War Churches?
I feel it is my blog-masterly duty to call Daniel North on the carpet for blatantly false and slanderous statements he has been making against the churches of Christ. I meant to address these issues immediately, but was distracted by other concerns. Now I hope to set things straight.
In his response to my "Leaving..." post last week, Daniel insinuated that his hostility to the churches of Christ was in part because of widespread support of the war among the churches he attended. In one of his personal emails, he also told me that he visited a certain COC in Montana twice, and both times the sermon consisted of a "pro-war" Power Point presentation.
As a life-long member of the churches of Christ, I can attest that pro-war sentiments among Christian people is an absolute impossibility.
You see, the churches of Christ are based on the supreme authority of the teachings of Jesus Christ as found in the New Testament. Our motto is "back to the Bible," and our slogan is "we speak where the Bible speaks." Our praxis in worship and ethics is based on the "pattern" of Christian living taught in the New Testament, which is derived from the teaching and example of Jesus himself.
It is for this reason that no member of the churches of Christ ever has, or ever will, support (or participate in) any carnal warfare, especially a war based on un-Christian principles such as retaliatory vengeance or pre-emptive violence. Our young men would rather face imprisonment or death than give their allegiance and their bodies as weapons to the American Caesar.
As true followers of Jesus, the Prince of Peace (Isa. 9:6), we understand that we were saved in order to be peacemakers (Matt. 5:9), to pursue the things which make for peace (Rom. 14:19), and live peaceably with all people (Rom. 12:18; 2 Cor. 13:11), for God has called us in peace (1 Cor. 7:15). We know that we are commanded to love fellow-Christians (1 Thess. 4:9), love our neighbors (Gal. 5:14), and love our enemies (Matt. 5:44). There is no one on earth whom we are permitted to not love. Unconditional love, in fact, is the mark of a true Christian (John 13:35). This is why we in the COC never utter a prayer on behalf of American servicemen (that they may repent and turn to God, of course) without also praying just as fervently for the health, safety, and salvation of the Iraqi insurgents and our poor Muslim neighbors in terrorist cells around the world.
We know from God's word that "love does no harm to a neighbor" (Rom. 13:10), and we must love in deed and in truth (1 John 3:18). Because of the intensity of our Christian love for other people, it would be unthinkable for any of us to condone any activity that would harm or kill another person.
This is why churches of Christ have always been at the forefront of protest against our country's wars. Though we love our president (as we do all people and all world leaders -- and pray for their repentance), we have been unanimous in condemning his hasty decision to shed blood and wreak vengeance against a foreign people (even though those men who perpetrated the actual violence against our countrymen are long since dead).
As the Lord's Bride, we are fully confident that our God Christ is in control of his creation. If we (as Christians and -- secondarily -- Americans) remain faithful to his teachings on nonviolence, he will deliver us from evil if it is his will. It is the Lord who fights for us, so we would never lift a hand against another of our precious human brothers or sisters, unless it was in immediate self-defense. Only God has the right to execute vengeance (Rom. 12:19-21).
We as Christians also understand the spiritual benefits of suffering and mourning (1 Pe. 412-19). We would rather be persecuted by other countries than descend to the Devil's level and persecute them in return.
You see, God's word commands us to be gentle toward everyone (1 Tim. 2:24), kind, tender-hearted, and forgiving (Eph. 4:31-32), compassionate, loving, humble, and courteous (1 Pe. 3:18), merciful and pure in heart (Matt. 5:7-8). We long to be characterized by lowliness, meekness, patience, and love (Eph. 4:2, 3; 1 Tim. 6:11; Titus 3:2), being wise as serpents, but harmless as doves (Matt. 10:16).
I am happy to say that we Christians have internalized these qualities to such an extent that the thought of inflicting violence for any reason leaves us with nothing but a perplexed look on our faces. The idea of using carnal weapons just isn't part of our mental vocabulary.
