Open and Relational Theology & Social Psychology<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

The 60-Second Read<\/span>
\nTwo Desperate Attempts: The Clash of Force and Transformation<\/strong><\/div>\n
\n
The Global Dilemma:<\/strong> We are witnessing a collision between two ancient philosophies. On one side, the \u201cDepartment of War\u201d<\/strong> mentality uses \u201cmaximum lethality\u201d and \u201cPeace through Strength\u201d to keep a lid on aggressive bullies like Iran and Russia. On the other, the Pope\u2019s \u201cDiplomacy of Hope\u201d<\/strong> argues that force only undermines the international order and that true peace requires justice and dialogue.<\/p>\n
The Insight:<\/strong> Both sides suffer from a critical blind spot. The Hawk<\/strong> ignores that force treats symptoms without changing the underlying fanaticism, potentially creating \u201ccornered animal\u201d dynamics. The Dove<\/strong> often fails to account for bad actors who view negotiation as a sign of weakness or a way to buy time. We are stuck in a cycle of managing symptoms because we haven\u2019t found a cure for power-hunger.<\/p>\n
The Action:<\/strong> The \u201cThird Way\u201d lies in Micro-Diplomacy<\/strong> and the psychology of respect. By integrating people into the global world rather than isolating them, we \u201chack\u201d a dictator\u2019s control system. When we treat others with respect and lower the cost of agreement, we break the momentum of fanaticism and empower individuals to demand change from within.<\/p>\n
Themes: Transactional vs. Transformational Power, Social Psychology of Reactance, and the Third Side.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n
$\"Three$
Three Paths to Peace \u2013 Gemini generated image<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
<\/iframe><\/p>\n<article style=\"font-family: 'Georgia', serif; line-height: 1.8; color: #1a1a1a; max-width: 800px; margin: auto; padding: 20px;\">\n<article>\n<h1>Two Desperate Attempts at Peace: The Clash of Force and Transformation<\/h1>\n<p>Peace is a heavy, complex landscape that essentially weighs two of the oldest philosophies in human history: the \u201cPeace through Strength\u201d (or even \u201cPeace through Total Dominance\u201d) approach versus the \u201cPeace through Reconciliation\u201d (the peacemaker\u2019s path) approach. Platitudes don\u2019t work here.<\/p>\n<h3>Trump\u2019s approach<\/h3>\n<h4>The \u201cDepartment of War\u201d Reality<\/h4>\n<p>The shift in language from \u201cDefense\u201d to \u201cWar\u201d isn\u2019t just a name change; it\u2019s a psychological pivot. By framing the military as an instrument of \u201cmaximum lethality\u201d (as Secretary Hegseth put it), the administration is leaning into the \u201cBully Theory.\u201d The logic is that if you are the biggest, most unpredictable force on the block, smaller \u201cbullies\u201d like Iran or Russia will eventually hit a wall they can\u2019t break through.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>The Iran Example:<\/strong> Operation Midnight Hammer and the subsequent degradation of their Navy and Air Force have certainly changed the math in the Middle East. From a \u201cStrength\u201d perspective, the argument is that you can\u2019t negotiate with a regime driven by religious fanaticism\u2014you can only remove their tools of destruction.<\/li>\n<li><strong>The Risks:<\/strong> The danger of keeping a lid on a nations is that it often leaves a vacuum. Removing leaders (Venezuela) or isolating nations (Cuba) can create \u201ccornered animal\u201d dynamics where the regime becomes more desperate or the local population suffers the most.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>The Pope\u2019s Approach<\/h3>\n<h4>The \u201cBlessed are the Peacemakers\u201d Reality<\/h4>\n<p>Pope Francis\u2019s call for a \u201cdiplomacy of hope\u201d in this 2025-2026 Jubilee Year. He focuses on the human cost. His stance suggests that peace isn\u2019t just the absence of war, but the presence of justice and dialogue.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>The Moral Argument:<\/strong> The peacemaker\u2019s path argues that when we use force to \u201ctake over\u201d (like the Greenland crisis or the Venezuelan intervention), we undermine the very international order that has kept the world relatively peaceful since 1945. The risk of shattering the international order is that all nations can now ignore it for their own gain.<\/li>\n<li><strong>The Long Game:<\/strong> Diplomacy is slow and often frustrating, but its goal is a sustainable peace. While \u201cPeace through Strength\u201d may only last as long as the person holding the hammer continues to hold the hammer over their heads and they don\u2019t find ways to slip out, a sustainable peace goes on without the hammer. Enemies become friends.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>One of my favorite Bible verses is used by the Pope: \u201cBlessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.\u201d \u2014 Matthew 5:9<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m a peacemaker at heart. The long game eventually can be transformative. But sometimes it fails.