04/04/13 | Posted by Ian Black
There are a number of verses from the psalms which come to mind. These passages of ancient poetry from the Old Testament warn against putting our trust in the might of horses and human strength (Psalms 20:7; 147:10; 33:17). A modern way of phrasing this would be to warn against assuming our safety lies in our stash of arms alone. As the rapper Goldie Lookin Chain said, ‘Guns don’t kill people, rappers do’. It is words and the motives that lie behind actions which lead people to violence. Safety lies in the peaceful intentions of the heart, not from fear. Fear is dangerous and when someone feels they have nothing to lose they can become very destructive, even mutually destructive. Peace lies in relationships and diplomacy, not in parading missiles.
This is why the aid budget matters. If we invest in improving the conditions of the poorest people in the world - in food, education and health - there are knock on benefits. Aid oils the wheels of peace. So does fairtrade, debt relief and an international politics that is just and respectful of dignity. Might alone is no guarantor of safety. It is the principle of good old fashioned justice which assures safety and peace. Nuclear weapons put us in a very dangerous place. The more we have the more we need to build the relationships that mean they remain locked in their bunkers.
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