Because of the magnitude of our admiration of Jesus and devotion to his teachings, we believe that no person or power is exempt from Christ's teachings on nonviolence and love. Every individual, every church, every organization, political party, and government body is bound to obey the words of Jesus Christ, the Lord, Maker, and Sustainer of the universe. Thus, we expect our government to show the same unconditional love of enemies that we expect from ourselves. We hold our elected representatives to Christ's obligation that they do no harm to others, and that they treat other nations with even greater honor than their own (Phil. 2:3).
To us, the lordship of Christ is so all-encompassing, we demand that even the U.S. government must follow the Golden Rule (Matt. 7:12). Christ sits "far above all rule and power and authority and dominion" (Eph. 1:21). He trumps them all, and we answer only to him! We do not derive our identity from our country or race. "Our citizenship is in heaven" (Phil. 3:20). Thus, "the weapons of our warfare are not carnal" (2 Cor. 10:4). Christ's kingdom is not of this world, so his servants do not fight (John 18:36).
Our unshakable allegiance to Christ is also the reason why we in the churches of Christ teach our children to refuse to say the "pledge of allegiance" in their godless secular schools. We would rather have our boys and girls face ridicule and ostracization at school than see them deny the lordship of Christ by pledging allegiance to any person or entity besides the Lamb of God. Is this not the reason why many of our people were martyred in the first and second centuries? If the saints of old chose to die rather than pledge allegiance to Casear, then certainly we would rather see our children thrown to the lions and receive the crown of life in the world to come than see them swear an oath to the new Caesar of the U.S. Government and shame their Lord who died for their sins ("no man can serve two masters" – Matt. 6:24). Such is the depth of our gratitude to God!
So, Daniel. I don't know what kind of "church" you used to visit and attend which promoted pro-war, pro-America, or pro-military ideas, but it certainly wasn't a church of Christ. As citizens of the kingdom of God, we are pro-Jesus and nothing more!
You see, we kingdom people understand that war originates from lust and covetousness (James 4:1,2). War engenders and is fueled by hatred, jealousy and vengeance -- all feelings which are forbidden to people of the Book. Those who practice such "works of the flesh" will not inherit the kingdom (Gal. 5:20-21). We have all "put off" and "put to death" our ungodly attitudes like bitterness, passion, evil desire, anger, wrath, and malice (Eph. 3:5, 9; 4:31). Without these feelings, we have no will to fight. We know that we are not to return evil for evil, but instead we respond to evil with a blessing (1 Pe. 3:9; 1 Thess. 5:15; Rom. 12:21). We are enjoined to agree with our adversaries quickly (Matt. 5:25). We "abstain from every form of evil" (1 Thess. 5:22), including support of war. We bless those who curse us, do good to those who hate us, and pray for those who exploit us and persecute us (Matt. 5:44).
So you see, Daniel, the Lord Christ was plain in his teaching that violence is sinful, and so are the attitudes which lead to violence. Our allegiance to the Spirit of Christ and the ethical pattern of the New Testament precludes any involvement or approval of carnal warfare. Having been transferred from the powers of the world into the kingdom of God's Son, we stand as a prophetic counter-cultural community against the Devil's secular American culture.
That is also the reason why members of the churches of Christ have historically not only been the key leaders in the peace movement, but we have also been the loudest voices calling for the abolition of slavery, integration, civil rights for minorities and immigrants, and (of course) equality among the sexes. You might say that Galatians 3:28 has been our rallying-cry since the beginning of the Restoration Movement.
So Daniel, unless you've just been pulling my leg (satire and sarcasm are certainly possible with you), you're either mistaken (and I hope I've set you straight) or spreading falsehoods for which you need a stern rebuke. In the Church of Christ, our King of Kings and Lord of Lords is the Prince of Peace, whose refusal to retaliate led to his violent atoning death "as a lamb to the slaughter," so that we might follow in his peaceful, suffering steps (1 Pe. 2:20-23). As members of the kingdom prophesied by Isaiah, we have beaten our swords into plowshares and our spears into pruning hooks. In our world, nation no longer rises against nation, nor do we learn war anymore (2:4). Among us, the wolf can dwell with the lamb. We do not hurt or destroy in all God's holy mountain (11:6-9; cf. 60:18).