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cPeace is not the product of terror or fear. Peace is not the silence of cemeteries.\u201d \u2014 Oscar Romero<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h3>Which way is Better?<\/h3>\n<p>Since WWII the world has been a much more peaceful place. Only five nations have tried to take other\u2019s land: Russia, China (Taiwan), Iran Versus Iraq, and Israel. The US now has threatened Greenland, potentially casting itself into that band of rogue nations.<\/p>\n<p>Is the US correct in its stance? His self-declared mentors are strong-arm leaders like Putin, Saddam Hussein, and Kim Jong Un. He kind of uses the Monroe Doctrine of Separate Spheres of influence, also echoed by Henry Kissinger, combined with a manifest destiny approach of Admiral Perry in using Gunboat Diplomacy to end Japanese isolation. Trump also more directly embodies Roosevelt\u2019s \u201cSpeak Softly and Carry a Big Stick.\u201d Does it work? The Japanese became an empire and struck back during WWII with their own \u201cgunboat diplomacy.\u201d What you send out comes back. Force doesn\u2019t create friends, it creates animosity.<\/p>\n<p>Iraq is still a mess after years of intervention, and many there continue to hate the US. At least it isn\u2019t so threatening to world peace. Neither Russia or the US could tame Afghanistan, of which is said \u201c\u201cyou can conquer them but not change them \u201cYou can conquer them, but you cannot hold them.\u201d It\u2019s still run by religious fundamentalists who suppress their own people, but at least the weakened Taliban hasn\u2019t been able to gain control of Pakistan.<\/p>\n<p>Revolutions in Morocco and the US required blood. But both gained their independence when the people stood up and were willing to fight for it against bigger colonialist powers.<\/p>\n<p>Trump\u2019s actions are an authoritarian gamble of big stick diplomacy. Perhaps Venezuela and Cuba will become more prosperous nations that treat their people better.<\/p>\n<p>Will it work in Iran? Maybe. Persia is steeped in magnificent history for which their people can be proud. Most of the younger generation wants a more peaceful, Western way of life and have actively been fighting the regime\u2026 and losing. But do they now have the power to resist the Iranian Revolutionary Guard run by a religious fanatic regime bent on empire building? The Arab Spring demonstrated that younger generations could make some gains in several countries, but couldn\u2019t gain control.<\/p>\n<p>After Trump\u2019s maximum pressure approach to North Korea, it shifted its approach to South Korea and the US from engagement to open hostility in 2024 by abandoning the goal of unification, designating the South as a \u201cprincipal enemy.\u201d In doing so it hopes the \u201ctwo hostile state solution\u201d will stop the import of S. Korean culture which may be more powerful than the threat of conflict.<\/p>\n<p>US military doctrine has always been that military power doesn\u2019t bring permanent change. This requires diplomacy. But can diplomacy really work with a country like Iran that threatens the world?<\/p>\n<h3>The Middle Ground (The \u201cHated by Both Sides\u201d Zone)<\/h3>\n<p>The harsh truth: Both sides have a blind spot.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>The Diplomat\u2019s Blind Spot:<\/strong> Diplomacy often fails to account for bad actors who view negotiation as a sign of weakness or a way to buy time (Russia and Iran).<\/li>\n<li><strong>The Strongman\u2019s Blind Spot:<\/strong> Force often treats symptoms rather than causes. You can destroy a navy, but you haven\u2019t necessarily changed the \u201creligious fanaticism\u201d or the societal structures that drive the conflict.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Trump is writing a \u201cHero\/Warrior\u201d narrative where the world is a dangerous place that needs a sheriff, and is working on Venezuela, Cuba, Russia, and Iran all at the same time. The reality is, we\u2019ve found we can\u2019t be the policeman for the entire world\u2013this is what brought down the Roman Empire.<\/p>\n<p>The Pope is writing a \u201cRedemption\/Brotherhood\u201d narrative where the world is a family that needs a father figure. I really like the pope, and his predecessor, and I agree. But Iran exports terrorism and death into Saudi Arabia and Israel through proxies and suppresses its own people, and threatens its neighbors and the US (The Great Satan). How much of that torture should the world endure while waiting on transformation that seems a very distant possibility? Isn\u2019t it better to keep a lid on their ambitions?<\/p>\n<p>The political cost: Trump supports Israel\u2019s destruction of Gaza and the intrusion into the West Bank. This is what helped lose Biden-Harris the election because the younger generation won\u2019t stand for mistreatment of others. This is what will lose Trump associates the next election. You can\u2019t steal people\u2019s land, overreact when they become violent, and then basically destroy their nation. This is what brought Iran into the conflict.<\/p>\n<p>The \u201clowered conflict\u201d we are seeing now with the degradation of Iran\u2019s military might be a functional peace (less ability to strike), but it isn\u2019t a relational peace (less desire to strike).