If we're ever to begin upon a path to true world peace, we are going to have to display basic, mutual respect towards each other. As a person, as a peoples, as a society, and as nations. False pride, as with false modesty, can play no part in this equation, anymore than false respect. From the school-yard bully, to the obnoxiously frightening neighbor, to superpower nations, while might may not make for right, it certainly doesn't make for respect. Sheer might generally makes for but a seething anger of the less mighty, bred from fear, only waiting to explode.
In practice of respect there are two realities we need accept: one, we need practice respect minus expectations that it will indeed be automatically mutual. Mutual respect is not a given, but we need display respect from within ourselves if we're ever perhaps to receive the same from others. And two, the beginnings of respect toward others is an ongoing, ever-growing practice daily. It is not of our natural nature to exhibit respect toward those we mistrust, dislike, or fear. That means mutual trust need be practiced from a higher plane, from a spiritual attitude. For those who believe in God, that should be easy to ponder. For those who don't believe in God simply consider that higher plane as just doing the decent thing, and logically, the only thing that could one day bind us together as a planet of peoples who might at least civilly get along.
For those who are "believers", spirituality, faith, is the deepest fundamental part of their being. It is the innermost part that shares the finite and the infinite within those who believe.
While for those who are not believers, decency and logic should make the most common sense in enjoying a good life, a more peaceful life.
If I can't respect a person's faith, though radically different from my own - or even a lack of it in totality - I can't sincerely respect all else of them. It is that simple. In any case, as finite human beings in this realm it's not likely we'll ever come to the same attitudes in a worldly shared view of God and the infinite. This is predominately true it seems from a religious attitude rather than simply a spiritual attitude, or an agnostic or atheist view. Religions are particularly separated by formal doctrines than those who are simply spiritual, or for nonbelievers, of course. This makes the practice of mutual respect perhaps more arduous, but too, perhaps more rewarding in succeeding, that they've applied their doctrine and scriptures to extend a respectful hand to all.
What would need to be developed in practice for an enduring worldwide peace then, comes down to a rise in mutual respect. If this could truly be the case one day, all other ill ego would begin to subside, to eventually, virtually vanish. If we as a species came to share the same respectful value that we're all of one source, one creation, on one planet, other disrespectful emotions such as want of finite domain, represented in geography, and want of expansion of domain for whatever ill reasoning's would fall by the wayside in respect of others. A true and sincere respectful nature would overshadow our greedy nature. While we may not share the same viewpoints or perspectives, true and sincere respectfulness would quell the ill ego of the masses and enduring peace would result.
We can hardly get along with others until we truly and sincerely respect others. This is, of course, a massive undertaking. Will I see it in my lifetime? Extremely doubtful. But still, worth the pondering. And worth the practice for myself, and each of us as individuals. Individually it can be amazing what we can accomplish collectively. Change never begins in numbers, but a number, one. Each of us needs to be the one in practice of mutual respect toward others, toward all. Then the number may become ... numbers.
