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Official Statement on Political Violence
In his first inaugural address, Abraham Lincoln said, âWe are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection.â This sentiment stands the test of time as a guidepost for a peaceful society. A commitment to peacemaking is the foundation for a healthy society that champions a variety of political values and ideals. From coast to coast, the range of life experience and thought within the United States of America is remarkable. Our culture is a conglomeration of wide-ranging ideas and priorities resulting from the diverse experiences of our population. We are each informed by our unique…
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Practical Peacemaking Week 2: Individually Finding Peace
Jesus said, âA house divided against itself shall not standâ (Matthew 12:25). This means we must integrate our thoughts, experiences, and actions into a harmonious blend internally. When our actions and beliefs are out of sync with each other, we are essentially divided, or at war with ourselves. As peacemakers, we need to access and cultivate the calm, tranquility, justice, mercy, and connection associated with inner peace before we can expect to create peace in connection with someone else. There are many real sources of creating inner peace, which largely hinge on the idea of meeting human needs and bringing our souls into balance. We know Jesus Christâs atonement provides…
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Christmas Message of Peace from Mormon Women for Ethical Government
They were wholly preposterous words. âOn earth peace, good will toward men,â(1) sang angels hovering over a land heaving with political and racial tension, ruled by a degenerate despot, choked by Roman oppression, crowded in on all sides by competing foreign powers—a land, which in just one generation would collapse under revolt, its temple razed to the ground. Yet it is precisely into the heart of such a conflict-rife setting that the shimmering, pulsating words âpeaceâ and âgood willâ spilled down the conduit from Godâs presence. Like pure water, they gushed into this murky sphere, sending bright, ever-expanding ripples across the thick Judean night. Peace, proclaimed the angels. Peace on…
