I should probably be asking easier questions, but I love a challenge, and maybe you do, too. So, let's tackle these tough ones.

If you think a large bomb is about to go off within a few feet of where you are, in just a few seconds, what will you do? You'll get out of there very quickly, unless you want to die, right? You would do that whether or not a bomb then really explodes or not. Your belief determines your behavior. Likewise, if you're convinced that no bomb is going to detonate near you at any time soon, you will more likely remain where you are if you have no other reason to move. That would be true even if the bomb really is about to blow you to bits.

This example is important, because it shows the ;power of our beliefs, regardless of the consequences. And, our beliefs change. Suppose someone opens up the suspicious package that supposedly held a bomb, and you learn that there was no bomb there.  You now have a new belief that allows you to return to the spot you had left so hastily. Of course, there could still be a bomb nearby, but you don't believe it at the moment, so you're willing to return.

Why does a child become a bully? Maybe they experienced taking a toy away from another child who had not wanted to share the toy. And, there was no punishment by a parent or teacher, and the other child may have cried, but there were no consequences for our bully-to-be. Now the young bully has learned that you can just grab what you want. Maybe another young bully learned that behavior by watching one of his parents bully the other parent. The bully comes to believe that ruling by intimidation or force works. 

Another child who took away a toy, and who was quickly admonished by a parent or teacher who took back the toy and returned it to the victim, has developed other beliefs: It's better to figure out how to share toys with others; just grabbing them isn't going to work.

As for stress management, there are both healthy and unhealthy ways. Some people find that use of certain substances is soothing, whether drugs, alcohol, food, or tobacco. The stress is temporarily reduced for them, and they come to believe that they need such substances for relief. There are other beliefs that make the usage continue: Nothing else will help; others may get into trouble using these substances, but I won't; and so forth. Others try healthier methods that work for them, and they come to believe that they have no need for substances for stress management. As a physician I saw hundreds of people change their beliefs, and by so doing, their behaviors and habits, and therefore, their results changed. If you strongly believe that cigarettes are going to kill you, it makes it hard to smoke, unless you have a death wish. If you believe that cigarettes are not that harmful, or that they may harm some people, but certainly will not seriously harm or kill you, then you are free, based on that belief, to continue smoking, and probably will. You can pick and choose your beliefs, and whatever belief you genuinely hold at a particular moment, will determine what you do at that moment.

Regarding the Catholics and Protestants of Northern Ireland, there is still occasional bloodshed, but nothing compared to what had been going on for centuries. The vast majority of both groups now live in peace and have a working governmental partnership going. It was worked out with the help of President Clinton and other third parties, and was based on a growing belief by the Northern Ireland people that there had to be a better way to go other than continuous killings on both sides. There was tremendous bargaining, negotiating, and deal making. All involved deserve tremendous credit.

Is there a guarantee that the peace will last? No, because one murderous outburst by a tiny minority on either side, could resume the vicious circle of revenge killings back and forth on both sides.  General peace can last, after such an episode, if both sides hold to their belief that the best way to show respect for the dead is by making efforts to apprehend and punish the guilty parties, while generally reaffirming the need to keep the peace, and while avoiding random revenge killings which will simply reignite the conflict.

Continued peace activism on both sides will be necessary in Northern Ireland for the indefinite future if general peace is to be maintained there.

And now you know what it will take for the Israelis and Palestinians to make peace. Bargaining, negotiating, and deal making, all based on the belief that never-ending waves of revenge and retribution on both sides are totally useless and destructive. And, based on the belief that the best way to show respect for the dead is to do the hard bargaining, negotiating, and deal making in order to generally bring peace to the area. Both sides should understand and believe by now, that there will never be an ultimate, final military victory for either side. There can only be endless bloodshed, or there can be peaceful resolution. Should be an easy choice.  First we must have the beliefs that work well, and those beliefs will cause the behaviors that will give the best results.

Do you believe it? If so, share those beliefs, pass it on. It makes a difference what YOU say and what YOU do.