Open For Discussion
Ok, so here’s something I’ve been struggling with. Not “struggling” like I have a problem, struggling like not sure what to think. Here it is.
To lay the ground work, first we must cover the platform as to which Jesus’ message sits on. Jesus’ message was revolutionary, no doubt. Everything he talked about and challenged us while he was here on earth was crazy and almost laughable. From everything to hanging out with prostitutes, giving to the needy, healing the sick, having dinner with the scum of society, etc. It’s pretty tough to engage that lifestyle even today. Today, I am simply presenting one, small but significant, part in Jesus’ entire message. I will get to it in a second.
As far as the platform goes, the way I see it, there are two schools of thought. 1) Jesus meant for his message to be on a localized, personal level, where much of his teaching is to guide us in our relationships around us; not much involvement in the government. 2) Jesus meant for his message to not only be personal, but WORLDWIDE, infiltrating every single aspect of culture, economics, and government. I believe it is worldwide. Jesus went head-to-head with the government and cultural standards; I don’t see how his message could be anything less than a globalized approach. Do you agree?
The small part of His message that I am struggling with is the dichotomy of fiighting social injustice and making peace with enemies. Some of Jesus’ greatest challenges were to stand up and fight social injustice. Loving the widows, orphans, and homeless. The thing is, social injustice does not just stop with people taking advantage of widows. It starts there. All over the world there are people groups and cultures being oppressed and killed. Slavery, child sex-traffic, forced prostitution, genocide, etc. happens all over the world. Think back a little over 60 years ago. Our world saw one of the greatest genocides when Hitler’s regime murdered between 9 and 11 million people.
At the same time Jesus challenges us to fight social injustice (I believe on a worldwide scale), he challenges us to avoid war by making peace and “loving our enemies”. I believe that war is the last answer to any conflict, but at the same time, where do we draw the line? In this day and age, how do we balance fighting oppression and genocide without going to war? I believe that God answers prayer. I know that Moses begged Pharaoh seven times (including plagues) and God finally set the Israelites free. I also know that President Ahmadinejad (Iran) wants to wipe Israel off the face of the earth.
We can pray for our enemies. I’m not the best at this and will continue to be more consistent. But how do we love our enemies if our enemies are the ones we are supposed to stand up to? Obviously, some battles can be fought without the sword, but what about the Hilter’s and the Ahmadinejad’s? The leaders whose beliefs are to destroy the people who do not believe what they believe. Do we pray and talk to them as they destroy lives? Do we send our military knowing more innocent lives will be killed in the process of stopping the enemy? How do we balance fighting social injustice and loving our enemies on a global platform?
I’d like to know what you think.
Chad this is a TOUGH question. I too find myself asking these same questions. Have you been reading THE SECRET MESSAGE OF JESUS or IRRESISTABLE REVOLUTION? Both of those books have challenged my Southern-Baptist-Hard-Core-Conservative-Republican upbringing. I have thought about things that before I never thought about I just voted for the most conservative of them all.
I don’t have a big opinion on this b/c I know that this is too hard for me to answer. I do know that I believe that Jesus was anti-war and pro-love towards our enemies. HOw that works out today? Not sure.
Keep asking and let me know when you get an answer!
One way the Christian tradition has tried to deal with this tension between standing with the oppressed against injustice and loving even those who oppress is through discussion of “just war”. I personally don’t believe that war in a modern context – meaning the mobilization of a national military power with – can practically or intellectually be reconciled with following Jesus’ way; I don’t believe war today can be “just”, when what we mean by “justice” is determined by the Gospel. Yet I do believe that we can and should appeal to what Scripture calls “good authority”, and its function of “bearing the sword” (Rom.13), to suggest something like a national or international police force that aims to protect those being oppressed and stop oppression. So thinking in terms of an inter/national “police force” is a move in the right direction, I think…as it seeks to minimize the violence that is used against oppressors, but still seeks to forcibly stop oppressors. The government’s ability to “bear the sword” in an appropriate way does not, I think, legitimate modern war or the killing of enemies … but it does call for the authorities to serve peace and justice. Practically, I think that means that all Christians (in government or not) should seek to both resist evildoers (doing so in the least violent manner possible – see Rom.12), and stand with the oppressed.
The other ancient, Christian option is, of course, the witness of the martyrs….putting your own body on the line by standing defenceless with the oppressed in the face of their oppressors. People forget that Hitler’s army was full of Christians who’d identified the gospel with their own national agenda (as many American Christians unwittingly do today). What would’ve happened if all the Christians in the world had said – the Jews are God’s people, and we should go physically stand with them?
I imagine that if God’s people had the imagination and creativity to refuse the idolatry of nationalism, and Christians in other nations had had the courage to do what they could to stand with the Jews, Hitler’s army would not have been what it was. I think that goes to show that the “answer” to any national super-evil is repentance at our own idolatries, and renewed commitment to standing with our neighbors, trusting in the power of God, in the face of injustice.
Here is a rambling response of mine to this post…http://dreamingatdusk.blogspot.com/2007/10/peace-in-time-of-war.html
i miss you buddy!