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I wonder what it would be like, dear God, to fight a war with
bread. I know such a suggestion sounds nonsensical, but
listen to me, dear God. For thousands of years we have been
fighting our wars with increasingly sophisticated and
devastatingly terrible new technologies. A long time ago we
started warring with others by swinging huge clubs and
throwing rocks at each other and today we launch terrible
bombs and exploding rockets. When the warring is over, in
every instance, it is never quite clear who is right . . . only
who is left. And, whether the deaths are brought about by a
rock or a rocket, dead is always dead. The winning dead and
the losing dead are surgically removed from the pool of
available human talent and resources that could have been
used to construct a new and better world. What a waste, O
God. Is there ever a good war? Is there ever a bad peace?
Maybe we should fight one another with bread. Maybe we
should try to kill our enemies with kindness. “How stupid,”
some would say. “How hopelessly naive,” others would
remark. “You don’t deal with killers and tyrants that way,”
the wizened counselors would pontificate. Wait a minute,
dear God. Who’s being stupid and naive? What is so smart
and enlightened about trying warring methods that haven’t
worked since the beginning of time? How many more failed
attempts at whoring after war do we have to endure before
we leam that sticks and stones really do break our bones and
that calling people names and making faces at our enemies
really do bring about injuries that never heal? So, pass me
some bread, dear God. Help me to shame my enemy with
my kindness. Maybe he will choose to retaliate with a loaf of
his own.