I’ve been listening and reading and thinking a lot about the whole topic of peace lately. My heart has been undeniably pulled and shifted in this area over the last while, and as I listened to an activist, a Christian, a monastic tell stories and proclaim peace on my ipod on my way to work this morning, I found myself very near tears, with a growing dis-ease in my soul.
My heart is pulled to peace, but I am not sure I see a logical support for the case.
I keep hearing these arguments about Jesus as peacemaker. Was Jesus not also the one who violently cleared the temple? And yes, I know that ultimately, Jesus’ message was one of peace, even non-violence, but how can those who espouse Jesus as peacemaker also quote the Old Testament prophets, while choosing to ignore the God of the Old Testament – the God who directed his people to wipe out many nations, who aided his people in winning bloody battles through miraculous means? I would expect that the argument would have something to do with the new covenant offered in Christ, but I have difficulty with that, for God himself tells us that his character is unchanging – by this very argument the God represented by Christ is the same God of the Old Testament quest for justice.
This whole issue seems convoluted. Take Iraq for example. I don’t think I support a war there. But, I think it’s probably ultimately going to be a good thing that Hussein is gone. Take the death of Hussein – I don’t particularly think it was necessary, but at the same time see the historical precedent for eliminating a leader who has the potential to be freed from custody and regain his tyrannical power (Napoleon anyone?)? And the death penalty in general – I couldn’t do it, so is it right to support (and I don’t think I do) this thing and force someone else to make a career out of taking a life? Does it make it better if we kill someone humanely? Rather than hang them or shoot them we put them to sleep, and then inject drugs that simply stop the functions of life in their body?
What about the fact that violence seems by and large to affect the underprivileged? How do other issues of poverty and injustice play into this debate? What about Shane Claiborne’s argument that it is difficult to teach the children in the poor neighborhood in which he lives not to hit each other or use violence as a solution, when the government is sanctioning violence as a method of solving it’s problems internationally?
These are subjects that deeply disturb me. They disturb my confidence in knowledge. They upset my stomach and my heart. If you’re a friend – watch out – I may be coming your way to have conversations around this subject in the near future – it’s time to begin to verbally process some of these ideas.
I invite you to dialogue here with me, too. Leave a comment. Email me, or give me a call. I suspect this is a subject that requires the wisdom of many.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
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3 comments:
I am with you lisa, there are so many questions on this subject, having just returned from Washington, I was amazed at how christians could justify war and even argue the death penalty, it was a real wake up for me with my european slant on how it should be. I think the Shane Clairborne book is one of the better ones i have read on the subject. Although I have more questions than answers!!!!
Personally having grown up in Belfast I favour peace, Jesus cleared out the temple but he didn't bomb it. Maybe if he had of had a grenade, you never know...
I like the peaceful Jesus that I have constructed.
Brian, I've loved Clairborne's book - both in the written and audio form.
I like a Jesus of peace, I'm just not entirely sure I can find him Biblically - seems activists for peace engage only with those scriptures that support their point, and not with the others that might contradict their point.
Let's be honest - I'm both a Canadian and American citizen - a child of both nations, but I don't think I could ever go to war for either - would have to be a concientious objector or something.
Canada is all aflutter lately over whether we should continue to have soldiers in Afganistan - on a "peacekeeping" mission - they've been killed a lot lately, and people begin to question the value of the lives.
And yet, Afganistan is beginning to rebuild, and the world seems fundamentally better without a tyrannical Taliban regime.
uff... So confused, but a good sort of confusion I suppose.
I too, have more questions than answers!
Thanks, Lisa, for your thoughts which show the complexity of the topic. It seems like we certainly haven't found the balance between justice and peace, but its hard to know which direction to go. I agree that the most important this is to "require the wisdom of many." Thanks again.
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