So I have started reading The Moral Imagination by John Paul Lederach, and in the second chapter he tells the story of Colombian peasants caught in the middle of the conflict between guerrillas and the Colombian army. Put in a position to join a side or risk death, they came together and decided, "We shall die before we kill." And they developed the following principles by which their actions would be guided. I read this and thought, "This is responding in the opposite spirit. This is the way of Jesus."
- Faced with individualization: solidarity.
- Faced with the Law of Silence and Secrecy: Do everything publicly. Speak loud and never hide anything.
- Faced with fear: Sincerity and disposition to dialogue. We shall understand those who do not understand us.
- Faced with Violence: Talk and negotiate with everyone. We do not have enemies.
- Faced with exclusion: Find support in others. Individually we are weak, but together we are strong.
- Faced with the need for a strategy: Transparency. We will tell every armed group exactly what we have talked about with other armed groups. And we will tell it all to the community.
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