Can Christians Be Americans?

As today marks the 10-year anniversary of 9-11, it is important that we “never forget.” However, it is equally important that we know what we are not forgetting. It’s easy to put “never forget” on a bumper sticker, or facebook update, but it is much more difficult to think about what we are supposed to remember. Are we just remembering the approximately 2,8000 who died that day? If so, to what end? And if we remember them, what of the more than 1,000,000 Iraqi and Afghan civilians that have died as a result of the American response to this heinous act? Aren’t their lives just as valid? Aren’t they worth just as much? Don’t people love and miss them?

                Some may counter that these people would have died anyway, and certainly some would have. According to a New York Times article by John Burns, in 23 years in power, Sadaam Hussain was responsible for the deaths of around 200,000 Iraqi citizens, not including his military ventures against Iran and Kuwait, but that’s a far cry from 1,000,000. And the fact remains that he did not kill these people, they were killed by military forces in missions led by the U.S. for crimes (real or otherwise) against the U.S. They were killed by our brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, mothers and fathers, and we cheered them on. We sent them off with Toby Keith and freedom fries.

                When we are wronged it is certainly natural to react with vengeance. Sometimes the word “retribution” is thrown around, but the intent is the same. Roughly translated, it means something like “If you fuck with me, I’m going to fuck with you.” I don’t like to throw around f-bombs, but the intent is violence, and this is a violent word. We can cover our mouths and gasp at offensive language, but do we react the same way when we hear that children are picking up cluster bombs they think are toys, and ending up setting off these bombs in their homes? Do we care that since the first Gulf War many children have been born with fatal birth defects because of the use of depleted uranium?

                The world systems may embrace an “us v. them” mentality, but Christians cannot. “There is neither Greek, nor Jew, slave nor free, male or female, for all are one in Christ Jesus” writes the Apostle Paul. All are one. Furthermore, nationality has not place is proper Christian thinking. We are not Mexicans, Americans, Koreans, and so on. If we follow Christ, then that is where our allegiance lies. Any national allegiance that claims to usurp our allegiance to Christ and Christ’s church is idolatrous. It is sin. Patriotism is a sin. American flags (or any flags) in church buildings is sinful. Our commitment is not to any one nation, but the well-being of all, for all are one. All are loved by God, and therefore are worthy of our love as well. We do not disdain the poor, the naked, the oppressed. We clothe, feed, and pray for them, working for peace, not with violence, but with kindness. The world wages war and calls it peace. Christians know this to be a lie.

                Peace is in Christ, the one who died so that we might live, the one who humbled himself on a cross, the one who healed those afflicted by violence, the one who granted personhood to the marginalized. This is what it means to be Christian. To be Christian is to love. And love keeps to record of wrongs. It does not look for opportunities for vengeance, nor does it rejoice in the hardship or misery of others. If we do, then perhaps we need to re-evaluate our commitments. Do we want to be Christian, or just American?

Pacifism as Christian Worship

                Today a Norwegian right-wing Christian (Christian at least according to initial reports) killed nearly 90 people, teenagers, in fact. Some have responded that this is the result of extreme gun control, insisting that if these teens had just been armed, then they could have fended off their attack. Maybe so, though it seems unlikely that teenagers would be carrying guns. However, I think it brings up a greater point. When I tell people that I’m a pacifist, they say things like, “What about Hitler?” What about Hitler? The problem with this reactionary thinking is that it is just that: reactionary. Pacifism's greatest hurdle is not that it would let Hitler take over the world. Rather, pacifism's strength is that Hitler never would have risen to power in the first place.

