves to legalize Sharia in Belgium. That’s how Islam destroys Democracy when…
31. Molenbeek’s gangster jihadis – BBC News
32. Europe’s Muslims hate the West
33. CAIR Cannot Be Trusted!
34. Belgian Terrorism Suspect Salah Abdeslam Has Agreed To Provide Police With Full Information on Other Terrorists — “Turns Supergrass”
35. Brussels Suicide Attacks ‘Shocking But Not Surprising,’ Stanford Experts Say
36. The Muslim Problem and How Not To Solve It
37. Look at what I almost stepped in
38. We Are AfraidMerci, Thanks !Revolution: Jesus loves Every Jihadist
39. Perps of ‘Far-Right’ Hit-and-Run on Muslim Woman Were Muslims
40. Why Belgium is Ground Zero for European Jihadis
41. Een falend land, dát is het echte probleem, meneer JambonTerrorism From Brussels: A Report
42. Molenbeek and its cultural and creative dynamism – a (small) press review
43. A Close Look at Brussels Offers a More Nuanced View of Radicalization – The New York Times
44. «Il reste encore des éléments à neutraliser»
45. Europe: Suicide by Jihad
46. How Many Molenbeeks in France?
47. The truth about “no-go” Molenbeek
48. Open brief aan Jan Jambon door Selma Benkhelifa (advocate)
49. Getting Up Earlier.
50. Two Police Officers Attacked With Knife In Belgium, Unhurt
51. Knifeman attacks Brussels police
52. Tent Cities for questionable dwellers
53. L’Arc-en-Ciel presque au complet
54. Dec 16,
55. It has been an eventful year for me 2016
56. The Politically Correct Right
57. Bet you missed this #1
58. 2016- A Reflection
59. 2016 Recapped
60. Summarising 2016-Энэ оныг дүгнэх нь
61. 2016 in review
62. Christmas Countdown Blitz 2016 ~ Day 12
63. Not Goals. Plans.
64. Book Review: The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet
65. What India Searched in 2016
66. Saturday 17 December 2016 – Some famous people who’ve died in 2016
67. My 2016: August.
68. Movie Review: Rogue One (2016)
69. Things That Need To End In 2017
70. History tells us what may happen next with Brexit & Trump
71. Look East and Watch for the Light
72. Readjusting Expectations
73. revolutionary reflections | The Crisis in German Politics and the Rise of the Radical Right
    2016 has been a year in which right –wing and authoritarian agendas have been in the ascendant. With the French and German elections next year we will see if this trend continues.
74. Links for 16/12/16
    Black-White Earnings Gap Remains at 1950s Levels for Median Worker Donald Trump Should Know: This Is What Climate Change Costs Us How data maps are transforming the fight against malaria in Zambia South
75. Populist right – the mass appeal of “strict father” framing
    George Lakoff’s book, Moral Politics, popularised the idea that ‘rightwing’ politics stem from a particular moral worldview, which Lakoff called “strict father framing”.
76. What is Populism?
    Populism. It is everywhere in the news right now and it is one of those words that have so many vague meanings and yet describes itself so well. Populism is simply the revolt of the people against the political
77. Who do Western Australian populist voters second preference?
    Most draw support from across the spectrum when compared to the remaining small parties.
78. The Elites Are Fuelling A Backlash They Do Not Comprehend And May Not Withstand
    Accustomed to getting their own way and furious at being thwarted by mere democracy, the political elite are responding to recent setbacks by …The Future of Federalism in an Age of Populism
    Richard Eccleston, Helen Krever and Rick Smith explore the future of federalism in the 21st century.
    The two seismic political events of 2016, Brexit and the election victory …
79. The 3 Layers of Authoritarian Thinking
    There are three layers to unfreedom or authoritarian thinking that is sweeping the world today.
80. More than just populism: Renzi, the Italian Senate referendum and the perils of second chamber reform
    On 4 December Italians decisively rejected Matteo Renzi’s proposed constitutional reforms, which centred on reforming the Senate – leading to his resignation as Prime Minister.
81. Times of Uncertainty: The Rise of Far-Right Populism
    Uncertain times lie ahead. People have had their fill of neoliberalism and they’re looking for alternatives. So far, they’ve found dreadful ones. Trump was elected president of the US, Marine Le Pen
82. What is anti-establishment according to Donald Trump?
    People from Goldman Sachs, billionaires, top donors, Secretary of State from Exxon. It seems this is how the huge part of Trump’s administration will be established. What does it tell us about how Trump wanna
83. Policy corruption, vote buying and double standards
    The Constitution Drafting Committee has been hard at work hamstringing political parties to prevent them from ever “ruling.” Apart from simply being anti-Thaksin Shinawatra, the law is based on beliefs …
84. Cameron names his nemesis populism, but the Westminster set still refuses to accept that it was a rejection of self interest which was…
    As I stepped into the polling booth at a local church hall on the evening of 23rd of June and looked at the voting slip in my hands, the feeling that crossed my mind couldn’t have been further from the thought of
85. Why Did Trump’s Anticorruption Rhetoric Resonate? Three Hypotheses
    OK, I know I said in last week’s post that I would eventually get back to blogging about topics other than Trump, but not yet. After all, Trump’s election—a political and moral crisis on so many dimensions—
86. The Islamic and black populists of the Netherlands: a tyranny of the minority?
    DENK’s main representers. From left to right: leader Tunahan Kuzu, TV personality Sylvana Simons and co-founder Selçuk Öztürk. More than once, the Netherlands proved to be first in Europe to
87. The SNP is not like horror-show euro-populism. Mercifully.
    THE liberal Left hasn’t had much to celebrate recently, what with Brexit, Donald Trump and the rise of the alt-right. So there was understandable jubilation over the defeat of the far-right candidate …
88. On Populism
    It was Lord Acton who said power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. But as citizens of a country and a nation, we have civic duties such as addressing corruption in government and empowering
89. Are France Next to Join the Nationalist Narrative?
    Last week saw Italy become part of the nationalist narrative in Europe after changes to their constitution were rejected. As a result the country’s Prime Minister, Matteo Renzi,
90. Brexit Britain turns against globalisation and modern technology, blaming it for low UK wages and inequality – The Independent.
    Post-Brexit Britain is in the throes of a major backlash against globalisation, blaming dwindling wages and rife inequality on the opening of the world’s economy, an exclusive poll
91. They Are All Populists
    ”Populism” is a loaded word and it is a rather strange one. It is used to express disapproval of certain forms of political activity, but unlike other such negative terms its basic reference would seem quite positive.

