The magnanimity of Peter' Kassig's devotion for founding a relief organization and helping wounded Syrians instead of returning to those who trained him for war has touched the hearts of the world, similar to the great prophet Jesus of Nazareth, the great peace maker. The fact that Peter's parents, Ed and Paula, have forgiven his assassin is enlightenment for those of the living who only have so much time in our short journeys to Earth. My husband and I still feel overwhelming grief. We lost all our sons, what breaks our hearts forever.
These parents sent a message over TV to the assassin of their son, "May good will prevail"–and added, "Rather than letting the darkness overwhelm him, he chose to believe in the good–in himself and others." He believed that one person can truly make a difference for a better world, and proved it in his short life-time.
Dear Ones,
Until we all realize that bombs decapitate more people than the lift of arms bearing swift sharp swords of battering aggression, we will never see the cessation of the on rushing tide of bloody, circular retaliation. Arms of man in all senses of the word will eventually reform, if Earth's survives the arms' abuse. The archaic days of King Hammurabi must vanish–an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. This anger and hatred only multiplies in endless futile battle.
All the world's arsenals of atomic bombs, radioactive missiles and chemical munitions can never bring international peace. Until militant men stop producing, exploding and exporting all kinds of lethal weaponry, including the knives for torture, they will keep digging black toxic smoking holes on Earth that fuel tornadoes, hurricanes, tsunamis and earthquakes and other radical weather.
The life of Mohandas Gandhi also shows us the will and compassion of the heart, as did the parents of Peter. After Muslims had ruled India for centuries there was bloodshed leading up to India's Independence in 1947 and its aftermath when part of India became Pakistan. At one point a friend of Gandhi's, whose son was killed by a Muslim, ran to him in anguish, hatred and advise for retaliation.
But Gandhi instead said to him, "Find a Muslim orphan who was killed by a Hindu and raise him as your own." But the bereaved man gasped, "No way could I do that!" However, after contemplating Gandhi's words, he came back to Calcutta, weeping again, but this time on bended knees saying he would do it. This is why Gandhi is still remembered as Mahatma–the great one.
The parents of Peter Kassig have expressed the same humanitarian compassion with their son's assassin. Instead of anger, hatred and revenge they forgave him. And somehow I intuitively believe that the killer, if he isn't insane, has a conscience that will bother him tremendously the rest of his life and possibly may change it for the better while influencing others as well.
On the other hand, some authorities claim Peter was killed in US-led air raids or by drones, with Isis led by (former generals of Saddam Hussein in Iraq before it was invaded, attacked and occupied) taking advantage of his corpse and making a video describing how he was beheaded for revenge, as they have actually decapitated other victims. But since Americans never know how many innocent people are killed or wounded as "collateral damage" from bombing, the question goes unanswered–out of sight, out of mind.
Peter rests in peace for his gentle, kind spirit, but assassins' minds are poisoned by vicious, brutal revenge. Surely some of them may visualize the light of reason and lead others toward it. But we will never know since it is impossible in the present to see into secret chambers within the human mind. We can only hope for the best.
Peter and his virtuous parents have influenced the world with the fresh spring of hope. As poet Alexander Pope said, "Hope springs eternal in the hearts of man." This essay is dedicated to them.
Mame,
helenesmith1.blog spot.com
