My theology was shaken this week. Spending time in Thailand and India, I was able to walk through red light districts and peer into the eyes of women who had been shoved into the sex trade as young as 10 years old. Many American Christians love to preach a Christian gospel that promises happiness and health. How does our faith speak to such things?
via www.qideas.org
I have have been in an anti-war posture for some time now. There seem to be endless milatary engagements while our country literally goes bankrupt. I have serious questions about our foreign policy theologically and econmically.
Here is a Q essay that attempts at an even handed view of our latest embroilment in Libya.
What do you think?
I can only speak for myself, but I beleive that all of the teaching of Jesus require obedience.
But, I seem unnable in myself, to obey any of them apart from the Presence and Power of the Holy Spirit, a renewed heart and mind and a heavy dose of humilty, when I discover just how radical the Kingdom of God is in the Way of Jesus.
The older I get (only 40), the more wise the way of Christ grows in my eyes and heart. I long to see His Will & Kingdom come…on Earth, not just in Heaven.
All of this Jesus way seems like foolishness…until you start to grow old and see that the WAY of man ends up looking and producing far more foolishness.
Pick your folly.
While I think there are cases that can be made for some sort of national military action, when it comes to the Christian and people of God, we are hard pressed to arrive at anything short of unmitigated shalom.
Just this morning I was reading Romans 12:20,21 …“If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” These are only 2 of many NT verses that teach, in my opinion, that Christians just cannot condone or endorse war. For any reason. I’m well aware that this is a tough row to hoe, but I believe it to be the clear teaching of the NT and have yet to find a thoroughly Biblical defense for war (but would love to read one!). We Christians are called to a completely different standard of belief and living than what we often find in our world. Yet all too often, I find us taking our cues from the norms of the world instead of the norms of Scripture. I know a lot of believers who pay more attention to politicians & talking heads than they do to the Lord. Sounds harsh, but it’s what I see.
Additionally, I no longer believe that our country’s motives for sending troops into conflict overseas are primarily altruistic. I am disgusted by how quickly, under the guise of promoting “freedom,” & “democracy” & “preventing human suffering,” we send troops (+) to countries that supply our true interest (oil) but turn a blind eye & deaf ear to nations & areas with far worse humanitarian crises like Darfur in the Sudan & elsewhere.
I have serious doubts as to whether we have engaged in war for the right reasons since WWII. I know good reasons are always espoused at the start, but seem to quickly change as ‘progress’ is made. Do we truly go in to defend the oppressed any more? Today, many around the world would argue just who the oppressed are. Seems ridiculous that those who would long ago never be doubted for their lunacy and wickedness are today given equal consideration.
Our right response is mercy with justice with the grace that we’ve been granted. But that balance is a tricky one. I would ask, though, can today’s climate of politics be relied upon for any right response? To often, it seems, we are more so engaged in somebody’s ulterior motive from what battle cry is conveniently espoused.
We must, however, as best we can, never neglect to carry on til he comes.
Thanks for weighing in Eric. Dorel, I watched some of the feature. I don’t have time to watch the whole thing at this point. Very interesting though.
A great documentary on the subject of ‘achieving peace thru war’ is War Made Easy. It shows very well the government propaganda about war. You can watch it at:
I don’t support bombing people.
The ethical idealism behind ‘War is Peace’ or ‘Peace through Killing’ sounds good in theory but the realities of walking that out destorys peoples lives. Look at the massive humanitarian mess Iraq and Afghanistan have created in the name of freedom and democracy.
In WW2 one of Atomic bombs was dropped by Christians onto a Church in Japan! On and on the quagmire of ethical sidestepping goes when you open the pandora box of picking up the sword in the name of God or the state.
We don’t rape in the name of love…and we don’t kill in the name of peace. If we keep calling good bad and bad good…noone will ever know what is true or right.