I too am numb and sick. In my opinion the only hope for mankind is following Matthew 7:12. As always, I interpet the scripture very broadly and include nonhuman life in the scope of the command.
The difference between me and the witnesses is that they believe that scripture has to be enforced under penalty of death, while I hope that mankind will adopt it on its own merits.
The Day the Earth Stood Still stands at the top of my list of movies, and indeed I think it is a movie that should be shown in theatres and classrooms around the world today.
Can we learn to share the earth or will we, like the characters in the movie only be able to achieve peace by being policed by an entity outside of our own control and more powerful than ourselves?
Will the future hold a created police force or will the creator at some point step in and bring the peace?. Which will it be, Gort or God?
Nature is violent and we are part of nature, but nonetheless, I don't think we will ever become accustomed to its violence. We, especially those of us in western Europe and the U.S., live in a surreal world. Our air is conditioned, our homes comfortably shutting out the wind, rain, heat, snow, bugs and allowing in only the parts of nature we like. Our ideas and viewpoints are shaped by idealistic music, movies, books and television shows. We are able to wrap ourselves up in this surreal world because we don't go to bed hungry, sick, cold and miserable like billions of people do each day. Hungry and cold people don't have much to lose by volunteering for suicide missions. These billions of people are more closely connected to the natural world and understand clearly how uncaring and violent nature is and so are not as startled by it as we are.
Yesterday was a terrible display of how territoriality (bin Laden wants the U.S. out of his home country Saudi Arabia) can reach a feverous pitch that can destroy thousands of lives in one day. It had happened countless times in human history and will happen countless times again until we are actively policed either by ourselves in the spirit of Matthew 7:12 or by an outside entity.
Peace, in my opinion, is not possible as long as there is such an incredible imbalance in human standards of living.
I wish us all peace.
hugs
Joel