Comments for Contagious Love Experiment

Comment on Collateral Murder? Wikileaks, Soldiers Speak by Joe

Joe — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 14:45:22 +0000

You quoted one of the ten commandments in your post, but you failed to mention that the entire bible is filled with war and famon and much of it is at God’s will. What many people fail to realize when watching this video is that the soldiers did not have the little white text on the screen telling them what was around the two men’s arms was a camera, and we can also not see everything in the video that they can see. I have spoken to the wives of one of these soldiers and I have no doubt in my mind that they were only doing what they must to survive. People are quick to judge, especially when they have not experienced what these soldiers are going through. They did find weapons once the area was clear, and you can see a man setting up with one of the RPG’s in this video. They did what they had to do.

Comment on Day 37: Conscientious Objection: “I shall die, but that is all I shall do for death” by Sylvia

Sylvia — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 14:05:47 +0000

Mary Travers sang a song containing these words in a concert video I saw on PBS many years ago. I have tried in vain for a very long time to find the song. Thank you for posting this, as I was not aware that Ms. St. Vincent Millay was the author. This is a wonderful way for me to close out 2011 and begin 2012. Peace and joy in the new year!

Comment on Contact by Mason Cash

Mason Cash — Tue, 10 May 2011 15:22:40 +0000

Hi Josh,

I have been reading and hearing about your story for a while. Kudos! I have immense respect for your having firm principles and having the strength of will and character to stick to them.

Your situation made me think of a book I read 20 years ago that seriously shaped my affinity with peaceful responses to violence.

The book is _We Will not Cease_ by Archibald Baxter who was drafted into the New Zealand army and sent to Europe, during WWI but refused to carry a weapon. His resolutely peaceful and sympathetic responses to the extremely harsh treatment he received while at the front lines in WWI is inspiring.

I re-read it again recently. I think it still speaks loudly about people in your situation and about the need for respect for humanity, even towards those who are ostensibly your “enemies” or those abusing you for your decision not to contribute to the violence.

If you have not already read it, I strongly urge you to do so. http://www.amazon.com/Will-Not-Cease-Archibald-Baxter/dp/0140093494

Respectful regards,

Mason.

Comment on Contact by Tanya

Tanya — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 17:22:55 +0000

As an atheist, I’d always thought Christ would have been a really great guy if not for the fact that he had followers. Thanks so much for living a truly Christ-like life.

Comment on Contact by The guy with the beard

The guy with the beard — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 15:19:30 +0000

I came from an evangelical background, as you did, but without the extreme political conservatism. My church background was from a denomination that was recognized as inherently CO (Conscientious Objector). I opposed both Gulf War 1 under Bush Sr. and then Gulf War 2 under his son, but not for religious reasons.

After discarding your earlier political persuasions received from your Christian upbringing, I’m wondering if you’ve still managed to maintain your evangelical persuasions when it comes to your faith. I want you to know that there are still some Christians out there who, in the words of the producers of the podcast, “Our Life in Christ,” are “Evangelical, but not Protestant; Orthodox, but not Jewish; not NON-denominational, but PRE-denominational…” These people don’t buy into the political beliefs about Christianity so rife in evangelical America, but they haven’t given up on the Gospel, either.

If you’re interested, I’d recommend that you check out “Our Life in Christ” on http://www.ancientfaith.com This website has lots of other podcasts, as well, by really deep thinkers — particularly by a man named, Thomas Hopko [Speaking the Truth in Love]. If you’re not willing to be challenged, however, don’t bother. (BTW – the podcasts are almost entirely non-political. This is about the faith of the Church of the first centuries — not primarily about political action.)

God bless you in your journeys — both on the road and toward the Kingdom of Heaven.

[Name withheld]

Comment on Dear Mr. Beck, I Shook Hands with the Antichrist by Jerry Park

Jerry Park — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 11:50:05 +0000

Thank you, Josh, for fighting fear with warmth and light.

Comment on Days 46-47: The Bruderhof, communal living, and American Democracy by Curtis Mommsen

Curtis Mommsen — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 03:35:19 +0000

I grew up in the Bruderhof (now Church Communities International) and I left during the period you mentioned after high school, never to go back. I left because I wanted more freedom, and I found the outside world to be exactly as free as you described; The pursuit of happiness is America’s loudest anthem, but it is also our most deceitful lie. I have never been happier than when I was growing up in that Community. I experienced true freedom as a child, and nothing I have discovered out here comes close. The only thing that made me unhappy was my desire for material things, and I was sure that my freedom to attain these things would make me happy. It does, sort of, but it quickly fades away when the newness wears off. In fact, the very act of seeking happiness for yourself dooms you to recursive pursuit for the rest of your life. However I learned an important lesson, and reading your journal helped clarify this concept: Relationships can bring you happiness, above all your relationship with God. The hardest part of realizing this is rejecting the pursuit of happiness for yourself and focusing on other people’s happiness. This is a hard concept to explain out here to my friends who grew up in the consumer culture of suburban America.

Comment on Sharing the writing of another Stieber by lucesitam

lucesitam — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 18:24:37 +0000

Wow, I love the billboard. Instead of instigating hate and death, you promote life. It is a crying shame that mankind in general is so hateful and violent. Here in Mexico, I feel impotent and unable to do anything to make a difference.

Comment on Dangerous Activity Thwarted in Afghanistan! by Christine Dull

Christine Dull — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 02:37:24 +0000

Josh, your article for Fellowship was wonderful–your thinking is so straight and full of truth, and your writing is beautiful. I really loved your thinking about how and where to live–that we belong together and that we can have serenity in the busyness of life. I also watched and listened to all the little blogs (I guess that’s what they’re called) of the Smiling young men in Afghanistan. My tears flowed as they all kept saying, “Why not love?” I felt like taking all my money and setting up a big moving screen on Times Square and letting everyone see them. If they don’t melt people’s hearts with their smiles and messages and with the music in the background, I don’t know what else could do it. I don’t know anything about computers, but I want someone to take some of them off and make DVDs that we can show at the Dayton International Peace Museum. By the way, Ralph and I got to spend an hour with Greg Mortenson last fall–ask him questions, etc. We have now an exhibit about his work in the Museum, and we are going to go to Dayton area schools to get them to donate pennies for a new school in Afghanistan or Pakistan. You’ve met Paul Chappell, haven’t you? He is going to come to do some of his Peace Leadership Training Workshops in April. God bless you and expand your work to the whole world, Josh! Somehow we’ve got to get it to Pres. Obama.

Comment on Practical Ideas by hal

hal — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 21:39:16 +0000

its people like you that restore my faith and goodwill in humanity. im often confused and disheartned by the meaningless wars happening, not only in iraq but also the miltary occupation of country’s such and palestine
so keep up the good work
peace and love from london, england x