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Related articles

• Attack on the Sikh Temple in Wisconsin: A Case of Mistaken Identity?
• Why We Need Revolutionary Poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz More Than Ever
• DC Uses Tax Dollars to Install Art Honoring Hillary As ‘Beacon of Dignity and Guiding Light’
• Hillary Clinton’s Inaugural Address
• A former defense secretary reveals the US military’s biggest weakness
• Donald Trump, Peter Thiel beckon tech leaders to Trump Tower
• On This Day – 18th Amendment
• Russia blames IS recapture of Palmyra on US
• Happy President’s Day! What Our Forefathers Thought About Taxes
• Gratitude and You – The Transformative Power of Thankfulness

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Not limiting others but sharing peace with all

 

When people would like to limit other people in the choice what they want to wear, those people should examine their real motives first and in case they think the other are haters of God than they better read about the Most High God about our comportment, our reactions against other believers and other people.

When we are afraid that other people their clothes would bring us in danger or would be a defiance for our faith we should wonder how strong we stand in the faith and dare to show in peace that our peaceful action is the best way to have a better forbearing world.

“Peace” in believing is what we all seek, but for some to achieve this is a real challenge, especially “in the latter days” in which surely we are living. Let us all, “Stand by the way and watch”.

 

Preceding article: Women in France running with naked bosom all right but with covered bosom penalised

A sculpture at the entrance to the palace of Versailles., “La Paix”, by Jean-Baptiste Tuby. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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Related articles

• All Things Are Possible
• Precious One, God knows.
• God Always Wins
• Not everyone in the churches of Christ are “ungodly”
• Kingdom of God, a journey
• Burkini beach party held in London to show solidarity with muslim women in France
• Liberté. Égalité. Fraternité…Unless You’re a Muslim Woman
• Is France’s Burqini Ban Here To Stay?
• Burkini ban in parts of France provokes beach-themed protest in London
• ‘Burkini’ Designer Says Sales Are Up Following Ban in French Towns

Awards, prizes, Peace and Working together

On the 25th of April 2013 I wrote, on my personal pages, the page Bloggers for Peace. Over there on Marcus’s Space I wondered if it would still be possible to get several people come together to share like-minded thoughts of love and peace. Nearly a year later I must admit I am a little bit disappointed with the meagre result.  On the 29th of March 2014 there were only 4 likes and not one real response or reaction, though there were 9 Pingbacks.

