What does the peace of Jerusalem look like in the 21st century? Jerusalem is the spiritual homeland for people of many faiths especially the Abrahamic religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Along with those religions is the indigenous and generational secular Israeli society which has its own version of religion called TOLERANCE. These local people who have generation after generation occupied Israel’s territory in the name of home and family land are the secular Israelis who have learned that religion causes war and to defend the country is to keep the peace, much like religions defend their values in order to perpetuate their claims.
Every Israeli at the tender age of 18 years old or so, must enlist to defend the country of Israel because of religious persecution of the Jewish people. Some people would beg to differ that this is the reason but this is the reason. This what you end up with is a society of secular indigenous people that must tolerate all belief systems under the name of keeping the peace in the land and amongst the people.
So what then does keeping the peace in the Holy land have to do with real UNITY for all those who have to enlist in the military, watch over, and protect the people’s land and all visitors while the world goes by, after another each religion after another sending its own message? Little does the IDF truly know (or maybe they do) THEY are the very example of the Guardian of Israel who neither sleeps nor slumbers (Psalm 121:4) that keeps the very Unity by instilling the presence of protection for everyone who visits or lives in Israel. Whether your God is the God of Israel or not, the Creator of the Universe can be seen live in action as the awe-inspiring presence of the IDF at every corner ensures people of all walks of life can come to experience a different set of values and life practices by visiting the diversity of the Land of Israel.
The One God
This author and founder of the Seventy Nations “Jerusalem Unity Center” supports the view of Unity under one God who is the Creator of the Universe but how do we understand this Creator with so many diverse pathways that claim to have the only rights, ways, or knowledge? Is there more to bringing peace to the middle east and specifically in Jerusalem as the holiest place on earth of the Living God itself as a place to work out this idea together?
Certainly, we have reached a time where it is more obvious that the Living God is everywhere and all people have been created by this divine and supreme intelligence we call God who remains largely hidden… or does it? In any given moment we can see what the living God may look like when we are enjoying fellowship, camaraderie, and unity of the people as the Bible and many other religious or spiritual texts proclaim in the world “Oh how beautiful it is when the people dwell together in Unity (Psalm 133:1). But what does this unity mean in the holy land regarding something that can be supported and participated in? You are the answer!
Coming to Jerusalem
Religious tolerance supports and is taught as a “how to participate in” value of protecting the human rights values of others. Here in the Holy Land which means “set apart land” holiness is often connected (incorrectly) with a loftiness or specific clothing we see so often in religious leadership. However, the Holy Land itself is to be seen as set apart from the other common and daily practices of the world that are specific in their own categories and preferences for common moral and sustainable practices.
Bringing Unity to the Holy Land literally demands us all to rise to a level of tolerance and keeping of peace through respect for the Unity that is found in diversity. Respect for oneself and others is the moral foundation that governs all people whose consciousness is governed by the moral compass we naturally find in our human condition. This foundational morality to respect one another demands remaining unattached to controlling another person’s belief system or experience of that belief system. Herein do we find the Holy land of Religious Tolerance guarded by the IDF (who often go so unnoticed for their divine labor)
Each person on planet Earth has the human right and freedom to decide for themselves what will govern them in order to tolerate one another. The challenge is to remember that and not get caught up in exclusivity or demanding practices that injure another person’s free will choice or confidence but rather to exemplify to the best of one’s ability the diversity they embody that is part of the unity of the people who live together in respect for one another. Making that choice to love beyond all other choices and to accept the differences of others is what brings unity to Jerusalem and quite the opportunity for a life lesson for all who wish to know the true living God. Yes, it boils down to love again. Funny how all things point us toward our end (and beginning). A personal choice to accept the blessing laid before us all each day here in the Holy land; Jew, Christian, and Muslim alike, choosing love is always the answer, and keeping the peace is a clear model to make sure it is kept.
So what does it mean for you the reader of this download?
This is an invitation a personal invitation for you to take your place as a leader in Jerusalem a peacekeeper somebody who can look beyond the ordinary into the extraordinary opportunity of exemplifying the best of your belief and putting it in the most loving and caring way to inspire others to also head down this road of bringing unity of Jerusalem. Come and share yourself here in the holy land by being a peacemaker right here in Jerusalem. We, the Seven Nations Jerusalem Unity Center invite you to join us and take part in the ongoing redemption that is shaping our future generations to come. And don’t forget to share the love with our guardians of Israel, the holy IDF who made it possible for you! Shalom!
**The goals of the Jerusalem Unity Center are to build a Center and create a World Forum as a platform to engage in these and other ideas for creating a genuinely reflective safe Holy Land representation that is representative of the Living God that creates all of LIFE.
