Make A Better World with WPO

Literally, the word peace' is derived from the original Latin word pax', which means a pact, a control or an agreement to end war or any dispute and conflict between two people, two nations or two antagonistic groups of people. According to the American military history, the word peace essentially means the absence of war. 

Therefore, by militaries' views, they fight wars to win the peace, or they use force to maintain peace. In military paradigms, peace is seen as an ultimate or ideal goal rather than a means to an end. Historically and politically considering in accordance with the American military history's point of view, it is understood as to why peace is mostly defined as an absence of war. This is because in the history of human society, wars of various kinds were fought. 

Whenever wars occur, people need peace and ask for peace.

            Peace that people needed and asked for is the state of the absence of wars, the state of having no fights. However, many peace scholars do not agree with giving an emphasis on peace in the sense of an absence of war only. Peace, in their opinions, is something more meaningful, valuable and important than that.

            The following are some brief explanations of philosophy of peace from several religious sources, prominent world figures, and books like encyclopedia, dictionary and so on:

Judaism enjoys prominence not merely as a world religion in its own right, and arguably the most ancient monotheistic religion in the world, but also as a predecessor faith for Christianity and Islam. Much of the contribution of Judaism towards theorizing on peace comes from the idea of an absolute deity, and the consequential need for radical ethical commitment. 

Within the Tanakh (Hebrew Scriptures), the Torah (Law) describes peace as an ultimate goal and a divine gift, although at times brutal warfare is authorized; the Nevi'im (Prophetic Literature) develops the notion of the messianic future era of peace, when there will be no more war, war-making or suffering; and the Ketuvim (Wisdom Literature) incorporates notions of inner peace into Judaism, 

such as the idea that a person can experience peace in the midst of adversity, and the notion that peace comes through experience and reflection.

Hinduism is a group of religious traditions geographically centered on the Indian sub-continent, which rely upon the sacred texts known as the Vedas, the Upanishads, and Bhagavad Gita. There are a number of aspects of Hinduism which intersect with peace theory. Karma is a view of moral causality incorporated into Hinduism, 

wherein good deeds are rewarded either within this lifetime or the next, and by contrast bad deeds are punished in this lifetime or the next. Karma presents a strong motivation to moral conduct, that is, one should act in accordance with the dharma, or moral code of the universe. 

A further element within Hinduism relevant to a peace theory is the notion of the family of humankind, and accordingly there is a strong element of tolerance within Hinduism, in that the religion tolerates and indeed envelopes a range of seemingly conflicting beliefs.