Linking to peacebloggers

Give Peace a chance by promoting it and by sharing your positive thoughts.

I myself did some search and placed links to several other “Bloggers For Peace”, but they never gave me a personal sign or contacted me further to really take further action. Perhaps because I placed it on my personal blog, nobody dared to join. So, I do try at this place. Perhaps a Club does not frighten them off and would give more people confidence enough they may say what they want and write when they want. Those who want to join the guest writers shall be able to publish when they want and how much they want, so they should not be so afraid of restrictions.

Awards givers and receivers

I do find it strange that I can find a lot of American blogs where they throw with all sorts of Awards and Prizes, and do seem to appreciate others writings on peace, spiritual and religious living. But I do never see them getting together and taking action with others or really sharing articles. To me it more often looks like an adventure of getting free advertisements for certain websites or blogs (the initiator of the award). Mostly they say to feel free to accept the Such or such Award, like the Inner Peace Award and to add it on your blog, asking you to keep to just one or two rules. The one to pass the award on demanding to share some kind words with that person, is not a bad rule and can help to spread some nice words, which this world for sure can use more. Some present other rules where we can question what it has to do with peace or happiness. We can see that by a lot of such awards the interest is more placed to the persons themselves, having them to tell about themselves, what they like to eat, read and watch on television or in the cinema. Not really about the project or telling more about their action how to bring peace to others and how to contribute so that people could live better together.

Altogether it looks like the maker of the award can receive more readers to his blog by all the links back to his or her blog.

We are not so much interested in awards, but we would love to see many more people coming together and sharing their ideas, bringing understanding joy and peace to people from all over the world.  This is the magnificent element of the new technology of internet.Everywhere in the world people can read and get to know people from everywhere in the world.

Big mess, noice and information overload

When we look at the world we may find one big mess. For many uncertainties about the future increase every year or even every month.
Our world has, to some degree, got used to living with uncertainties about the future – so much so nearly all plan for the present, for this year and maybe next, especially if they have children. There may be a lot of problems in the families and in the world, but every where may be living people who can shed some light in the darkness. When you would put all those little candles, those little light-bulbs together, you would find a major light attracting more people.

Internet offers a lot of noisy and spectacular things and tries to lure people into many adventures looking at certain things and buying lots of things. Insistent invitations to look at a picture, video, or the latest trend lots of people come to live in a sub-real world stuffing themselves with the junk food of audible and visual ‘noise’ and ‘information’.

QuietKeepers correctly points out:

No longer are there pockets of peace in the places we frequent.  Medical waiting rooms, once havens of quiet where the only sound might be the pages of a magazine turning, now have blaring televisions, sometimes competing with music from an overhead sound system. Even the relative silence of libraries is interrupted by clicking keyboards.  Places of worship, too, have become stimulating, noisy spaces in their congregations’ quest to become relevant. And, when was the last time you saw a sign that said, “Quiet. Hospital Zone”? {The need for quiet}

Instilling moments of silence and reflection

QuietKeepers has similar aims like some here at the club of writers. It wants to contribute to instill more silence and quiet in our sometimes busy lives. When we  look at the masses we can see them rushing from one place to the other, having no time any more to take time to stand still, to contemplate, to look at nature, to talk with each other, to share ideas and to share feelings. That last element has nearly become taboo. Most people hide their feelings and hide their own personality by running with the majority of the population and with tradition.

We would like to find more souls who do not mind sharing ideas with each other and getting others to know such blogs where time is taken to look into the soul of man, and to look at wonders of the world. Nature has so much to offer, and so many people are gifted to bring the beauty of nature closer to the heart. It would be lovely if we could have such persons who would not mind to bring their talents together on a place like this one, and enable those interested to go from here to the many proposed interesting sites.

