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“All I Wanted Was to Get My Mail”Awake!—2011 | June
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Consider the experience of Hafeni.
Hafeni was born in Zambia and grew up in refugee camps in neighboring countries. “I was furious,” he said, “at the brutal and unfair way my family and others had been treated.” So he became part of the militant group to which his parents belonged.
Looking back on those times, Hafeni continued: “The saddest part of the story was the emotional impact of living as a refugee. Children were torn from their mothers, fathers, and siblings. The older ones were off fighting. Many of these older ones never returned. I never saw my father, not even in a photo. All I knew was that he had died in the fighting. The emotional scars remain with me to this day.”
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Why Some Resort to ViolenceAwake!—2011 | June
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JOSEBA, who lives in Spain, was asked why he became a member of a militant group. “The oppression and injustice we suffered at the time became unbearable,” he said. “In the large city of Bilbao, where I lived, the police would come in, beat up people, and arrest them.”
Joseba continued: “I was arrested one morning for expressing my feelings about such police tactics. I was so angry that I wanted to do something—something violent if necessary—to remedy the situation.”
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Why Some Resort to ViolenceAwake!—2011 | June
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For instance, Hafeni, mentioned in the preceding article, said: “Our land was taken from us by exploitation. Animals fight for their territories, so it seemed natural for us to fight for our land and our rights.”
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Why Some Resort to ViolenceAwake!—2011 | June
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Etched Into Hearts
Joseba, mentioned earlier, was badly abused when he was arrested. He said: “The brutality convinced me that my hatred was justified. If I had to die to bring changes, it would be worth it.”
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Why Some Resort to ViolenceAwake!—2011 | June
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“During our time in refugee camps,” said Hafeni, “there were rallies that taught us that the whites were constantly conceiving ways and means to dominate the blacks.” What was the result?
“I could feel my hatred for whites growing,” he added. “I distrusted all of them. Eventually, I couldn’t stand it, and I thought our generation must do something.”
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Is a World Without Terrorism Possible?Awake!—2011 | June
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A Book That Can Change the Heart
During the 1990’s, Hafeni began to examine his own religious beliefs and decided to obtain a Bible. He said: “I started by examining the Gospels [the Bible books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John], which contain the life story of Jesus. As I read, I was quickly attracted to the personality of Jesus and his kind and impartial way of dealing with people. This warmed my heart.”
Hafeni said that when he read further, “one passage from the Bible really hit home—Acts 10:34 and 35.” It reads: “God is not partial, but in every nation the man that fears him and works righteousness is acceptable to him.”
“I concluded,” Hafeni said, “that it is people themselves who are responsible for tribalism, nationalism, and racial prejudices. I came to realize that the Bible’s message can change people’s thinking and that the most important thing in life is having a good standing with God. This is more important than fighting in behalf of people of a particular tribe, race, or color.”
Joseba, quoted in the preceding article, was the head of a small commando group that planned to blow up a police station. “But before we could carry out this attack,” explained Joseba, “I was arrested and spent two years in prison.” Later, his wife, Luci, began to study the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses. Eventually Joseba joined those discussions.
“As I learned more about Jesus,” reflected Joseba, “he became my role model. One of his statements really touched me, namely: ‘All those who take the sword will perish by the sword.’ I knew this was true.” (Matthew 26:52) Joseba acknowledged: “Assassinating someone only provokes hatred and a desire for revenge by the family members. Violence brings only pain, not a better world.” Joseba began to make adjustments in his thinking.
Both Hafeni and Joseba learned through personal experience that Bible teachings can powerfully affect one’s life.
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Is a World Without Terrorism Possible?Awake!—2011 | June
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A Brotherhood Based on Love
When Hafeni began attending meetings of Jehovah’s Witnesses, he was deeply moved by the racial harmony he observed. “Sitting next to white people was an absolute thrill,” he said. “I never thought that in my lifetime I would get the opportunity to call a white man brother. This cemented my conviction that the Witnesses must have the true religion, for they had the unity among themselves that I longed for and had love for each other despite racial differences.”
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Is a World Without Terrorism Possible?Awake!—2011 | June
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As described in our opening article, Andre was almost killed by a bomb that took the lives of several of his friends. It had been planted by a militant group. He subsequently learned of and applied the Bible advice that one should ‘freely forgive.’ (Colossians 3:13) Later, Hafeni, who years after that bombing became a member of that same group, learned to apply Bible principles and renounced violence. (Psalm 11:5) Now both are Jehovah’s Witnesses and work together in a translation office of the Witnesses in an African country.
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Is a World Without Terrorism Possible?Awake!—2011 | June
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[Blurb on page 7]
Both Hafeni and Joseba learned through personal experience that Bible teachings can powerfully affect one’s life
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Is a World Without Terrorism Possible?Awake!—2011 | June
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[Picture on page 8]
Applying Bible principles helped Hafeni and Andre to have genuine love for each other
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