After the terrible happenings in the past weeks, I thought a lot about what causes people to act in violent, disrespectful, arrogant, devastating, and hateful ways. Yes, it is racism, frustration, and fanaticism. But those are only the symptoms. But what is the cause for such aggression and hatred against innocent people? I know this is a very delicate subject and I don’t claim to know the solution. There is so much about it. But to me, there are three important possible causes standing out.

Subjective information
We get influenced throughout our lives:  family, media, friends, school, games (!), and personal experiences which again are stored in our minds the way we think about them due to our previous information! If we are told from childhood that certain people or ethnic groups are dangerous or bad then we are growing up with that thought pattern and even though we never experienced something bad about them we may believe they are. The more people share our convictions the more we are convinced that what we believe is the only truth.

Lack of love
If we don’t feel loved our lives seem empty. Love is what gives meaning to whatever we do. When there is no love there seems no meaning in our lives. We try to find love because it is a basic need. If someone did not experience love as a child or even later, they may misunderstand what love is and are looking for it outside. Some misinterpret love with physical love. Some try to become someone who they are not in order to feel accepted and respected. That need can be so strong that they would even kill for it – tests of courage, gangs, terrorism, …! A lack of love to me actually is THE main reason for what happens in this world. The problem is rooted in the missing love and self-worth those people feel for themselves – due to what they were told for much too long.

Fear
We have a natural tendency to defend our lives when we feel threatened. It doesn’t have to be an obvious threat. When we are convinced enough then only the thought can make us feel threatened and we will automatically (re)act in a defensive way. Again most fears (or fearful information) are implanted during childhood. We are also scared of being alone which too can be the cause for ending up with “the wrong” people. Mostly we are scared about what we don’t know or only seem to know from tellings. So when we fear something we should check if it is really true. Today we have so many possibilities to get a bigger picture. The question is more about what kind of information we seek… Fear is the most dangerous weapon. Unfortunately, many governments are controlling their people with fear and clearly selected information.

As I said, this is only one of the many possible problems for violence which kept me thinking: fear arising from a lack of love and/or information (or the wrong information). At least it is a theory that makes sense to me. I think the lack of information does not even weigh that heavy as long as there is not that lack of self-love. Self-love generates self-esteem. Self-esteem doesn’t crave outside approval. Feeling love makes us compassionate, respectful, accepting, and tolerant. And here we are: We are open for more information which again takes the power from fear. But we are also aware of the fact that we might not know everything. Love is THE power that makes us see that acting out of fear doesn’t solve any problems – it only causes them. Love and fear are two ends of the same energy. That is why they cannot exist at the same time. Where there is love there is no fear! Whatever we want to change for the better, in the end, it always comes down to love!

I am not only talking here about racism. Any violence or unfair treatment of people breaks my heart, no matter what color, age, culture, religion, or origin. There is no excuse for violence. NO EXCUSE!!!! But there are explanations. Nobody was born evil – nobody! We don’t know what made a person the way they are today. But we know that there must be a lonely and fearful place inside of them. To make someone stop hating they must be shown their values. It may sound provocative but the ones who seem deserving the least are the ones who need the most love. Of course, this is not always easy.  Believe me, I am having difficulties myself always thinking and feeling that way when horrible things happen and I don’t know how I would react if I or my loved ones were directly affected. But I clearly know that if we react with hatred and aggression the circle will never end. Because like fear generates violence, violence again generates fear and more violence. Therefore we need to love being open in order to look beyond and to be willing to understand. We need to heal the cause, not the symptom. We can only heal the word when we act in a healing way. We will always reap what we sowed. No matter how many sad and shocking things still happen in this world, in the long run, we can only turn the rudder around when we spread the love even when it is not easy. The darker it seems, the more love we need to shine. We need to shine it on the victims and on the offenders. If we don’t grant love to everyone we break our own necks! That is what mankind needs to learn. Only love can generate love!

In Love and Light