Violence, non-violence and the work of the Holy Spirit.

[MoreCoffee]

In this world the ultimate and most deeply worthy goal of human beings and of the human community is the abolition of war. Consider:

• "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God."
• "governments cannot be denied the right to legitimate defence once every means of peaceful settlement has been exhausted."
• "conflict cannot be ignored or concealed. It has to be faced."

In heaven only peacemakers exist yet it is clear from the holy scriptures that conflict is faced in heaven too insofar as the Lord faced and overcame the wicked powers in the heavenly realms. Yet after the last judgement wickedness will not find any place in the heavens or on the earth. Thus in eternity conflict with wickedness will be a thing of the past: After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no man could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits upon the throne, and to the Lamb!" And all the angels stood round the throne and round the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshipped God, saying, "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honour and power and might be to our God for ever and ever! Amen." Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, "Who are these, clothed in white robes, and whence have they come?" I said to him, "Sir, you know." And he said to me, "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night within his temple; and he who sits upon the throne will shelter them with his presence. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water; and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." (Revelation 7:9-17)

These things set part of the background for the topic of this thread. Is non-violence or violence that path that the Holy Spirit teaches the faithful to walk in this world and if it is one or the other or a combination of both what attitude ought the faithful to have about wars, rivalries, and conflicts between nations and communities and individuals in this world?