Aggression and violence.

..... and I have spent much time hanging out with,and working with, human persons who live a life of aggression and violence.

NOT the answer, it seems to me, is to tell them to be good, settle down, get a job ....... boring they will say.

One of the motivations for young violent humans is the fun and adventure of crime and violence.

When they look at older people and most everyday humans - they often consider them to be drab and the kind of persons they don't want to be.

The answer::

I don't know.

Only ......... I believe that we can get nowhere without human contact and developing a relationship.

Getting closer is safer.

Getting closer is theological sense and sociological sense.

Getting closer not to hate but

getting closer to love

because love does a better job.

Maybe they will consider that, getting to know someone different, will plant a seed in the soul.

A gem of a thought.

A new consideration about life.

Maybe they will meet a new network of humans where life is experienced with some considerable excitement and adventure.

Maybe they will be and become response-able.

Moving on -

..................... maybe the human contact will lead to the human discovering further options in life.

Consider a new way.

A new life.

A new purpose.

Not imposed, ........... freedom cannot be imposed.

Liberation is a choice which can only be made by the human themselves.

I am surprised regularly, really often, that humans who are midst drugs and crime, a short list as a summary,

how they do respond to the emotional life within themselves and outside themselves.

I am surprised because it always seems to be a miracle.

How these beautiful humans can connect with strong emotions, because they have them active in their interior, and that is as close as close can be.

Then seeing them connect with the emotions of others, the spirituality in others,then there is a massive release of a life unlived.

New experiences.

Blinds come up.

Doors open.

Light.

Breathing becomes deep.

Soul undressed.

Violence is scary for me and everybody.

I hate it.

During the height of the violence of the Int*r C*ty F*rm, committed by them in the name of football supporting, I worked alongside those who spent their week planning the funViolence for the coming week-end. The language they used was drilling into my soul all the time - for years.

(I am used to swearing and the foulest of language and it is of no concern to me.)

but

Hate, racist passion, enthusiastic boasting of violence ......... is the most foul.

Yet you work with the person and beyond their behaviour.

Love the human despite the behaviour.

From the faith perspective, there is a word called 'incarnation'.

I think, I never know, it is about God pouring all his love into one human person - known as his son, and that person spending time getting close to humans.

Flesh touching flesh.

Love in human and practical and concrete action.

It isn't bell until it is tolled

It isn't a song until it sung

It isn't love until it is given away.

I am reflecting tonight.

As always.

I cannot always tell you about some of my days.

or

Publish some photographs - I would love to ..........

But I must reflect

But I must stumble on towards understanding.

People tend to think of non-violence as a choice between using force and doing nothing.

But the real choice takes place at another level.

Non-violence is less a matter of "not killing" and

more a matter of showing compassion,

of saving and redeeming,

of being a healing community.

One can only choose between doing good to the person placed in one's path,

or to do him evil.

To do good is to love a person; but not to do that is as good as killing him.

To love someone is to restore that person physically, socially, and spiritually.

To neglect and postpone this restoration is already to kill.

André Trocmé

...... and I have never blogged about the evening when a young human ran in, as mad as hell, with a meat cleaver .....

.