<\/p>\n<p>So movements involving violence and military action are mixed. They seem rarely to accomplish their goals, but neither does diplomacy. Both have an abysmal track record.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The Hawks hate hearing that \u201cmight\u201d doesn\u2019t actually make \u201cright\u201d (or stability).<\/li>\n<li>The Doves hate hearing that \u201ctalking\u201d often just gives a fanatic time to reload.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Exploring Methods from Social Psychology<\/h3>\n<p>The \u201cTransactional vs. Transformational\u201d gap.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Trump\u2019s approach is Transactional:<\/strong> \u201cI destroy your radar, you stop moving missiles.\u201d It treats nations like chess pieces.<\/li>\n<li><strong>The Pope\u2019s approach is Transformational:<\/strong> \u201cChange your heart, and the missiles won\u2019t matter.\u201d It treats nations like people.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The tragedy I\u2019m highlighting is that Transactional moves are too shallow to last, and Transformational moves are too slow to stop a current massacre. Recognizing this is a lonely, but very honest, place to stand.<\/p>\n<p>I don\u2019t have an answer and am comfortable with the cognitive dissonance of enduring both sides. I think Jesus meant it when he said to turn the other cheek and endure some mistreatment while others are growing and transforming. I don\u2019t think he meant for us to let others destroy the universe while we wait.<\/p>\n<h3>There is a better way<\/h3>\n<p>My focus on this spiritual crisis point and the empowerment of the individual shifts the conversation from geopolitics to \u201chuman systems.\u201d Here are three pillars that help to bridge the \u201cdivided:\u201d<\/p>\n<h4>1. The Power of \u201cMicro-Diplomacy\u201d<\/h4>\n<p>The Internet and voting empower people. While Trump and the Pope represent \u201cMacro-Diplomacy\u201d (state-level power), I\u2019m describing a bottom-up transformation.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>When people are integrated into the global world via the internet, they see alternatives to fanaticism. Those with democracies do vote out authoritarian leaders (or as they did in South Korea, throw them in prison).<\/li>\n<li>This supports \u201cslow, positive change.\u201d<\/li>\n<li>The counter is isolation, like we\u2019ve done to Cuba, which often freezes a culture in time, whereas integration enables it to adapt to the 21st century.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4>2. The \u201cHistorical Pivot\u201d Theory<\/h4>\n<p>This is a time of transition like the time of Christ. His was a period of intense Roman \u201chard power\u201d (the Pax Romana, in which peace was maintained by the sword), and an authoritarian religion paralyzed by stiff rules, clashing with a new spiritual message of love, freedom, individual worth, and universal peace.<\/p>\n<p>We are seeing a modern version of that clash. We have \u201cDigital Power\u201d (information flow) clashing with \u201cIndustrial Power\u201d (tanks, oil, and borders). The tension we feel is the \u201cold world\u201d trying to maintain control using 20th-century tools while the \u201cnew world\u201d is already thinking beyond them. People around the world want to live in peace and leave empire building behind so they can raise their families and pursue their lives.<\/p>\n<h4>3. Respect as a Practical Tool<\/h4>\n<p>Respect brings a more friendly response. This isn\u2019t just a moral stance; it\u2019s a psychological reality. In my work in social psychology, I know that reactance (the urge to rebel when one\u2019s freedom and identity are threatened) is a primary driver of fanaticism.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>If a country feels \u201cbullied\u201d or \u201cshamed,\u201d the population often rallies around their dictator out of nationalistic pride. This is happening in Venezuela, Cuba, and Iran, even though major portions of the civilizations are ready to change.<\/li>\n<li>If a country feels \u201crespected\u201d but its leaders are held accountable, the population is more likely to turn inward and demand reform themselves.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4>4. The Third Way \u2013 the most important<\/h4>\n<p>Pakistan, like other hosting countries of negotiations, has been doing a fantastic job of moderating the two sides. It shows the power of having an unbiased entity to help bring sides together.<\/p>\n<p>In \u201cUnleash Movements that Matter,\u201d I explore how social psychology can break through barriers. Some books I mentioned in it or more recently are:<\/p>\n<p>William Ury used his \u201cThird Side\u201d to broker peace to end civil wars that were extremely polarized and entrenched for decades. They seemed impossible. But he got it done, and describes the process in his book, \u201cGetting to Peace: transforming conflict at Home, at Work, and in the World.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Caroline Fleck, in her book, \u201cValidation,\u201d explains the very powerful effect validating others has on gaining cooperation. I highly recommend reading it\u2014it will change how you work with people to become much more effective.