ON EARTH PEACE
J.C. KUMARAPPA
There is a season when all Christians celebrate the advent of the Messiah whose mission was to usher in peace on earth and goodwill towards men. Hence, it makes it incumbent on all of us to see that the way in which we celebrate this event is in consonance with the spirit of Jesus.
The traditional way of observing this festival by feasting and exchanging gifts requires careful thought. We cannot feast if such action necessitates others fasting. We may not give gifts which portend strife. We are responsible, not only for our own actions, but also for the acts of others which are conditioned by our requirements. If we use milk and milk products for which the surrounding countryside is scoured, leaving little or nothing even for the children of the producers of milk, then we become parties to the malnutrition of those children. If we buy gifts which have been brought into the market by international strife at any stage of its production, exchange or consumption, we share in the responsibility for such conflict and bloodshed. ....
WHAT WERE THESE FOR?
The present generation has witnessed the blood baths the world has been through twice. What were these for? I am confident that there are few among us who are naive enough to believe that all this was in the cause of Democracy or to end wars as is claimed by the belligerent parties on both sides. We all know that these global upheavals are caused by the underlying greed of certain nations for raw materials and their desire to control their markets. If this be so, then those who export such raw materials and deal in such markets are no less parties to these sanguinary wars. If Japan wants to control the Chinese market, every Chinese, who buys a Japanese article, is not only collaborating with the enemy but also effectively contributing towards the waging of the war because he is a willing cause of it. In the same manner when we buy foreign goods, from whatever country it may be, we are direct causes of international strife. International trade there could be, but such should be only in exchange of surpluses and not in raw materials or primary consumer goods.
NEIGHBOURLY LOVE
If we love our neighbours as ourselves, our love should express itself in a tangible form in everyday life. We ought to patronise the production of our neighbours—buy the goods made by them. If our country is poor today it is because our custom has gone to the foreign producers. Even in food articles we buy Australian grain, American cereals in the form of corn flakes, shredded wheat, grape nuts, Quaker oats etc. All this means taking employment out of the hands of our own people and thus leading them on to starvation. “If you love me feed my lambs.” What does this mean? Not mere indiscriminate charity but to act and live ourselves in such a way as will help others to feed themselves.
Let us, therefore, during this festive period and in the coming year, resolve to work towards world peace and towards the abolishing of all political slavery by abstaining from dealing in all foreign goods. Thus shall we wash our hands clean of human blood and work for the attainment of freedom for all. Everyone in his own little corner and to the full measure of his capacity. Every little will count and the world will have peace and goodwill as a result.
(source: (Jai Jesu, Dec. 1947)