Christian Perspective on War and Terrorism

Genesis 4:8 'And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and slew him.'

This might be the most famous murder in history. I think what often goes unnoticed in this story is the fact that they talked. We can't be sure but I believe their was some coercion going on, some intimidating words exchanged. Look at this verse just before the murder.

Genesis 4:5 '. . .And Cain was very wroth and his countenance fell.'

Cain was not in a good mood when they spoke.

Ecclesiastes 7:8-9 '. . .and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry, for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.'

There is no doubt that after the tragedy of 9/11, many people around the world were angry. A little over 3,000 people were killed and over 2000 were injured.

Ephesians 4:22-27 'That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which after the Creator is created in justice and true holiness. Wherefore put away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. Be ye angry and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: neither give place to the devil.'

America, as well as many other nations are still angry. Their anger has become a vow and the sun is still up on their wrath. They want vengeance.

Romans 12:19 'Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath, for it is written, Vengeance is Mine, I will repay, saith Yahweh.'

President Bush came out after 9/11 and made a nationally televised speech. I have provided a link to it below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMiqEUBux3o

America is very confused about its own agenda, which means that most of the time it is hypocritical. That is to be expected with any government simply because the will of all people is never the same, the will of all business is never the same, and even the will of the politicians themselves is never the same. Speeches such as this are made to unify people, direct them to a common purpose, a common goal.

As Christians, we have to weigh whether or not that goal harmonizes with our walk and faith as Christians. Some Americans call America a Christian nation and yet many do not - many here are of various faiths, some of no faith at all. The building blocks of this nation consist of slaves and persecuted Native Americans.

Luke 6:46 'And why call ye Me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?'

Luke 6:49 'But he that heareth and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.'

The United States is still in its infancy compared to many other nations of the world, and even the most infamous empires which lasted thousands. It is only 234 years old. That is nothing.

Bush remarked in his speech, "Tonight I ask for your prayers for all those who grieve, for the children whose world has been shattered, for all those whose sense of safety and security has been threatened; and I pray they will be comforted by a power greater than any of us, spoken through the ages in Psalms 23. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil for thou are with me.'

So, in his famous speech he evokes the religious mantra of the Bible but never allows this war to be deemed a holy war, or as the opponents on the other side call it, a jihad. Is it not hypocritical to use religion while denying religion?

One of the greatest customs of the U.S. Justice system, which is slowly slipping away, is the idea of innocent until proven guilty. The idea of this belief was to prevent the narrowness of quick judgments to be widened and enlightened. It was installed to stop the lynching, the justice of people who were angry and needed a scapegoat immediately to soothe them.

"Today our nation saw evil, the very worst of human nature." - George Bush

This is true and yet, it is not the whole picture - and that is the problem with anger. Anger sees itself just and good, and the one that made them angry as unjust and evil.

And to make matters worse, the angry ones have to act quickly and encourage others to feel as they do AND make those who want more enlightenment, more understanding of what really happened, to be complicit with the evil doers. In other words, if we want to take the time to understand why these evil people did this evil, we are not patriotic, and sympathize with the enemy.

Christians, this is why we have courts of law. When a person commits a crime, from theft to murder, they get their day in court - they get the opportunity to explain why they did what they did. And sometimes, murder is justified by our courts.

Have you ever taken the time to understand why the terrorists did what they did, or did your angry disposition allow you to blindly believe the President - that their actions were simply an act of evil? Listen to what the President said.

"America was targeted for attack because we are the brightest beacon of freedom and opportunity in the world and no one will keep that light from shining." - George Bush

That's nice. We sound not only like the good guys - but angels - the one chance this world has. We have long placed ourselves on a pedastal and worshipped our own image.

Christians, it is time to wake up. It is just an image. It is a false light, a misleading beacon.

2 Corinthians 11:13-15 'For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel, for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.'

So, what are their works?

President Bush asked us to pray for those children whose world had been shattered, for all those whose sense of safety and security had been threatened.

http://www.iraqbodycount.org/

Since 2003, the estimated body count of innocent civilians in Iraq stands somewhere between 94,000 - 104,000. A war ignited by 3000 innocent deaths has blossomed into a ridiculous count of casualties. This is a beacon of light? How many innocent people have had their worlds, their safety and security shattered and threatened by U.S. military actions.

Right now many are saying, but we had to, we have to - it would and could have been worst.

Really? For who? Do you think those people who are suffering with their children in the Middle East are saying, 'Gee, I'm glad its not worse.'?

We cannot be narrow minded. We cannot see only that which is good for us.

As Christians, we are called to see the world differently, not by nations, but by people.

You have been told all your life you can be both a nation and a Christian - but it is simply not true. Sooner or later there will be a conflict between your Christian beliefs and those of your nation. Sooner or later one will have to compromise to the other. The nationalistic approach of all countries, not just America, is to believe 'God is on our side.' AND yet, do the things of the nation without faith, without Christian morals. That is the hypocrisy.

