I know that most of the people who read this blog adhere to more of a peace loving hippie mentality. But it seems to me, that a lot of churches have gone beyond the idea of supporting our troops and adopted the mentality of kill 'em all and let Allah sort them out... I wonder what the Prince of Peace would have to say about that?
It's interesting when this subject comes up because of the various Old Testament passages that people use to justify their stance on violence. Moreover, there are still others that will use Romans 13 to justify the same. Rarely, however, do people actually go to the Gospels to answer this question; however, even the Gospels are a little more mixed, in terms of violence, than we might think. Consider the following:
ReplyDelete"Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword" (Matthew 10:34 - best read in context, which is still pretty dicey)
He said to them, "But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don't have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one. It is written: 'And he was numbered with the transgressors'; and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is written about me is reaching its fulfillment." The disciples said, "See, LORD, here are two swords." "That is enough," he replied. (Luke 22:36-38 - also best read in context; still dicey)
And Matthew 11:12, though I'm not certain that this is a proponent for advancing the kingdom violently.
I'm not sure what the answer to this question is; although, if the greatest commandments (love God, neighbor, self) are what the scriptures hinge on, then I imagine that the doors through which we walk shouldn't begin with conquest and colonization (which tends to be the first priorities of the U.S.). But then again, maybe the question is more, "When did Christianity in the U.S. become more defined by American values rather than biblical ones?" For me, this is the root problem out of which these other things stem. See you guys in a few days!
I find it interesting that when Peter used his sword in the garden of Gethsemane and cut off the guys ear; that Jesus tells him to put it away and then goes and restores that guys ear as it was before Peter used his sword... Maybe the only reason Jesus told his disciples to bring swords that night was for some clever object lesson?
ReplyDeleteie. Swords are not what the Way is about but rather to first, demand that swords are sheathed and second, heal the wounds that they cause.
ReplyDeleteWow I haven't checked this blog out in awhile. Definitely agreeing with Alex about the sword having too much of a place in modern christianity, but I hear ya, Dan - the Bible is not black and white on this issue. In fact, if i had my druthers there's an awful lot of violent old testament I'd just as soon throw out - it's downright embarrassing. And how can Christ as the slaughtered lamb be consistent with Christ as Rider on the White Horse? If I'm being honest, I'd just as soon adhere more to a Gandhian philosphy of non-violence than to a Christian philosophy of, well, quasi-non-violence.
ReplyDeleteNikki