In his response to my "Leaving..." post last week, Daniel insinuated that his hostility to the churches of Christ was in part because of widespread support of the war among the churches he attended. In one of his personal emails, he also told me that he visited a certain COC in Montana twice, and both times the sermon consisted of a "pro-war" Power Point presentation.
As a life-long member of the churches of Christ, I can attest that pro-war sentiments among Christian people is an absolute impossibility.
You see, the churches of Christ are based on the supreme authority of the teachings of Jesus Christ as found in the New Testament. Our motto is "back to the Bible," and our slogan is "we speak where the Bible speaks." Our praxis in worship and ethics is based on the "pattern" of Christian living taught in the New Testament, which is derived from the teaching and example of Jesus himself.
It is for this reason that no member of the churches of Christ ever has, or ever will, support (or participate in) any carnal warfare, especially a war based on un-Christian principles such as retaliatory vengeance or pre-emptive violence. Our young men would rather face imprisonment or death than give their allegiance and their bodies as weapons to the American Caesar.
As true followers of Jesus, the Prince of Peace (Isa. 9:6), we understand that we were saved in order to be peacemakers (Matt. 5:9), to pursue the things which make for peace (Rom. 14:19), and live peaceably with all people (Rom. 12:18; 2 Cor. 13:11), for God has called us in peace (1 Cor. 7:15). We know that we are commanded to love fellow-Christians (1 Thess. 4:9), love our neighbors (Gal. 5:14), and love our enemies (Matt. 5:44). There is no one on earth whom we are permitted to not love. Unconditional love, in fact, is the mark of a true Christian (John 13:35). This is why we in the COC never utter a prayer on behalf of American servicemen (that they may repent and turn to God, of course) without also praying just as fervently for the health, safety, and salvation of the Iraqi insurgents and our poor Muslim neighbors in terrorist cells around the world.
We know from God's word that "love does no harm to a neighbor" (Rom. 13:10), and we must love in deed and in truth (1 John 3:18). Because of the intensity of our Christian love for other people, it would be unthinkable for any of us to condone any activity that would harm or kill another person.
This is why churches of Christ have always been at the forefront of protest against our country's wars. Though we love our president (as we do all people and all world leaders -- and pray for their repentance), we have been unanimous in condemning his hasty decision to shed blood and wreak vengeance against a foreign people (even though those men who perpetrated the actual violence against our countrymen are long since dead).
As the Lord's Bride, we are fully confident that our God Christ is in control of his creation. If we (as Christians and -- secondarily -- Americans) remain faithful to his teachings on nonviolence, he will deliver us from evil if it is his will. It is the Lord who fights for us, so we would never lift a hand against another of our precious human brothers or sisters, unless it was in immediate self-defense. Only God has the right to execute vengeance (Rom. 12:19-21).
We as Christians also understand the spiritual benefits of suffering and mourning (1 Pe. 412-19). We would rather be persecuted by other countries than descend to the Devil's level and persecute them in return.
You see, God's word commands us to be gentle toward everyone (1 Tim. 2:24), kind, tender-hearted, and forgiving (Eph. 4:31-32), compassionate, loving, humble, and courteous (1 Pe. 3:18), merciful and pure in heart (Matt. 5:7-8). We long to be characterized by lowliness, meekness, patience, and love (Eph. 4:2, 3; 1 Tim. 6:11; Titus 3:2), being wise as serpents, but harmless as doves (Matt. 10:16).
I am happy to say that we Christians have internalized these qualities to such an extent that the thought of inflicting violence for any reason leaves us with nothing but a perplexed look on our faces. The idea of using carnal weapons just isn't part of our mental vocabulary.