Because time flies and we do not have much time it would be marvellous if we could have some people who present us with their selection of interesting material. Yes you perhaps could call it a “Readers Digest” of contemporary times. If you have qualities you would not mind sharing with us, why hesitate, and not join us? You may find here a place where you can place articles which could not find a place on your personal blog or which ad to or even may direct to your blog(s) and blogs you feel could be of interest to others. By presenting your selection you can help others to save time searching, but also wasting time reading less interesting blogs. Because of our limited time short presentations, reblogs of interesting articles will be more than welcome by many readers which can be build up, because there can be found several authors at one place.

Month of Peace

Image of the Oslo Business for Peace Award (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In a few days time we are facing the month of April as “Peace Month”. Perhaps lots of activity shall take place in the press and in your neighbourhood. Perhaps more people also would like to look fro more information or would like to do something against all the controversy and  fighting which is going on in this world. Serious teen problems like bullying, violence, drugs, depression, and suicide shall be able to find some more attention. and this would be some subjects we would love to see spoken off on this site. But what also could be interesting is to hear personal experiences how people could cope in live and how they think they could make their live and that of others better.

Looking at the world and reaching to the world

Whilst my lifestyle magazine “Stepping Toes” is more concerned about the way we are spiritually living and looking at it all, from a more religious point of view, here at “From Guest-writers” all subjects can receive a place, seen from non-religious as well as from religious points of view. Most interesting can be also to find some writers, who would not mind to bring up political issues and show us different ways how a society could work, to become a better place to live for every body.

We would like to offer young and older writers the opportunity to reach more readers. The writers themselves shall also be able to ‘earn more’ from writers of every colour, ethnicity, religious faith, sexual orientation, political viewpoint, and country of residence or origin. The public finding more writers in one place, willing also to direct them to still more other writers, by presenting links and reblogs to interesting articles can enrich us all.

Speaker and audience

Here the writer may be the guest-speaker and the audience at the same time. As such he or she will have the responsibility to engage the audience (internetters from all over the world) and triggering the debate, discussions and conversations, this in a world where there is a lot of competition in a (virtual) world where it is not easy to engage the head and heart of the audience which has a short attention span.

By sharing each others work we also want to world to show that there is more unity in the universe than many think.

Our common goal will be to show that by increased focus on each of core areas of expertise we shall be able to give a broad spectrum to our public, and shall be able more successfully bring over our message of understanding and peace.

Getting our of comfort-zone

In order to collaborate, many of us will have to get out of our comfort-zones. Those of us working in the non-profit sector have to learn to operate effectively along side each other so we aren’t trying to “do it all”. We do have to trust that others can do that what they are best in. Each having an other speciality or an other main interest is best to concentrate on the subjects they are good at or which are not yet been tackled or spoken off. We need to focus deeply on our core capabilities and trust others to fill the gaps. But naturally there have to be others willing to come to full those gaps. Therefore we would like to ask all who come along this site and who read this article, to think about joining us and helping everybody to create a way to reach more people with our message for making a better world for all around us.

Better than giving awards and prizes we let others know those sites which could be of interest and do take actively part in spreading good news, up-building words, uplifting stories and designs or pictures, showing the world the beauty which is to find if we want looking for it and seeing it.

Caring people

All those who join us should be people who want to care or who have the right spirit to look and find the “unlimited loving kindness of others”. It should be people who carry the “caritas” in them, the philanthropy and charity, to help others and reduce inequity and suffering while in process becoming caring individuals.

I am convinced, though we may not know the persons individually, with our writings we can reach them and have something to bring to them which can relieve them. In the articles we can point out roots of problems and show solutions to problems. Seeing and recognising the problems in the world, lying them in the “open”, we do have no other choice than to act and react, to relieve the pain of our neighbours. Looking at giving chiefly through the lens of amount of money is inappropriate and belittles the efforts of those who are giving far more of themselves.

Giving is about helping humankind and becoming better people in ourselves; It is a willingness to know your own position and to be aware of the position of others. You shall always find people who are better off and also whoo are worse off. there also would always people you like more than the other. It even can well be there are persons you hate. there are many people in this world who loose a lot of energy hating someone. We would love to bend that energy in the positive sense. We do believe that the more you start to care for that person the more each of you will be growing to each other respecting for what you are.Showing love not hateShowing to the world that we care, this will in the end bring some changes. Every little change will be worth the effort. Whether or not they will react, if they are going to say something to you, and whether they actually feel something towards you.

