The Big Conflict

Bert Hellinger examines the psychological mechanisms that lead to great conflicts, wars between nations and religions. Conflicts are a part of human life. Small, everyday conflicts are normal. They serve to expand our boundaries and, ultimately, to growth. This contrasts with large conflicts, such as those between nations and ethnic groups. They manifest a will to destroy. The author places the responsibility for the deadly dynamics of irreconcilable conflicts on beliefs - usually in combination with ideology - and, as a consequence, on the clear conscience of both participants in the conflict. Such a conscience sees only evil in the other and rejects all that is human in them.