Because of the magnitude of our admiration of Jesus and devotion to his teachings, we believe that no person or power is exempt from Christ's teachings on nonviolence and love. Every individual, every church, every organization, political party, and government body is bound to obey the words of Jesus Christ, the Lord, Maker, and Sustainer of the universe. Thus, we expect our government to show the same unconditional love of enemies that we expect from ourselves. We hold our elected representatives to Christ's obligation that they do no harm to others, and that they treat other nations with even greater honor than their own (Phil. 2:3).
To us, the lordship of Christ is so all-encompassing, we demand that even the U.S. government must follow the Golden Rule (Matt. 7:12). Christ sits "far above all rule and power and authority and dominion" (Eph. 1:21). He trumps them all, and we answer only to him! We do not derive our identity from our country or race. "Our citizenship is in heaven" (Phil. 3:20). Thus, "the weapons of our warfare are not carnal" (2 Cor. 10:4). Christ's kingdom is not of this world, so his servants do not fight (John 18:36).
Our unshakable allegiance to Christ is also the reason why we in the churches of Christ teach our children to refuse to say the "pledge of allegiance" in their godless secular schools. We would rather have our boys and girls face ridicule and ostracization at school than see them deny the lordship of Christ by pledging allegiance to any person or entity besides the Lamb of God. Is this not the reason why many of our people were martyred in the first and second centuries? If the saints of old chose to die rather than pledge allegiance to Casear, then certainly we would rather see our children thrown to the lions and receive the crown of life in the world to come than see them swear an oath to the new Caesar of the U.S. Government and shame their Lord who died for their sins ("no man can serve two masters" – Matt. 6:24). Such is the depth of our gratitude to God!
So, Daniel. I don't know what kind of "church" you used to visit and attend which promoted pro-war, pro-America, or pro-military ideas, but it certainly wasn't a church of Christ. As citizens of the kingdom of God, we are pro-Jesus and nothing more!
You see, we kingdom people understand that war originates from lust and covetousness (James 4:1,2). War engenders and is fueled by hatred, jealousy and vengeance -- all feelings which are forbidden to people of the Book. Those who practice such "works of the flesh" will not inherit the kingdom (Gal. 5:20-21). We have all "put off" and "put to death" our ungodly attitudes like bitterness, passion, evil desire, anger, wrath, and malice (Eph. 3:5, 9; 4:31). Without these feelings, we have no will to fight. We know that we are not to return evil for evil, but instead we respond to evil with a blessing (1 Pe. 3:9; 1 Thess. 5:15; Rom. 12:21). We are enjoined to agree with our adversaries quickly (Matt. 5:25). We "abstain from every form of evil" (1 Thess. 5:22), including support of war. We bless those who curse us, do good to those who hate us, and pray for those who exploit us and persecute us (Matt. 5:44).
So you see, Daniel, the Lord Christ was plain in his teaching that violence is sinful, and so are the attitudes which lead to violence. Our allegiance to the Spirit of Christ and the ethical pattern of the New Testament precludes any involvement or approval of carnal warfare. Having been transferred from the powers of the world into the kingdom of God's Son, we stand as a prophetic counter-cultural community against the Devil's secular American culture.
That is also the reason why members of the churches of Christ have historically not only been the key leaders in the peace movement, but we have also been the loudest voices calling for the abolition of slavery, integration, civil rights for minorities and immigrants, and (of course) equality among the sexes. You might say that Galatians 3:28 has been our rallying-cry since the beginning of the Restoration Movement.
So Daniel, unless you've just been pulling my leg (satire and sarcasm are certainly possible with you), you're either mistaken (and I hope I've set you straight) or spreading falsehoods for which you need a stern rebuke. In the Church of Christ, our King of Kings and Lord of Lords is the Prince of Peace, whose refusal to retaliate led to his violent atoning death "as a lamb to the slaughter," so that we might follow in his peaceful, suffering steps (1 Pe. 2:20-23). As members of the kingdom prophesied by Isaiah, we have beaten our swords into plowshares and our spears into pruning hooks. In our world, nation no longer rises against nation, nor do we learn war anymore (2:4). Among us, the wolf can dwell with the lamb. We do not hurt or destroy in all God's holy mountain (11:6-9; cf. 60:18).
posted by Bren Hughes | 11:10 AM
12 Comments:
I can't wait to see how this plays out...
