The Fear of Not Being Loved Causes People to Kill

July 2006

War wages in the Middle East. Human against human. People shake their heads and wonder why.

It’s easy really. The ultimate fear of not being loved causes humans to kill one another. Oh, there are lots of other ostensible reasons: hate, anger, national or tribal feuds (the same thing, really), religion, etc. But these all arise directly from the fundamental fear of not being loved, which can also be interpreted as not being able to have the peace of the Universe, or by some as not being with god in love.

Here is a case in point. On April 20, 1999, Columbine High School students Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold killed a dozen of their classmates and one teacher, and then themselves. Everyone wondered why.

The sheriff in Jefferson County Colorado recently released documents taken from the boys’ homes that provide the answer.

“I hate you people for leaving me out of so many things,” Eric wrote. “You had my phone #, and I asked you and all, but no, no no don’t let that weird looking Eric kid come along …. I HATE PEOPLE and they better [bleeping] fear me.”

Eric’s hate for his classmates clearly was based on his perception that they didn’t like him. In words, he was afraid he wasn’t popular or wasn’t worthy. All of these feelings and emotions come down to one thing; he was afraid that he wasn’t loved. That is, he had a fear that he could not have love.

Love is oneness. Fear is the perception of separateness. Eric perceived that he was separate or different. So, his fear led him to hate. Listen now to what Dylan wrote:

“I know that I am different. As I look for love, i feel i can’t find it, ever.”

He was afraid – that is, he had a fear – that he could not have love, so he hated and killed. It really is that simple.

We should be able to understand the role that fear plays in our world and, once we recognize it, we should be able to let it go and appreciate the oneness that is all of creation. We should be able to see that we humans are all the same, living a glorious life on our perfect earth home. We can change our minds and our perceptions and see this. I’m sorry Eric and Dylan couldn’t see it; I’m sorry that those who fight and hate and kill can’t see it. I look forward to the day humans can see it, and then we’ll know peace.