OK, after a trip to the Pepperdine lectures, I’m back and ready to bounce some more ideas off of you. Before I so rudely interrupted myself by posting some things I had written previously, I was discussing the idea that governments will say and do what they need to in order to prolong their own existence. We would like to think that our government will always be open and honest with us, but experience says that just isn’t so. For example, we remember the righteous indignation with which the Carter administration responded to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. However, it wasn’t until 1998 that former National Security Advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski admitted (in an interview with Le Nouvel Observateur) that the U.S. had baited the Soviets into invading Afghanistan by funding Islamic rebels in that country. [Ironically, Brzezinski was asked at that time about the wisdom of such action. “What is most important to the history of the world? Some stirred-up Moslems or the liberation of Central Europe and the end of the cold war?,” he replied. When the interviewer questioned Brzezinski about Islamic fundamentalism representing a world menace, he said, “Nonsense!” That was, of course, three years before 9/11] Was that an isolated episode? Hardly. Nations around the world have done and will do this very thing time and again. And people forgive them. There was a fake commercial on a comedy show back in the 80s which had the tagline “The CIA: You don’t know what we do. You don’t want to know.” That pretty much sums it up for many.
Here’s what concerns me: Christians throw in their lot with these earthly governments based on the information they are given. “God is on our side” is the battle cry of armies everywhere, with Christians taking up arms based on what politicians say and do. Some Christians come to support these governments no matter what. Pragmatism takes precedence over spirituality; what matters is what works, what will keep us safe, what will assure the continuing existence of the kingdom that we support, be it the Roman empire, colonial Spain, or the United States of America.
Dare we abdicate our right to make moral decisions? Will we trust in worldly people to decide whether or not we should use torture? Will we let Congress decide who we are to hate, who we are to kill, who we are to fight, whose nation and way of life we are to destroy? The same people who moan and complain about what the President is doing, about the decisions that Congress makes, about how our government is run, these same people will turn around and urge us to go fight the wars that these politicians choose. We don’t want Obama to spend our money nor make moral decisions about marriage or stem cell research, but we want to give him the right to tell our young people to destroy an Afghan village. (Fighting the very group that we armed and trained in the 1970s… but let’s not go there…)
Somebody help me make sense of this. A high percentage of Christians that write on the Internet have been highly critical of our government’s policies over the last few months. That’s not only acceptable, it’s encouraged by many. But questioning our country’s military policy (made by the same people) is considered unChristian. Huh?
{photo by duchessa, sxc.hu}
Not getting into whether or not I endorse or even like the way the U.S. government is going. I have to obey the rules made by this government, unless it actually conflicts with God’s word. He has put this government in place – possibly to wake us up to the fact we have abdicated our rights by not speaking up years before. But just as Paul declared his Roman citizenship to avoid some abuses to his body, we have the right to use the government to protect our earthly rights. I believe the Roman government used an army to control their empire, yet we know of at least one soldier who became a Christian and was not told to get out of the army. Therefore, I surmise that God allows armies to do what a government decides, even if we Christians don’t approve. I do not believe God is on “any country’s side.” He is allowing them to be whatever they are – He sees the future results, and we can’t. But that doesn’t mean we have no right to complain or disagree about any decisions. However, we are in God’s army, and have battles to fight every day in the spiritual realm, and I don’t see Christians doing a very good job there as a whole, just fighting each other.
Jeanne,
You raise some thoughtful points. Let me offer some comments:
(1) It’s interesting to me that people often appeal to Paul’s use of his Roman citizenship, yet rarely point to him appealing to his status as a Pharisee in a similar situation. (Acts 23:6) What conclusions would we draw from that?
(2) While we don’t know if Cornelius was encouraged to leave the army (and Luke 3 would suggest that he wasn’t), we also don’t see Christians joining the army… for the next several centuries.
(3) My concern remains that Christians willingly place themselves in a position where others make moral decisions for them, even knowing that those “others” have a terrible track record.
Grace and peace,
Tim Archer
Hi Tim,
I linked here from Sarah’s site.
I agree with what you wrote. Your comments here about Brzezinski need to be read far and wide. If Americans knew all the “We now know” stories, we might refuse to ever fight another war.
… We know know the XYZ papers were a set-up and Jefferson refused to allow the country to be manipulated into an unnecessary war
… We now know the Cubans didn’t bomb the Maine (it was an internal explosion)
… We now know financiers from NY would not allow WW1 to come to a negotiated end in 1916 lest they lose their clients’ money they loaned the British. Thus, the escalation of anti-German sentiment and our entry into the war.
… We now know the British told the Poles, “Don’t sell the land back to the Germans; stand up to them and we’ll defend you,” and the US gov told the British, “If you go to war with the Germans we’ll help you.” That was 2 full years before we had any reason to enter.
… We now know that Robt. Strange McNamara was devising an elaborate experiment with the Viet Nam War (police action), which he later admitted in a book was a big “mistake.”
“Report from Iron Mountain on the Possibility and Desirability of Peace,” “War Cycles, Peace Cycles,” “Perpetual War for Perpetual Peace,” “War is a Racket” (written by a retired U.S. Marine General!), “Advance to Barbarism,” “War is a Force That Gives us Meaning,” “Necessary Illusions: Thought Control in Democratic Societies,” “Crimes and Mercies,” “Other Losses,” and numerous other books give ample support to your concern that “Christians throw in their lot with these earthly governments based on the information they are given.” These books demonstrate how governments withhold information, disseminate misinformation and manipulate historical data to inflame us to go to war at the ringing of Pavlov’s bell.
These books deal with the political, historical, financial and ethical aspects of war. Yet, reading them is enough to conclude with General Smedley Butler, author of “War is a Racket,” “TO H— WITH WAR!” (Emphasis his). Reading the theological issues is another whole matter for the Christian, but one I’ll wager we rarely pursue. We are taught that Romans 13 commands us to obey whatever a government decrees, including going to war on false pretenses. We are offended is someone asks, “But what if this is an unnecessary war, and the Christian thing to do is say, ‘Hey, let’s discuss this first.'” I had a guy leave church b/c I tried to do that.
Why don’t the Christians in America rise up and refuse to participate in the machinations of Babylon? Because first we would have admit to Babylon.
Tim, there are some controversial things in here. If you don’t want to post this on your site I more than understand.
I’ll be back to read more. I like what you write.
WB
Thanks, Warren, for all the suggested readings. I could be busy for a while!
“Why don’t the Christians in America rise up and refuse to participate in the machinations of Babylon? Because first we would have admit to Babylon.” Ouch!
Grace and peace,
Tim Archer
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Well the one thing I have learned “recently” is that none of us EVER agree totally on all things of the flesh. Perhaps we would all do well to move on to the Spiritual and stay focused on that realm for a couple thousand years? It should be apparent that the flesh begets flesh and the Spirit begets spirit. Look at our physical churches. We don’t divide our spiritual things we divide over physical things, physical days, physical leaders, physical acts, physical wars, physical nations, physical earth.
1 Corinthians 3
1 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ.
2 I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able,
3 for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?
Paul wrestled with our weakness and we still don’t get it.
12 I wish that those who are troubling you would even mutilate themselves.
13For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
14For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.”
15But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.
16But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.
17For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.
18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.
19Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality,
20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions,
21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.
26Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.
Grace and Peace, Clayton