If only it were true...
Wow. Great post. Can I sign up to be a member of the Churches of Christ. That sounds like a group I could really get along with. Where is their central headquarters, so that I may write to them for information about membership?
~gkb
Interesting. I really like the last words of Christ before He was taken by the guards..."Put down your sword!"
Pax Christi
First, let me say that your utopian idea sounds great, and it is the ideal for which we strive. I wish it were only as simple as you make it sound. Unfortunately, some "churches of Christ" (yes, I got your sarcasm) do spout pro-Republican agenda rhetoric and confuse it with gospel. I am an Independent because I despise things both of our parties stand for. But I cannot remain a total pacifist for a couple of reasons.
1) If countries like the U.S. do not stand up to Islamic fundamentalists, the entire world will be forced to become Muslim or die. Of course, I would die along with you before bowing to a false view of God, or even America. But I'm not in favor of allowing any religion (including our own) to be propagated by military and/or terrorist force.
2) God has always used governments to keep the peace (more or less) in the world, even when those governments were evil in themselves. Now I'm not an American zealot, and I have no delusions that the U.S. will never fall (sometimes I pray that it does just so Christianity could be a real faith again). But there is a difference between worshiping Caesar as you mention and "giving to Caesar" what is his while praying for our governments as God's agents.
And what is unChristian about rescuing people who are being tortured and murdered by a government more evil than our own? Surely we have made some huge blunders in this war, and I never preach or teach disciples a pro-war doctrine. But do you really think we can just stand idly by while Islamic fundamentalists blow us up and get their way? Should the U.S. have sat back and let slavery and lynchings and segregation continue in this country because Christians never resort to violence? Or should we have just let Hitler wipe out all the Jews and take over Europe and then destroy us because we are peacemakers? There are no easy answers to these questions, because war is always horrible and full of evil. And both sides usually think God is for them (how ironic). But I know we should stand up for the helpless and lay down our lives for those who are suffering. Does that mean I’m going out and enlisting tomorrow? Well, no. But just like we should not rush to a pro-war stance, I think it is equally irresponsible and unChristian to rush to an anti-war stance for all situations. Sometimes war is the lesser of two evils. Force should not be used except to defend ourselves and others who are helpless--never to propagate culture or religion (or democracy). But let's keep preaching peace everywhere we go.
Thanks for the excellent comments, Kevin. I'm glad somebody finally spoke up and took issue with my post. The truth, I believe, is much more complicated than what I presented here.
So, I direct you to my follow-up post where I deconstruct some of the flaws I planted in this one (including overstatement and oversimplification). You might also find that the post I link to at "Contratimes" expresses an angle of warfare similar to the one you expressed here.
I don't think God's thoughts on violence have fundamentally changed since the Decalogue. "Do not kill," he says, yet the Law makes exceptions for capital punishment, self-defense and protection of others, and God-approved military activity (cf. Rom. 13). I would apply these principles to modern nations, as well.
The problem lies in identifying which, if any, modern wars would qualify as being divinely approved. This may be an exegetical misstep here, but it seems to me that the only warfare approved for NT Kingdom citizens is the invisible battle against the "powers and principalities" fought with the "panoply of God." I'm still working on this topic.
I'd like to take this opportunity also to thank Travis Stanley and Eric Dobbs for sending some new readers my direction.
"Force should not be used except to defend ourselves and others who are helpless--never to propagate culture or religion (or democracy)."
Bush defends the war in Iraq as a war to propagate democracy. Unfortunately, American troops are being used to secure a nation so that it can have the opportunity to mature under the guise of a sham Islamic-based constitution (Muslim faith-only-allowed and few female rights). This war is "big business" for Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld - and war for business equals murder.
