OK, other than Chuck (thank you!) conversation has been pretty subdued around here. Let's see if I can stir the pot with something a bit controversial. I follow a news analysis service called Stratfor. The following link goes to an article they published today. Considering that Jesus had a lot to say relevant to the political context of the first century, how would Jesus respond to these ideas? What do you think about the concept of an American Empire emerging from the American Republic (similar to what happened in Rome)? Leave a comment and we'll talk about it tomorrow.
http://www.stratfor.com/weekly/20110328-what-happened-american-declaration-war
Great topic. I'm going to try to convey my genuine feelings here, and I'm fascinated to hear what you all think.
ReplyDeleteWar to me is utterly and completely opposed to everything that Jesus taught. All of it. Before I elaborate, know that I don't think badly of people in the military. It's the institution itself that is wrong.
What is the fundamental heart of war? Somebody shoves a rifle into an innocent kid's hands. Then another kid in a different uniform kills him, or maybe he kills that other kid. Maybe he feels like his heart was ripped out after he does it, but we tell him it was justified and right.
War encourages widespread, blind hatred. Soldiers and the ones they fight for back back home hate the enemy to the point that we all hope deeply for their death.
How could Jesus have responded to this with anything but tears? He gave everything to prove to us that it is not hate, but widespread, blind love that is the only path to a peaceful world.
Jesus showed deep and powerful love to the people that thought differently from him, and to the people that tried to hurt him. He loved the Romans until they killed him. Because of that he radically altered the course of human history.
I truly believe that if we responded to our enemies with the same kind of blinding love as the love Jesus showed his enemies, they would have no reason to hate us. And if they still did hate us, the actions that our love inspired would speak much more loudly than a smartbomb or a rifle shot.
What do you guys think?
This is a difficult issue because I think Jesus teachings are pretty much in line with Josh's comments. On the other hand, in a practical sense I have found it difficult to follow Jesus directive to love my enemies.
ReplyDeleteI do believe that if we followed our constitutional requirement of a congressional declaration before going to WAR it would at least be more difficult to get into WARS and perhaps easier to support those Wars we are in.
I also believe that if we embraced the idea of the "Kingdom of God" here on earth and understood that all people are created in God's image it might be easier to find and focus on those things we have in common and easier to learn how to work together to try to have God's will done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Below is another excellent article from Stratfor. As we consider the morality of war in general, he makes some thoughtful points, which follow up well with our conversation on Wednesday. Is there a place where military intervention might sometimes be justified on humanitarian grounds? Is there any way to mainitain the moral high ground in such cases? I don't think this is an easy question to answer, so like the parables of Jesus let's chew and consider it carefully.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.stratfor.com/weekly/20110404-immaculate-intervention-wars-humanitarianism