Disturbing Questions on War and Peace

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.