Hate takes to much time out of your life. It destroys your relationships and makes you a person you don’t want to be. {Hate is for the Weak}

We would like to bring the message to the general public:

Why hate someone and show them that you care more than you say? Why put in all that time and energy for someone you don’t want apart of your life? {Hate is for the Weak}

We want as many people as possible to become part of our world. We would love to see a rainbow-nation, where many ideas may find their appreciation and may construct something nicely.

Nothing is wrong to have an own opinion and being passionate about it. We do hope more people shall be coming out of their shell, to be wanting to become more determined to come out on top and show people they have the right to be where they are or stand in their life.

Jukebox of positiveness

Saswata Mitra tries to bring a box full of shimmer, being fresh, imaginative and alluring, like a jukebox, their perhaps you may ask and get, but also here we would like to offer such a sort of jukebox. We do believe the best medicine is the positive thought. We would love to find more writers and photographers or plastic artists who can share their positive ideas and beautiful pictures to inspire others.

The blog “The Mystic Sandbox ” initiated by Saswata and Navneet, revolves around crisp and precise about stuff that you will be able to relate. We too would like to find writers who manage to offer enough material to which many could relate and get inspired from.

We do not mind presenting people here who may have notions that are contradictory to mainstream conjecture. We do not have to go along with the majority in life. We also could try to convince others they are not so strange or mad to have other ideas than the mainstream. We would like to show others they might have confidence in the way they are thinking and the way they want to go, though it is not how the majority wants them  to go.

Saswata wrote:

“In life, we come across many challenges. Some of them make us who we are while some tell us what we should be. Sometimes it is the opposite. There will be struggle, there will be bad days. Days which would never seem to end. Days which would go on and on, which would keep hurting us till the end. Many of us actually most would give up but the people who wont will be the ones to face the brighter side of the day. The night is darkest before dawn but how can we forget the rainbow after the rain? We understand to love, to give, to endure, to find pleasure, to please but what we do not understand is ourselves during all of this. Life can lie to us and no one will stop it, it can play all sorts of games with us without us even knowing because there is no one controlling it. But whatever happens in life happens for good. Good of all in it..” {Sorry For The Long Absence and What’s Been Going On In My Life!}

We would love to let others see that we all can learn from our own bad experiences and turn them into something good. By sharing each-others experiences we would like to show the love for our neighbours and allow them to have a peep in our own bad and good experiences so they might learn from them as well.

Internet enabling us to bring over a message of peace

We may be happy we do have such great instruments, like the internet and WordPress, enabling us to put our fragile words on the internet and embracing the blogging world a little more each day, savouring the words of other bloggers, practising control from inundating you as a reader, inspired by the blogs we follow. Together we can unite and show this union by having group blogs next to our own private blog. There we can bring a short overview of what we published or of what we found interesting the last few days.  It is in such group blogs like Stepping Toes and From Guestwriters that people may bring many voices together and show their main interest and give others chances to connect with other writers or people from all over the world, of many cultures, minds, lovers, in short: writers and humanity.

Let us all always remember:

“Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
-Martin Luther King

and that: when we do not speak, we also give a voice or “speak”, and enable that good, but also bad things, can happen.

Therefore I do hope many will be willing to join and give a voice to spread nicer messages than all the violence we hear every day on the wireless. We also do hope some will like to share some nicer pictures than the awful images we every day get to see on the screens of television and computer.

A small word or many words

We invite everybody who would love to spread a thought of love and peace to join us. Even when they only would contribute once a year, with having twelve writers this would give once a month a thought bringing some positiveness to others. It might be telling about something positive that happened somewhere in the world. Not focussing on all the bad things that happen in this world but giving once attention to something positive, the media may forget or put it somewhere forgotten in a small corner of the so ‘maniest’ page. We sould love to find some facts, but also would appreciate some fiction as  well, that can make us dream or look at the world in a positive way. We would love to see stories that may have a human connection. A real life story. Please remember no story is big or small. Every story matters.

Every one may come forward to share their stories or pictures.  they may do it by acting or reacting on something what is published here or they may offer their services as a co-author. It is a free choice. We also offer a platform where people are invited to share ideas and to talk their heart out.

In case they would prefer to stay anonymous they are also welcome to send in material and we will publish it not disclosing their identity.

