A Persistent Peace – One Mans Struggle for a Nonviolent World
A Persistent Peace One Mans Struggle for a Nonviolent World
John Dear, SJ, has been arrested more than 75 times. He has spent more than a year of his life in jail. He has been mocked by armed U.S. soldiers standing outside the doors to his New Mexico parish. All this because he so fervently believes in peace.
Dear's unflappable persistence in speaking and acting on behalf of peace stems from his life-changing decision in college to leave behind his frat-boy, party-all-night lifestyle and instead become a faithful follower of Jesus Christ. In turn, that decision has, over many years, led him to live out the Beatitudes of the nonviolent Jesus in every dimension of his life rather than simply quote them when convenient from time to time.
A Persistent Peace, John Dear's autobiography, invites readers to follow the decades-long journey and spiritual growth of this nationally known peace activist, and to witness his bold, decisive, often unpopular actions before government officials, military higher-ups, and even hostile representatives of the Church. With heroes such as Martin Luther King, Jr., Mahatma Gandhi, and Nelson Mandela, it should come as no surprise that John's activism has taken him to many places including war zones all over the world.
From his conversion to Christianity, to his calling to become a Jesuit, to the extreme dangers and delights of a life dedicated to truly living out the radical, forgiving love of Jesus, Dear's incredible story will touch anyone who believes in the power of peace. Perhaps most important of all, readers will come to understand through John that the most important disarmament of all is the one that happens inside each heart when we finally let go of our own self-righteousness, resentment, and anger.
User Ratings and Reviews
4 Stars A Persistent Peace
Author relates well his life story in living out a life of active non-violence in response to a world that is convinced that violence is the only way to acheive peace. His real life stories of involvement brings a decidedly different view than the government and news media would have us believe. His example of continually growing in his desire and efforts to live in the way of Jesus is an indirect challenge for all of us. The concept that true peacemaking begins within each of us as we forgive those that have wronged us and refuse to hold bitterness and anger against them, is another strong challenge that counters our tendency to only look at what others must do and not at how we must change.
3 Stars Interesting at best…
Not the type of book I would suggest to friends or read again. I do not often read biographies in general, but this particular one was not incredibly interesting. The story follows John, whom is a very hard core pacifist. John tells of his stories of the recent peace movement from helping after 9/11 to his time in refugee camps. There are certainly some parts that are moving as you get to understand his internal dialogue and descision making processes. Overall, I just found it to not be enjoyable to read. This may be because I am escaping when I read…not trying to enter some of the most intense and severe realities of human kind.
4 Stars Maybe not the most exciting – but still worthwhile if you're likeminded
As someone who is of a similar mindset as John Dear, I found this book to be interesting, comforting and inspiring. I don't think it's a book that will in any way change someone's views, but for someone who already has a belief in non-violence, this book does well to encourage persistence despite struggle.
It's no Gandhi or MLK story, but it's very real for the everyday person. It's not a difficult read and there are some slow moments, but overall worth the time.
4 Stars Sharing his commitment
There are few people in the world committed to an ideal willing to dedicate their entire life to it. John Dear, SJ, is one of these. You hear about people getting "a call", and it probably happens to everyone, but most of us don't listen. And it would have been easy for him to get a degree, have a career as a lawyer or journalist, and work for peace as a sideline. But this is someone who felt the call so strongly he completely dedicated his life to it.
Simply put, he believes his life should be dedicated to living as Jesus did. Rejecting violence, promoting peace. Of course there are many who might dispute his notion of what peace is all about. But it doesn't matter what we think, we're not living the commitment.
A Persistent Peace is an autobiography that picks up Dear's life at a critical juncture. We have all seen peace activists and peace demonstrations. Through his book, we now can see the inner workings of a person completely dedicated to improving the world, and trying to live as Jesus did. Is Dear a perfect man? Absolutely not, and he'd be the first one to tell you that. He struggles with the same things the rest of us do. Selfishness, anger, self-righteousness. But he turns to God each and every time and asks for help. He makes it seem simple.
Dear travels all over the world, wherever there is strife. He gets his hands dirty, he spends time in jail. He gets to know the people he's trying to help. Even if you don't agree with what he's trying to do, its an interesting story. He brings to life people and events we've read about in a remote sort of way in the news. He reminds us these are real people and this is their life.
Should everyone try to live more like John Dear? Maybe. His level of commitment is something I can truly admire. Most of us try to live a good life. But Dear is someone who truly understands and lives his ideals. If the rest of us could try, even to a much lesser extent, to have a positive impact on our world, it would be a far better place to live.
4 Stars John "Dear's Persistent Peace
Dear's autobiography is a blow-by-blow narrative of what it takes to be a true, dedicated activist for world peace. Being a maverick helps a lot! He often went against his own Jesuit authorities to give his all to his goal. Some of is concepts are somewhat hard to accept, like there isn't such a thing as a "Just War"; no circumstances justify the taking of a human life. Takes quite a deep belief system to live that assumption. I'd recommend this book for anyone dedicated to world peace.
Related posts:
- Three Cups of Tea – One Mans Mission to Promote Peace One School at a Time
- The Gift of Peace
- One Woman Against the Reich – The True Story of a Mothers Struggle to Keep Her Family Faithful to God in a World Gone Mad
- When Everything Changes – Change Everything In a Time of Turmoil, a Pathway to Peace
- Jesus Calling – Enjoying Peace in His Presence
- Peace Is Every Step – The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life
- Into the Deep One Mans Story of How Tragedy Took His Family but Could Not Take His Faith Focus on the Family Books
- Nonviolent Communication A Language of Life
- Wild at Heart – Discovering the Secret of a Mans Soul
- Wild at Heart Discovering the Secret of a Mans Soul
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