The absurdity of War is saddening in it's repetiveness

Details: Published: 15 May 2020; Hits: 400

During the current pandemic crisis, we have seen innumerable acts of kindness, generosity, and help from individuals for individuals. That is so inspiring to see and read and makes me realise that "the milk of human kindness" is not just an empty phrase. It is in our nature to help others and to care about each other. We do this spontaneously.

So why, then are we also capable of unspeakable cruelties to each other?

Teachers such as Jesus and Buddha clearly state variations on "love thy neighbour", so why then do these "religious" countries go to war against each other? Of course it was a Christian religious leader who said that it's OK to fight non-Christians, because they were non-Christians, Pope Urban II with his call for the wars known as the Crusades.

The causes of war always boil down to one answer: the lack of peace in individuals. If we are not at peace with ourselves, then conflict will occur, just as night follows day. So the solution is equally clear: war will stop when the war in our heads stop.

Bob Dylan summarised his disgust with war in two memorable songs, and I reproduce the lyrics here. He uses the phrase "God on our side" as the titel of one song, where he points out the disgusting things people do to each other, all resounding to that phrase: we have God on our side! couple with this is his other song "Masters of War", in which he points out that those who die in these wars are not those who send the soldiers or build the weapons. Perhaps President Trump wouldn't be such a Dick if he'd not been able to avoid the draft. He is typical of those who let others pay the cost of their own vanities.

Here are the lyrics. The titles link to the videos of those songs.

"With God On Our Side" by Bob Dylan

"Masters of War" by Bob Dylan

Oh my name it ain't nothin'
My age it means less
The country I come from
Is called the Midwest
I was taught and brought up there
The laws to abide
And that land that I live in
Has God on its side

Oh, the history books tell it
They tell it so well
The cavalries charged
The Indians fell
The cavalries charged
The Indians died
Oh, the country was young
With God on its side

The Spanish-American
War had its day
And the Civil War, too
Was soon laid away
And the names of the heroes
I was made to memorize
With guns in their hands
And God on their side

The First World War, boys
It came and it went
The reason for fighting
I never did get
But I learned to accept it
Accept it with pride
For you don't count the dead
When God's on your side

The Second World War
Came to an end
We forgave the Germans
And then we were friends
Though they murdered six million
In the ovens they fried
The Germans now, too
Have God on their side

I've learned to hate the Russians
All through my whole life
If another war comes
It's them we must fight
To hate them and fear them
To run and to hide
And accept it all bravely
With God on my side

But now we got weapons
Of chemical dust
If fire them, we're forced to
Then fire, them we must
One push of the button
And a shot the world wide
And you never ask questions
When God's on your side

Through many a dark hour
I've been thinkin' about this
That Jesus Christ was
Betrayed by a kiss
But I can't think for you
You'll have to decide
Whether Judas Iscariot
Had God on his side.

So now as I'm leavin'
I'm weary as Hell
The confusion I'm feelin'
Ain't no tongue can tell
The words fill my head
And fall to the floor
That if God's on our side
He'll stop the next war

Come, you masters of war
You that build the big guns
You that build the death planes
You that build all the bombs
You that hide behind walls
You that hide behind desks
I just want you to know
I can see through your masks

You that never done nothin'
But build to destroy
You play with my world
Like it's your little toy
You put a gun in my hand
And you hide from my eyes
And you turn and run farther
When the fast bullets fly

Like Judas of old
You lie and deceive
A world war can be won
You want me to believe
But I see through your eyes
And I see through your brain
Like I see through the water
That runs down my drain

You fasten all the triggers
For the others to fire
Then you sit back and watch
While the death count gets higher
You hide in your mansion
While the young peoples' blood
Flows out of their bodies
And is buried in the mud

You've thrown the worst fear
That can ever be hurled
Fear to bring children
Into the world
For threatenin' my baby
Unborn and unnamed
You ain't worth the blood
That runs in your veins

How much do I know
To talk out of turn?
You might say that I'm young
You might say I'm unlearned
But there's one thing I know
Though I'm younger than you
That even Jesus would never
Forgive what you do

Let me ask you one question
Is your money that good?
Will it buy you forgiveness?
Do you think that it could?I think you will find
When your death takes its toll
All the money you made
Will never buy back your soul

And I hope that you die
And your death will come soon
I'll follow your casket
On a pale afternoon
I'll watch while you're lowered
Down to your deathbed
And I'll stand over your grave
'Til I'm sure that you're dead

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The absurdity of War is saddening in it's repetiveness