“At the root of all war is fear: not so much the fear men have of one another as the fear they have of everything. It is not merely that they do not trust one another; they do not even trust themselves. If they are not sure when someone else may turn around and kill them, they are still less sure when they may turn around and kill themselves. They cannot trust anything, because they have ceased to believe in God. It is not only our hatred of others that is dangerous, but also, and above all, our hatred of ourselves, which is too deep and too powerful to be consciously faced. For it is this which makes us see our own evil in others and unable to see it in ourselves.”  – Thomas Merton, New Seeds of Contemplation.

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I believe Thomas Merton. People who cheer and revel in hatred do not have a God to believe in. No God I am aware of celebrates hatred. No person of faith would support it.

Above: Meditation in the morning, Maria with our dog Zip—peace within.

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