Suing for Peace

From the time we are children we are taught that the best way—indeed the only way—to resolve conflicts and get what we need from life is to seek justice against those who wrong us. In fact, seeking justice has become an obsession in the United States. Unfortunately, this obsession has a dark side that is throwing our society—and our lives—dangerously out of balance.
In the name of justice:

• We employ 700,000 lawyers-but only 36,000 clergy
• We file 36 million lawsuits against each other every year
• We confine more than two million people in our prisons
• We have a justice system that costs us more than $650 billion annually
• We have waged two wars that have killed thousands of people since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001

At this rate we should all be happy, right?
In Suing for Peace, respected attorney James P. Kimmel, Jr. shows you why seeking justice never leads to peace or happiness and only makes our conflicts worse. Just as physicians have now discovered a connection between spirituality and medical outcomes, so Kimmel has now discovered a connection between spirituality and legal outcomes. That connection is this: The more we seek justice, the more bitter and spiritually impoverished we become. Winning an argument, a lawsuit, or a war at the expense of our emotional and spiritual well-being cannot be considered a victory by any measure. The secret to resolving life's conflicts is to stop seeking justice against your enemies and start suing for peace by practicing what Kimmel calls "nonjustice."
In this uncommon book of legal and spiritual wisdom, Kimmel shows you how to break the justice addiction that only fuels anger and suffering. His proven "Nonjustice System" guides you through nine practical steps you can take right now to resolve your conflicts and restore your happiness immediately.
Whether you have been injured emotionally, physically, or financially, Suing for Peace gives you everything you need to win the most important trials of your life—without lawyers, guns, or money.

Book Excerpt

Chapter One