[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 156 (Tuesday, October 10, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1904-E1905]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         PROMOTING WORLD PEACE

                                 ______


                          HON. BILL RICHARDSON

                             of new mexico

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, October 10, 1995

  Mr. RICHARDSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to draw attention to the 
efforts of my constituent the Reverend Eric Schneider of Santa Fe. Eric 
is a dedicated promoter of fundamental steps designed to foster world 
peace. I commend and support his efforts to further such a noble cause. 
More importantly, I call on all Members to read Reverend Schneider's 
eloquent proposal to ask the United Nations to declare 1999 ``The 
International Year of Forgiveness.''
  I concur with Reverend Schneider's premise that regardless of one's 
religious or philosophical view, all people want world peace. As we 
near the end of one of history's bloodiest centuries, we should 
actively devote ourselves to a recognition of the positive role played 
by human forgiveness. I submit Rev. Eric Schneider's piece titled 
``Forgiveness: The Last Alternative'' for all Members of Congress to 
consider.

                   Forgiveness: The Last Alternative

                        (By Rev. Eric Schneider)

       All people want permanent world peace, no matter what they 
     think must be done as the means to that peace. But none of 
     the military, economic, social, philosophical, humanitarian, 
     political or even religious solutions to violence and war 
     have succeeded, as newspapers and news broadcasts show us 
     every day.
       These proposed solutions have never gotten to the root of 
     violence and war. It is this: Human beings hold deep, 
     emotionally-charged grievances against members of other 
     races, religions, genders and professions, as well as 
     residents of other nations, and even neighborhoods. And much 
     of our science fiction literature has prepared us to hold 
     grievances against, and be enemies of, any residents of other 
     planets we may contact.
       Grievances are judgments that another has done us a wrong, 
     or that others--or even the grandparents of others--have done 
     us wrong. Our response to this judgment is a constant, low-
     grade feeling of anger that those people are thwarting our 
     intentions to have a good life, or threatening to, by their 
     very existence.
       Almost any seeming provocation then becomes a justification 
     for ``preemptive'' or retaliatory violence against them. This 
     condition exists on every level of human relationship, from 
     family, to community, to planet.
       The one practice that cuts through and eliminates grievance 
     of any kind, with anybody, is Forgiveness. But Forgiveness is 
     not some far-off Christian ideal, to be held as a fond wish 
     but highly impractical. Rather, it is a very practical method 
     of resolving grievances and eliminating violence.
       Forgiveness is--in this context--the recognition that it is 
     an illusion to think that someone's actions in their own 
     seeming interest are a threat to the quality of your life. 
     (Of course, we're not talking about initiatory military, or 
     other violent, action some group may take, since we are 
     working prior to that stage, to prevent it.)
       How we recognize this, it turns out in every case, is to:
       (1) Be willing to give up being ``right'' in our judgments 
     about people. Not to do them a favor, but to promote our own 
     inner and outer peace and happiness.
       (2) If this is difficult, then we ask ourselves, ``What do 
     I do that's like what I think they did, or are doing?'' We 
     will always find an answer. Then we ask, ``Am I willing to 
     forgive myself--or ask my God to forgive me--for being human 
     enough to have done that?'' When the answer is truly, 
     ``Yes,'' Forgiveness is present and the grievance shortly 
     disappears. Anyone who doubts this simple practice will find 
     it works every time you truly do it.
       Let us North Americans--the most powerful military and 
     economic people in history--take the lead in finally bringing 
     peace to our world, by asking the United Nations to declare 
     1999 ``The International Year of Forgiveness.'' We would 
     invite members of every religious, racial, language, 
     philosophical, political, geographical, trade and age group 
     to forgive members of any other group--or any other 
     individuals--against whom they'd been holding grievances.
       To whatever extent we could--over the next 4\1/2\ years--
     educate and convince the people of the world to do this, we 
     could start the next century--the next Millennium--with a 
     globally clean slate for our children 

[[Page E 1905]]
     and ourselves, or a lot closer to it than we have ever been.
       I propose we do this, and that we begin this global project 
     now. I am willing to be responsible and accountable for it 
     happening, and I ask the aid and support of the United States 
     Congress.

                          ____________________