The Western world has had the benefit of the Judeo-Christian tradition, which teaches what human nature is and how it can be changed. Jesus of Nazareth had this to say about our basic state of mind: "From within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man" (Mark 7:21-23).

From this biblical perspective, the achievable ideal is that nations put down their weapons of war while at the same time learning new ways of thinking. This prescription for peace is found in another prophetic passage from the book of Isaiah--words that are carved into the base of the familiar statue outside the UN building in New York: "He shall judge between the nations, and rebuke many people; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore" (Isaiah 2:4).

It is a confirmation of the philosophy and ideas of Woodrow Wilson that the successor to his League of Nations accepted the gift of a statue with the biblical prescription for peace. It is an ideal that recognizes the realist's fears and puts them to rest.

TRANSFORM OR CONFORM

The only way through the impasse created by human nature is by means of a change of heart. The change of heart religion and the Bible specifies is a fundamental transformation of mind and attitude set in motion by an outside source.

Previous to his change of heart, the apostle Paul was by his own admission "a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man" (1 Timothy 1:13, New International Version). He came to see that even with religious zeal as his motivation, he was of the wrong spirit. It is with the deepest conviction that he writes, "To be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace" (Romans 8:6).

That spiritual mind, he says, comes only from the influence of God at work in humans through His Holy Spirit. It is made available in part for the conquering of human nature's downward pull. He encourages us: "Be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God" (Romans 12:2). That renewal comes only from the Spirit of God.

Are these philosophy and ideas of idealism and realism the pathway to peace? In fact, neither is. Peace will become the way of the nations only when Isaiah's prophecy of the cessation of weapons manufacture and of war itself comes to pass. In the meantime, lasting peace can come individually from within when the Spirit of God is active within.

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