<\/p>\n<p>In my book, I talk about the powerful role of identity in people\u2019s lives. They will fight to the death to preserve their feeling of identity and purpose. You have to work with this differently and help them see a better path by giving them a new vision. I talk about the power of momentum in driving them forward and how to break that by lowering the cost of agreeing so that it\u2019s possible. I talk about mitigating risk and fear so that change becomes acceptable.<\/p>\n<p>And I use Jesus as an example because he created immense change for people who are ready. Getting people ready is a key. He didn\u2019t argue and create polarization that people couldn\u2019t get passed. In an argument, someone has to lose, and people avoid that cost. Jesus discussed things with people rather than argue. In this winner takes all society we live in, this is a lost art. He respected all others and their points of view, and treated them with love. In our polarized society, this is also a lost art.<\/p>\n<p>There are many people who it is impossible to change. But they can change over time if they are treated with respect and they see something better from us. And after change does occur, people gradually accept it. So there is hope that these nations can change if treated well.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ll copy some from the book on handling polarized people:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cThe absolute best thing to do is to avoid these people like the plague. They can block both sides from effective action. However, complete avoidance isn\u2019t always feasible, so alternative approaches are necessary.<\/p>\n<p>The second-best thing to do is not put labels on yourself. They love labels because labels identify you as someone to hate. They will put one on your lapel if you let them do it. So don\u2019t wear lapels.<\/p>\n<p>The third best thing to do is not antagonize them. Don\u2019t seek them out to argue with them. Don\u2019t say you\u2019re opposed to what they\u2019re saying or doing. Just work on solving a problem that affects too many people, and finding the most effective answers.<\/p>\n<p>You can also try the following to work with the radically polarized:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Appreciate who they are\u2014make them feel admired and their opinion respected. They should be. Validation is often vital to building intimate, trusting, and supportive relationships.<\/li>\n<li>Don\u2019t present yourself as the opposition\u2014listen to them and respect what they have to say. We all want respect for our opinions. We should all get respect.<\/li>\n<li>Don\u2019t negate what they say. This only starts an argument, and losing can come at an unacceptable cost.<\/li>\n<li>Don\u2019t ask what the solution is\u2014they already have that entrenched in their head.<\/li>\n<li>We mostly have the same values. It\u2019s threats to our values that drive people to reject anything but their opinion.<\/li>\n<li>Appeal to higher values. We all share the following moral foundations: Care, Fairness, Loyalty, Authority, and Purity.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Standford News reports that the public is not more polarized than it was in 1976. Most voters want a middle ground found on issues. This emphasis on shared values is supported by research indicating that the public may be less polarized than commonly perceived.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Use the \u201cYes and\u201d technique used in improvisation. Agree and add more to think about. Example: \u201cThat\u2019s very true, and I agree about that, and something else to think about is seeing other cultures is something that has given me an appreciation for what other people go through. We have it tough, but they have it even worse.\u201d<\/li>\n<li>Beyond verbal techniques, broadening perspectives can also be effective. Add to or broaden their assumptions. For example, people may not like immigrants and assume they are a hit on the economy, but the stabilizing or falling US population, like happened in Europe, may cause areas to dry up with fewer people, fewer services, and fewer grocery stores, so their entire area declines. This is already happening in the US. Immigrants reverse economic decay.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Don\u2019t try to make this your winning argument, just a conversation point because reality often doesn\u2019t defeat opinion. For example, In Freemont Nebraska there are 27 workers available for every 100 job openings. Most residents leave to find work they like better. Immigrants fill these jobs. But they face increased discrimination and harassment according to the ACLU.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Planting seeds of alternative perspectives requires patience.<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Let the new information cook. Rome wasn\u2019t built in a day. They may become more reasonable, or perhaps invent counter arguments. The powerful forces that work against change inoculate their followers with counter arguments as needed. Even with patience, it\u2019s important to understand that not everyone will change their mind.