I propose that anyone with a rational mind would answer "No". Conflict and national aggression is the norm, not the exception. To appeal to a broad base of the population, with small windows of exception, you can never go wrong appealing to the baser instincts of man. So our dilemma is this, how to lead a group of people, whether a tribe or a nation, without having to galvanize the platforms of conflict, greed and racism. Throughout history leaders have always found the quickest route to the hearts of their people is by casting one segment or more of the population as villains. It is difficult to find noble leadership throughout history that didn't stoop to pick this easy fruit.
William James, who was a psychologist and philosopher, addressed this issue in the early 20th century. His belief in the evolution of violence throughout the ages of humanity led him to explain, "Showing war's irrationality and horror is of no effect . . . The horrors make the fascination. War is the strong life; it is life in extremis . . . Our ancestors have bred pugnacity into our bone and marrow, and thousands of years of peace won't breed it out of us." I agree with his conclusion but not his explanation. My belief, advanced from the scripture of the Word of God, is that mankind, from the very beginning, was marked with the effects of our original sin and that is passed along from parents to child in the womb. It is not evolution to blame for the evil in our hearts, it is the evil in our hearts that is to blame. That is why there will never be an period of global peace until Jesus himself rules the nations from the world capitol of Jerusalem.
So is fatalism the only true philosophy based on this conclusion? Jesus again has the answer to this question. Asked by the leaders of his day what was the greatest teaching of Moses Jesus replied, "You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important; 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments." There is our call to not give into the culture of man but to live above our baser instincts by surrendering our wills to Jesus Christ. This is how we usher in the Kingdom of God, even before Jesus steps foot on earth again in the future.
