It seems to me that humans are innately inclined toward discord and attracted to violence. Although few would admit to enjoying involvement in disharmony, many find pleasure in hearing about other people’s fights. One might simply consider the classic example of a middle school hallway fight, involving the two people fighting and the many other young spectators running to get a look at the live action (at least that was part of my middle school experience). Although we may recognize the foolishness of this behavior, it exhibits a spirit that is at work in all of us, namely, a fascination with conflict and controversy.

With regard to this spirit of discord, I always think of my own experience as a teenager, watching the beginning of the Gulf War in Desert Storm on live TV (Jan 15, 1991). As the bombs rained down on Baghdad, I watched the night sky light up like a fireworks show. I was comfortably removed from the true devastation and horror of the war taking place on the ground. With excitement, I recall running out of my room and exclaiming, “Mom, we are at war!” and eagerly returned to learn all about Tomahawk and Scud missiles. Looking back, I wish that I had been disturbed by the war and hoped for a peaceful resolution. I have since become more aware of the dreadfulness of military conflict. However, I think my experience of excitement simply illustrates the human fascination with discord and trouble of any kind. Although we may not want to experience it, we seem bent on watching it and hearing about it. If it were not so, certain news networks that specialize in inflaming conflict would not be so popular.

In response to our present culture’s fascination with and proclivity toward strife, especially obvious in politics and on social media, this year at HST we are taking up the theme of “A Peaceable Kingdom.” Scattered throughout the Bible, there are visions of a future of peace. For example, Isaiah 2:2-4 proclaims a future when all nations will come to Zion to learn the instruction (torah) of the Lord, which will leads to transforming their weapons of war into farming tools and the end of learning of war. In this text, peace is not the absence of conflict; rather, the prophet envisions a future when nations would resolve their conflicts by seeking Lord’s arbitration. Torah leads people toward dealing with conflict peaceably and away from escalating conflict with violence and revenge. Additionally, Torah moves people away from a fascination with discord. Those who are led by the Spirit of the Lord do not find pleasure in watching other people’s disharmony.