In the hope to find many people who would like to come along here to read and to share,

I do thank all those who came along and took some time to linger on this site, and do hope to see them coming back again.

Looking forward to find more people from all over the world willing to share their contributions and letting us know other interesting websites, writers and artists,

Yours sincerely,

Marcus Ampe

You too may join a movement the world needs.

We are having a “membership drive” so-to-speak, and we would really love you participation.

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Interesting reading:

1. Inner Peace Award
2. In A World of Balance There Is Peace and Justice
3. Absolute truths and simple truths.
4. February Post For Peace
5. Poignant Imagine
6. Peace Takes You
7. Bloggers for Christ and Bloggers for Peace
8. Mahatma Gandhi, the Missing Laureate
9. Martin Luther King Jr. – Biographical
10. The need for quiet
11. The habit of being quiet
12. Project Inspiration is Key: What Inspires Me
13. Learning in Peace-Time?
14. Migrants to the West #7 Religions
15. Why I Am Praying for Putin–and Obama
16. Disunity in Christ (Part 1)
17. Disunity in Christ (Part 2)
18. One Unholy Divided Church
19. Friday Fruit (03/21/14)
20. Nelson Mandela – By Their Strange Fruit
21. In Mandela’s Own Words – By Their Strange Fruit
22. Mandela the ‘Terrorist’ (Part 1) – By Their Strange Fruit
23. Mandela the ‘Terrorist’ (Part 2) – By Their Strange Fruit
24. Microaggressions – By Their Strange Fruit
25. When discouraged facing opposition
26. Several quotes about peace.
27. Not to speak is to speak
28. Be still and listen
29. No More Awards Please
30. Peace Action
31. All I want is peace!!!
32. Monthly Peace Challenge – We Are Family
33. Monthly Peace Challenge: Peace Child
34. Peace Child – A Bloggers for Peace post
35. Pax Nation & Peace Child #B4Peace
36. March B4Peace Post–A Peaceful Resolution
37. Perspective
38. Who is the enemy?
39. What is in your reach?
40. Members of the ecclesia uniting and seeking God’s help in tribulation
41. Unity a Sign of Spiritual Maturity
42. Am I Crazy?
43. I’m Confused About My Spiritual Beliefs.
44. Looking for True Spirituality 1 Intro
45. Looking for True Spirituality 2 Not restricted to an elite
46. Looking for True Spirituality 8 Measuring Up
47. How Does One Measure True Spiritual Satisfaction?
48. Determine the drive
49. Bringing Good News into the world
50. Testify of the things heard
51. Trying to get the youth inspired
52. Still, Small Voice
53. In spite of insight
54. Knowing where to go to
55. Do No-Thing: The Power of Self Love.
56. Crazy Messy Love: [Insert Faith Here.]
57. Legacy of peace
58. Its Never to Late
59. I Was to write about love
60. Peace Prevails
61. Being At Peace!
62. Guard well within yourself that treasure, kindness

Some Fellow February B4Peace posts:

1. (everydaygurus.com) – The man behind the idea. Monthly Peace Challenge: Mad Men Plus another post
2. (farawayinthesunshine.wordpress.com) – February post for Peace – help
3. (professionsforpeace.com) – Happy Birthday to a Warrior for Peace
4. (professionsforpeace.com) – loving february
5. (fecthis.wordpress.com) – Please Empower A Compassionate Earth
6. (ejjudge.wordpress.com) – Kindness — a Bloggers for Peace post
7. (kmhubersblog.com) – I’ll take the unknown
8. (taochildseye.wordpress.com) – Weekly Photo Challenge – Love
9. (300dayjourney.wordpress.com) – Monthly Peace in a Poem
10. (gloriousmettle.wordpress.com) – A Peaceful Goodbye
11. (delusion247.wordpress.com) – The Secret to happiness
12. (taochild.wordpress.com) – A true friend
13. (heartflow2013.wordpress.com) – Living Love; Day 9 – Daring
14. (picturesinlivingcolor.wordpress.com) – The Peace Garden
15. (leazengage.wordpress.com) – one more person promoting peace
16. (spiritualworldtravelerblog.com) – Peace & Love Are Eternal

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 >>> This club of writers was initiated by Marcus Ampe founder of the Lifestyle magazine Stepping Toes. <<<

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