Somehow it seem like rebelling has always been glamorous. Having an injustice to fight against or a cause to fight for creates tremendous energy and force. Rebels become heroes as they stir up the suppressed rebellion in many people against whatever it is the rebel is rebelling against.
So what’s wrong with rebelling?
There are many injustices we all feel compelled to rebel against – and we say how can we not? How can we let this injustice continue? We take a moral high ground on the power of the injustice we are fighting. Therein lies the problem. What we forget – that rebels have certain qualities that work against their long term goal (which hopefully is to create a positive and just alternative).
Rebels are usually angry, determined, strong-willed, brave, and skilled. Once they start their rebellion high energy and momentum is created and many times the line between fair means and unfair means starts to blur and the rebel starts justifying unjust means in the name of the just cause of the rebellion.
Even when the rebellion is successful in getting overt results it leaves many issues. One – because of methods and brute force used it leaves some group of people hurt and disenchanted creating another set of negative energy that further feeds the cycle of rebellion.
Two – the rebellion leader is likely to be addicted to the rush that the fight brings, s/he is a celebrity likely to be addicted to the power and near celebrity status s/he attains. When peace comes the leader become obsolete in the context of old cause and looks for new causes or worse even creates ‘fake causes’ and ‘fake enemies’ to feed his/her need for power.
Three – rebels have so much anger (even if it is not visible) that they usually cannot see the good even in a negative situation. They are likely to fight the whole situation and throw the good away with the not so desirable. Thus limiting creation of the best overall outcome.
All of the above points are best demonstrated on a large scale by the number of dictators the world has had. These dictators started as rebels with a cause that their people supported, got a victory, and then turned dictators using a fictitious enemy or using fear of people to hold on to power.
In contrast when you stand for something lovingly, your focus is on the positive and also ensuring that your own means are fair. Your vision is of ‘creating a better world’ in positive terms and not in ‘fighting the negative that exists today’. Your focus is on the universal principles of justice, fairness, freedom, and truth and you won’t even use negative means against the so called oppressors as you so strongly believe in these principles.
Don’t rebel; instead stand for the positive lovingly.
I leave you with an apt quote on the topic:
But if we continue in sin, and rebel and harden our hearts, we shall become so inured and fixed in it, that it will be natural, and we shall choose it from time to time. Elias Hicks.