"Please look at the film clip on Bali that we saw in class in its entirety at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xy7ObIrxZCQ Carefully think of what everything the Balinese are doing could be used as an analogy for a theory of development aimed to the establishment of perpetual peace. Remember the nine dimensions as a guide to analyzing the situation."
My initial impression of the film clip on Bali was that the I have nothing in common with the Balinese people. Their belief system int he 100th cycle of the 9th dark moon and the ceremony of transforming demons into the god Siva was completely foreign to me. However after reading about perpetual peace from Immanual Kant, I realized the similarities between my life and the life of the Balinese. He states that "uninhabitable parts of the earth--the sea and the deserts--divide this community of all men, but the ship and the camel (the desert ship) enable them to approach each other across these unruled regions and to establish communication." The Balinese have placed their hope in converting demons into gods and turning evil into good because "a violation of rights in one place is felt throughout the world" and they are responding to the evil in this world. Evil is a force that I have also recognized as a threat to people throughout the world and even though it seems to be an ambiguous concept, people recognize that bad things happen to good people. I came to realize that, like the Balinese, I also desire peace for all people. However, unlike the Balinese, I don't believe that humans have the capacity to transform evil into good because it is not within human capacity. People have a desire to do good, but unfortunately we are selfish beings and when given a choice, often we choose what benefits us as individuals.
Even the Balinese believe that there are spirits, which is a common trend throughout human civilizations. Which leads to the conclusion that there is a spiritual realm and that whatever hope there is for peace lies in something greater than human beings. Even with 500,000 Balinese people gathering to focus their will on controlling demons, the video never specified if the ceremony was successful. The dedication of the Balinese people can not be argued against but the method of conquering evil was not declared as successful. What seems logical to me is to put faith in a god that does not rely on human assistance in bringing peace to the world because people are the ones wrecking havoc in every nation. So far in my epic journey of finding a god who gives peace and seeks peace is Jesus Christ.
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Revelation 21:3-5 "And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!"
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Thanks for sharing Georgia!