"These are evil people. And we're not going to win this fight by turning the other cheek." - Dick Cheney

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0209/18390.html

Is that the statement of a Christian or the ambition of a Christian nation?

Matthew 5:38-39 'Ye have heard it hath been said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, that ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.'

There is no doubt Mr. Cheney was making a point of insulting the Christian belief of turning the other cheek. In his mindset, there are times when we can forego this saying by Christ because the evil are just so - ah - evil.

Luke 6:46 'And why call ye Me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?'

Let me ask you, are there just some evils the Lord is alright with us giving an eye for an eye for? Are there some evils we are justified to seek venegeance for? Are we really the beacons of light that carry justice around the world?

Are we just?

Have we listened to what the enemy is saying or is the person who wants to hear them deemed a traitor? Have you ever really listened to what Bin Laden said after the 9 11 attacks. This link below will show you what he said.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiKyWJRRjnU

Remember, Bush wants us united in believing that the actions of the terrorist were just evil and there was no reason for what they did.

Now, I am not agreeing in any way with the reasons for the attacks but the truth is - there are reasons - and it is not just because they are evil people doing evil things. One of the best ways to instigate and maintain a war is to dehumanize the enemy, make them appear to be so different to your sensibilities and values that they sound more like animals - making their deaths appear that less tragic.

James 4:1-2 'From whence come wars and fightings among you? Come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust and have not: ye kill and desire to have, and cannot obtain; ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.'

In Bin Laden's video, he says that "The events of September 11 are but a reaction to the continuance of injustice and oppression being practiced against our sons in Palestine and Iraq and . . ."

Is Bin Laden lying? Do you believe he is less credible than our politicians and generals?

Less look at some interesting concepts of justice in American history. How about the Massacre at Wounded Knee?

http://www.bgsu.edu/departments/acs/1890s/woundedknee/WKmscr.html

From the U.S. Military perspective it was not a Massacre but rather a battle. They government and military promoted it as the Battle of Wounded Knee and even gave 23 soldiers the Congressional Medal of Honor for their part in it. Only 29 U.S. soldiers died and most were the result of friendly crossfire. Nearly 300 freezing, starving men, women and children were killed. At the time, the general public praised the efforts of the government as just. Many of the soldiers that participated, lied in depostions as to what really happened. Do you think our American leaders are any less capable of this today?

What happened in Vietnam?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Lai_Massacre

U.S. soldiers massacred innocent people at My Lai. Only 1 U.S. soldier was convicted AND he served only three years of a lifetime sentence, under house arrest.

Do you realize how uninformed the general public is? We pretend to know so much without acknowleding, we know nothing. They don't tell us everything and we are okay with that. We trust them. We trust them to do what is not only right BUT in our best interest.

"As for those who condemn these operations looked at these events in isolation and failed to connect them to past events and did not look at the causes that lead to the result. So their point of view is narrow. This attitude is not in accord with and not based on either a religious, legal, nor even a rational perspective." - Bib Laden

We have an ignorance that is born of pride in America. Our view is narrow, not in information, but in the way we process it. Everything is slanted to dehumanize the enemy. Before all the war as we know it broke out, Bin Laden as well as Sadaam Hussein were agents who did work for U.S. interests. Our secret institutions used these people, supplied these people, armed them, for U.S. interest. We didn't care back then the terrorism they were committing because it wasn't aimed at us. Once the table turned, and the terror was sent our way, suddenly their terrorist acts were evil. That is hypocrisy.

Matthew 5:44 'But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them which despitefully use you and persecute you.'

You cannot possibly mix nation building with Christian beliefs.

"We will make no distinction between the terrorists who commit these acts and those who harbor them." - George Bush

I am not saying we support in any manner the acts of terrorists, but, as Christians, we cannot see a person in need of basic needs as anything but another human being. If you believe in what many in this nation believe, there is no distinction between you who care about human life (all human life), and the terrorists. Have you ever heard any of the political leaders ever say 'We must love our enemies. We must do good to them.'?

Just what a terrorist really is, is always up for debate. It is interesting to see how ignorant people in America can be. Watch the link I posted below and listen to the uninformed blindness by which many charge forth.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjxzmaXAg9E

This is amazing and sad. Many accuse the current President of being a terrorist; one woman even saying "He's got the bloodlines."

We have to recognize how misinformed we are - how often we are lied too.

http://www.harpers.org/archive/2008/01/hbc-90002175

How many really understand anything about Halliburton and Blackwater? These are Republican-based mercenary units who have worked clandestinely with the CIA on security and raids. Marshall Adame, a veteran with two sons who served in the Gulf War says for these companies, "The primary motivation is money." Blackwater even tried to disgrace this honored veteran after he spoke out.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/11/us/politics/11blackwater.html?_r=2&hp

How many Americans even remember Irangate or the Iran-Contra Affair and what it was about?

http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1889.html

"The transactions that took place in the Iran-Contra scandal were contrary to the legislation of the Democratic-dominated Congress and contrary to official Reagan administration policy"

The U.S. secretly sold weapons to its then-sworn enemy Iran - through - get this - Israel, another supposedly sworn enemy of Iran. The money raised illegally by these transactions was routed to Nicaragua and a government destablizing force called the Contras. The U.S. was funding terrorism in Nicaragua.