This is the second time in the past two days that I have heard the Iraq War compared to WWII. That is despicable. Compare it to Korea, compare it to Vietnam. But never WWII. The war from 1939-1945 was ultimately a war to wipe the ultimate evil from the face of the earth. A war of good vs. evil. Cultures other than the Nazis were caught on the wrong side – but in retrospect the Nazis were the embodiment of “total” evil. Liberating Jews from Hitler and liberating Iraqis that are now attacking us – big difference.
I agree that we need to wipe-out terrorism and I agree that some form of war may be the answer. But attacking Iraq was just stupid. I have more than a few acquaintances that have returned from or are presently serving in Iraq. None of them feel it was a good choice.
There is a definitive difference between being anti-war and being pro-war. But to label everyone that takes a stance against the Iraq war as “anti-war” is blind ignorance. I am hardly anti-war in my secular life. But in matters of religion - I am appalled at "war hawk" churches and their leaders. He may not attend the church of Christ, but for some reason he is still considered a Christian by these war churches. The same congregations that preach anyone outside the one-true-church are not a real Christian.
Here are a few quotes from our fearless President Bush:
“Mission Accomplished” - then why does he still refer to it as a war
"My plan reduces the national debt, and fast. So fast, in fact, that economists worry that we're going to run out of debt to retire." —radio address, Feb. 24, 2001 - that worked out as we close in on 9 trillion
"See, free nations are peaceful nations. Free nations don't attack each other. Free nations don't develop weapons of mass destruction." —Milwaukee, Wis., Oct. 3, 2003 - I live near Los Alamos, trust me we have WMDs
"The British government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa." —State of the Union Address, Jan. 28, 2003, making a claim that administration officials knew at the time to be false.
"The most important thing is for us to find Osama bin Laden. It is our number one priority and we will not rest until we find him." —Washington, D.C., Sept. 13, 2001
"I don't know where bin Laden is. I have no idea and really don't care. It's not that important. It's not our priority." —Washington, D.C., March 13, 2002
"But all in all, it's been a fabulous year for Laura and me." —summing up his first year in office, three months after the 9/11 attacks, Washington, D.C., Dec. 20, 2001 - big business is good!
Following this man blindly just because he claims to “be a Christian” is hypocrisy – blind leading the blind.
Okay, my turn again.
My problem with Kevin's post is that he confuses Christian nonviolence with passivity.
Kevin writes:
But do you really think we can just stand idly by while Islamic fundamentalists blow us up and get their way? Should the U.S. have sat back and let slavery and lynchings and segregation continue in this country because Christians never resort to violence? Or should we have just let Hitler wipe out all the Jews and take over Europe and then destroy us because we are peacemakers?
My answer to all these questions is "no." Christians are not people who "stand idly by" or "sit back" in the face of encroaching evil. The pacifism of Jesus is not an inert passivity. It is (among other things) a proactive refusal to allow the spread of evil.
The most recent studies on nonviolent resistance have demonstrated its effectiveness (I'll give you some bibliographical data on this subject later). The good people of Europe could have stood up against Hitler's regime and stopped it in its tracks without spilling a single drop of blood. The problem was a lack of conviction and/or courage.
There is a middle road between the use of violence on one hand and the wrong kind of passivity or meekness on the other. In trying times such as these, Christian thinkers need to stop and ponder deeply as to what that middle road might look like in our situation. We need not buy into the false dichotomy that you're either a pro-war patriot or a head-in-the-sand passive-ist.
First, though it is referenced in a subsequent post, I would like to thank you, Bren, for finding my essay, Why-War: A Letter to a License Plate, worth referencing. I hope your readers find it helpful.
Second, I am personally a pacifist, but as I said in my essay, I do not think Christ has called me to force everyone else to turn their "other" cheeks to the evils of the world. And by force I mean simply the use of polemics (and not mere example); I do not mean by the use of fist or cudgel.