<\/li>\n<li>Appreciate that some minds can never be changed. Jesus ran into this a lot. He planted seeds everywhere but didn\u2019t expect growth from barren ground.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h3>Summary<\/h3>\n<p>Authoritarianism thrives on isolation. With false egos as big as the universe, belief in their ultimate omnipotence, ignoring injustice, and malice in their hearts toward anything different, they move forward with destruction as their self-appointed divine imperative.<\/p>\n<p>Transformation is the better way. But waiting on transformation isn\u2019t always realistic in the real world. You can be dead for centuries waiting for transformation, while millions are oppressed and killed.<\/p>\n<p>Using or adding a third way is better. By respecting people, appreciating them, and integrating people into the global internet and economy, we aren\u2019t just being \u201cnice\u201d\u2014we are effectively \u201chacking\u201d the dictator\u2019s operating system. When people have something to lose (a Western lifestyle, global connection, economic stability), they are much harder to convince to die for a fanatic\u2019s \u201cempire.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Injustice is the fuel of conflict and terrorism. Peace is possible if we keep working on resolving injustice and bringing others into our fold, keeping our enemies close, and using techniques that I described to avoid conflict and help others.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ll leave you with these quotes from major change-makers when the outcome seemed bleak:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cDarkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.\u201d \u2014 Martin Luther King Jr.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>And more humorously:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cDiplomacy is the art of telling people to go to hell in such a way that they ask for directions.\u201d \u2014 Winston Churchill<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/article>\n<hr>\n<p>Our answer is God. God\u2019s answer is us. Together we make the world better.<\/p>\n<p>\u2013 Dorian Scott Cole<\/p>\n<p>Author\u2019s book <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Unleash-Movements-that-Matter-barriers\/dp\/B0F1TRNPVD\/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0\" class=\" decorated-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">Unleash Movements that Matter: Break through barriers to change<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p>Author\u2019s Website with life and spiritual resources: <a href=\"https:\/\/dorianscottcole.com\" class=\" decorated-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">Dorian Scott Cole .com<\/a><\/p>\n<h3>Recent website articles<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dorianscottcole.com\/spirituality\/ekklesia.php\" class=\" decorated-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">Theology of Catastrophe: a dissertaton style paper on why catastrophes happen.<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dorianscottcole.com\/spirituality\/ekklesia.php\" class=\" decorated-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">Ekklesia: a new format for a Jesus Gathering.<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dorianscottcole.com\/spirituality\/systematic_theology.php\" class=\" decorated-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">Systematic Theology for the 21st Century<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dorianscottcole.com\/connexions\/tools\/decision_matrix_V2.1.php\" class=\" decorated-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">Major Decision Matrix<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-3919\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/1453\/2026\/02\/ORT_logo_Gemini_Generated_Image_yljs9kyljs9kyljs-300x164.jpg\" alt=\"Open and Relational Theology\" width=\"300\" height=\"164\"> Open and Relational Theology[\/caption]\n<\/p><\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Open and Relational Theology & Social Psychology The 60-Second Read Two Desperate Attempts: The Clash of Force and Transformation The Global Dilemma: We are witnessing a collision between two ancient philosophies. On one side, the \u201cDepartment of War\u201d mentality uses \u201cmaximum lethality\u201d and \u201cPeace through Strength\u201d to keep a lid on aggressive bullies like Iran […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4612,"featured_media":4109,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[2570,2564,2567,2561],"class_list":["post-4106","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-authoritarianism-and-peace","tag-force-for-peace","tag-transactional-peace","tag-transformation-for-peace"],"yoast_head":"\n<title>Two Desperate Attempts at Peace: Force Versus Transformation<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Open and Relational Theology & Social Psychology The 60-Second Read Two Desperate Attempts: The Clash of Force and Transformation The Global Dilemma:\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, 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