I've just received an email asking that I sign a petition to not allow the proposed rehabilitation of the boys (now men) who tortured and murdered 3 year-old Jamie Bulger.
The email contained the following:
This week Lady Justice Butler-Sloss has awarded the two boys (now men), anonymity for the rest of their lives when they leave custody with new identities. They will also leave custody early only serving just over half of their sentence. They are being relocated to Australia to live out the rest of their lives. They disgustingly and violently took Jamie's life away and in return they each get a new life!
Please..... . If you feel as strongly as we do, (and if you haven't already signed this petition ) that this is a grave miscarriage of justice - Hit the forward button and add your name at the end, and send it to everyone you can !
My intention in establishing the Belief Institute was to help build a more fulfilling world dynamic ... it's quite a selfish goal because I have to live in this world as well. And to be honest, the nonsense, hysteria and superstitions (in our communities, the world, our sciences, religions and new-age) is starting to really piss me off.
My response therefore seeks to "wind back" this petition, suggesting that the email be returned to whoever sent it to the person who sent it to me, with the following message:
Dear folk,
The seeking of vengeance, retribution or punishment might initially 'feel good' – but it leaves a bad after-taste.
As history has a way of reminding us, hate in the form of vengeance only energises and creates more hate. "An eye for an eye will make the whole world blind."1
Children are a product of our culture - look to the beliefs we ourselves hold, particularly as revealed by the practice of signing petitions such as this one, and ask, "how might we have invited and created such extraordinary hatred and cruelty in our young?"
Children are not born inherently evil. A mature self-organising (holodynamic) systems world-view reveals that any part (child, employee) within any whole (community, company) co-creates the resulting circumstances - and that includes all of us. No exceptions.
We are each responsible for the events that occur in our world. To say or believe otherwise requires a small-ego persona that is disconnected and irresponsible.
By signing this petition you are helping to create the circumstances that will lead to more children feeling deep hatred, and engaging in such cruelty.
Please return this message to whoever sent it to you, copying the person to whom you forwarded this message, asking that they direct their energy towards helping develop a more fulfilling world dynamic – for all.
Steaphen Pirie
Director
The Belief Institute
www.beliefinstitute.com
- 1. Mahatma Gandhi