Third, I find a useful analogue in the death penalty. For I know a lot of people who are against the death penalty on ostensibly Christian (and therefore moral) grounds. They oppose taking a criminal's life, rejecting the eye-for-an-eye justice that remains so prevalent on the earth. For truly vulgar and grotesque violence, these people believe it is best to sentence the worst criminals to life imprisonment without the possibility of release. And while this is an interesting and perhaps Christian viewpoint, it is somewhat meaningless. Why? Because life imprisonment without the possibility of parole is just a different form of the death penalty: the convict is merely left to die in confinement, slowly: Instead of electrocution, hanging or lethal injection, the criminal is simply confined to death.
How is this considered Christian? What is left for a Christian to believe regarding a Christian form of criminal punishment if even life without parole is shown to be just a slow and even tedious form of capital punishment?
And surely we must agree as Christians that there must be some form of criminal punishment in the world, no? If so, what would it look like, at least for the worst criminals? I mean, while waiting for Christ's return and the final trump of His kingdom, what should be done with bad folks? Should we ignore them while they rape, and then bury alive, our daughters?
I don't think anyone, Christian or non, would countenance NOT punishing crime. Unless a Christian can defend that Christ and the Apostles were anarchists, I don't believe I can be purely passive as a social being.
Lastly, I find Daniel North's remarks not only unfortunate, but misleading. For instance, the uranium/yellow cake remark has not been shown to be false; Mr. North has not been sufficiently current in his thinking. And the Mission Accomplished banner was not a quote, was it? Even so, Bush did not then say that the war was over, did he, only that the regime had been toppled? He never declared an end to war, especially the broader "War on Terror."
Peace.
Bill Gnade
I appreciate Bren's and Bill's comments above. And I should clarify: I do NOT consider all those who espouse "non-violent" means of resolving conflicts with total pacifists. I would have explained further, but I did not want to hijack your blog with even more words. :D
I am 100% for any and all efforts leading to peace to be of a non-violent nature. I greatly appreciate the efforts of Dr. M.L. King, whose leadership moved us farther down the road toward peace and equality. And I surely don't support the current war fully--only where many Iraqis ARE very thankful for the help we are giving them (which doesn't get told in the New York Times). My references to Hitler and to white supremacists in this country point to my argument: at the end of the day, we have to be willing to lay down our lives for the defenseless (this is not a defense of the present war). Whether or not Hitler could have been defeated with non-violent tactics--I don't know. But evil had to be opposed. Was Saddam=Hitler? He is a wannabe. And if the rest of the U.N. wasn't in bed with him, we probably would have solved this without violence. And yet we still don't stand up for defenseless people elsewhere in the world (can we say "Darfur"?).
My biggest concern on this topic is that we seminary types, like many people who fancy reading great books, tend to live in a theoretical world. I abhor violence and conflict, always seeking ways to pronounce Christ's shalom to those who need it. But if a man breaks into my house at night and tries to rape my wife and kill my children, I am not going to stage a protest or try to reason with him--I'm going to shoot him (or, I pray the threat of it stops him and no blood is shed). If I just meet him in a dark ally and it's just between us, then that's a different question--I will plead with him to turn to Christ, knowing I'm headed to heaven. End of the Spear was a great movie rendition of how some missionaries showed the love of Christ to violent people. I want to be like that.
Along these lines, I just wrote a post called "Abdul Rahman Faces Death for Converting from Islam to Christ" about an Afghan Christian. That government's (potential) act of violence against a Christian is just as heinous as if we, good ol' USofA decided attack someone, just because they're Muslim.
Thanks for the clarification, Bren, regarding your assumption of a "heretic hunting" polemic, one I am all too familiar with. I sensed it was satirical, given your readership even though this was my first trip to your blog.
What a tough topic--I still feel I have not expressed myself well.
BTW, I sign off all my letters with "Peace." And I mean it. Not the absence of violence, but the presence of wholeness, health, and completeness. Ultimately, the "Prince of Peace" will bring justice, for as Isaiah puts it, "peace is the work of justice" (this is a rendering of Isa 32:17 in the article "Peace" in ABD). It is the Lord's to avenge. Ultimately he will bring justice to the world, which will usher in peace. I do not believe we will get there on our own.
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