Every lover of justice is making an appeal to the conscience of the world because war is a deathly curse to civilization. War is a symptom having its sole origin in human selfishness or fear, or both. Hence its cure and abolishment lie in a radical regeneration of the human heart — a change of spirit.
Only when people's minds are inflamed and angered by injustice — real and imaginary — does the demoniac war fever arise with its attendant train of shameful charges and countercharges, misrepresentations and slander, hate and horrors of many kinds. Unbrotherliness menaces in no small degree the progress of our civilization. Its power cannot be broken or destroyed until man has had ingrained into his heart and mind the fact that he is divine in nature, until he realizes that he possesses the immortal potentiality of good.
Universal brotherhood — the keen realization of the spiritual and natural oneness of humankind — is the only key to a peace that will last. If we would have permanent peace, we should create the international spirit and sustain it; otherwise we cultivate that which is contrary to the spirit of true brotherhood and justice. Let us determine to abolish from our hearts all moral trickery, all selfish grasping and advantages, all fear of our fellowmen, and war, even all fear of war, will dissolve away as do the mists before the morning sun. War will become impossible; for war is merely the effect, the symptom, of inner moral weaknesses.
(From Sunrise magazine, December 2004/January 2005; copyright © 2004 Theosophical University Press)