The U.S. was aiding with equipment and funds, both sides of the Iran-Iraq war. Again - hypocrisy - all motivated by not some noble sense of justice and freedom - but money.

Micah 3:10-11 'They build up Zion with blood and Jerusalem with iniquity. The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money; yet will they lean upon Yahweh and say, Is not Yahweh among us? None evil can come upon us?'

The Lord is not among people that build their nations on the blood of the innocent. The Lord is not among a people that judge unrighteously for money sake, that predict positive outcomes for money sake. In the end, leaders still want thier people to believe, religious or not, that 'God' is on their side. They still want their people to believe, religious or not, that they are a morally decent people who cannot fail.

And what about people like John Yoo.

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/ideas/articles/2005/10/23/war_counsel/

People who think like John Yoo, think it is alright to go to war when your angry - that a standing President should act like a king and take matters into his own hands whenever deemed necessary. In other words, a President can bypass Congress. This is the ilk also that believes physical interrogation is not torture unless it causes major organ failure.

Matthew 27:27-31 'Then the soldiers of the governor took Yahshua into the common hall and gathered unto Him the whole band of soldiers. And they stripped Him and put on Him a scarlet robe. And when they had plated a crown of thorns, they put it upon His head, and a reed in His right hand: and they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! And they spit upon Him, and took the reed and smote Him on the head. And after that they that had mocked Him, they took the robe off Him, and put His own rainment on Him, and led Him away to crucify Him.'

Christian, I don't know about your king, by mine was a criminal in the laws eyes. He was a criminal then and He would be a criminal now. For filthy lucre, men will sell off the innocent.

Yahshua never preached for people to rally, to fight, not even to protect and defend.

1 Peter 2:21 'For even hereunto were ye called; because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that ye should follow His steps.'

When Christ told us to take up our pole and follow, He was telling us that we are just like Him, criminals - not because we are unrighteous - BUT - because we believe in righteousness. Those who crucified Christ said it was just and righteous to crucify this man. Those are the same people who are saying it is just and righteous to go to war, to destroy 100,000 innocent people in Iraq because of the actions of a few.

Genesis 9:6 'Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of the Creator made He man.'

We are all made in the image of the Creator. As Christians, we need to get away from the 'might is right' philosophy. As Christians, we need to veer from the idea that the morals of our Christian beliefs are synonymous with any nation's best interest.

Luke 23:34 'Then said Yahshua, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. . .'

Yahshua, our example, had been beaten, whipped, tortured AND YET - He forgave.

No one is talking about forgiveness. Everyone is talking about winning - about vengeance - about a hypocritical justice. For the U.S. to lambast terrorism after being a terror secretly and covertly around the world, is hypocrisy.

I am not siding with terrorism anymore than I am siding with the American war effort. Both sides are wrong. There is a third choice they don't want you to make - a third choice they tell you, you cannot make.

Do you really think your free? Do you really think that as long as you stay out of trouble and obey all the rules, the government won't touch you?

Patriot Act was good thing?

The Patriot Act did one fundementally wrongful thing. It gave our government the ability and right to take due process away from anyone they want - including you. Watch this last link and try to remember that this happened here in America to an average family like yours.

Christians need to realize that as Christians, we are part of a world body - not a nation run by tyrants driven by greed and power.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFVQ0HZz2mc

2 Timothy 4:1-5 'I charge thee therefore before the Creator, and the Lord Yahshua our Messiyah, who shall judge the quick and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom; Preach the Word; be instant in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.'

Luke 12:4 'And I say unto you My friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body and after that have no more that they can do.'

What are you afraid of? What has your government taught you to fear?

1 John 4:18 'There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.'

Listen carefully to what men and women say; listen carefully to the leaders and the sermons they are making.

1 John 4:20 'If any man say, I love the Creator, and hateth his brother, he is a liar. . .'

It all goes back to Cain and Abel. We were all made in the image of the Creator. We cannot spill the blood of those we are mad at, or fearful of. Understand, no nation on earth can be Christian because it has to accept a philosophy that will not allow it to stand as a nation on earth.

Revelation 22:11 'He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he that is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.'

When you claim to be Christian, your kingdom is not of this world and your judgment, your final judgment will be based on you as an individual - the decisions you decided to make.

Revelation 22;12 'And behold, I come quickly and My reward is with Me, to give every man according as his work shall be.'

You stand alone with your pole, the same as Yahshua did.

Make peace your mission in life.  Love your enemies.  Turn the other cheek.  Forgive.  Do everything contrary to the world by denying all the things the world values and treasures and fights for.

Fight for peace by being peaceful.

Amen