               How powerful could the church’s witness be if it retained a non-violent position? Instead of having to ask “What about Hitler?” We should ask “How did the most Christianized nation in Europe let Hitler come to power?” The church failed. It was, and still is, filled with members of societies who are more of the world (whatever world they are a part of it), than they are a part of Christ. So-called Christians care little for the actual teachings of Christ. They care about their own petty and simplistic understanding of the world, a sort of cowboy-code, where everything is extremely rigid (men are men, women are women, good is good, and bad is bad), with little explanation of why, other than vague references to "common sense." This world creates people capable of murdering children, and societies where people do nothing while children are murdered, all in the name of some one's good, whether that is ethnic purity, national expansion, stopping terror, etc..

Non-violence is powerful because it resists the power of violence, not through passivity, but through purposeful activity. Jesus laid down his life on the cross in a way that was meaningful. He could have died several times, but those particular times would not have had the impact they did (even apart from the resurrection). Pacifists don’t just die stupidly. Rather, we risk death to stop evil. We act in ways that are “as cunning as snakes, but as innocent as doves.” This means that we act thoughtfully, and without engaging in evil. We “do not overcome evil with evil, but overcome evil with good.” We don’t blow people up, but seek reconciliation in all things. This, however, means that we must be trained and prepared. Those who call themselves Christians should train in the arts of conflict resolution, psychology, and even martial arts, so as to disarm attackers without causing permanent harm.

                Jesus did not live by a sword made from steel, but the double-edge sword that was his tongue. We must destroy the forces of evil through words, through logos, but we must also be willing to engage in acts of non-violent resistance that may cost us our lives. We do not kill for our beliefs, but we are willing to die, if necessary, to stave off evil and proclaim God's good, that is, unconditional love for the world, every little bit of it.

Easton’s Song

Oh, God where is your grace? I don’t feel it right now. How can you sustain me? God, please tell me how.

I’ve always trusted you. My faith has been strong. Look at what you’ve put me through; Oh, what have I done wrong?

*Where is the salvation that you promised? If not from this, what will you save me from? Oh, I prayed for a miracle, but still I am left without a son.

I do not feel your comfort. I feel anger. I feel pain. Some say that this is what you went through, but I don’t think it’s quite the same.

Oh, why’d you make the world this way? I don’t think I can endure it. They say that pain brings compassion, but without pain there’s no need for it.

*chorus

so once again I ask, “Where are you in all of this?”  How can I believe you care when it feels like you’re not there?

And God I’ve never prayed like I prayed for my son. Paul says to pray without ceasing, and I didn’t stop—not once.

*chorus

I laid my hands on his chest and prayed that he would take a breath, that his body would work as it should. You would heal him. I know you would.

Yet, still we’re left here with emptiness in our hearts, pain in our chests

no baby in our arms.

*chorus

What explanation can you give

You can blame adam end eve

but there was no sin in my son

God, you should've saved Easton

Searching for Answers We Already Have

Why do we still read the scriptures? What exactly are we looking for? It's not that we shouldn't read the Bible, but too often we look at the Bible for magical “instant answers,” seeking some greater revelation that will finally help us make sense of the world. Those unfamiliar with the scriptures, or those not properly grounded in them may experience some sort of epiphany, or even various points of epiphany as they come to a fuller knowledge of the Gospel. However, the ultimate theological revelation is simple; it's love. Love is the foundation of all things Christian.

Far too often love is not even a factor in the lives of Christians; it is not even considered. Like many conservative politicians, many Christians see God as someone who takes their side, guarantees their dreams, and protects them from bad things. In other words, God is a magic talisman or a good luck charm, or a genie. There is no sense of knowing God, no sense of relationship. It often boils down to a mathematical equation: if we follow the rules, God will give us good things like a nice house and money. Such people read the scriptures hoping to find the formula that will unlock the magic blessing of God. Is this completely foolish? Absolutely. Is it grounded in scripture? You bet.

While one can make a case for the magical mathematics of YHWH, one cannot make such a case when looking at Jesus. What do we have to do to live a godly life--the "life of the ages"? We must give away all we have to the poor. So much for faithfulness leading to wealth. What happens when we live faithfully? Well, Jesus was executed, and most of his original followers were murdered. What about Paul? Well, he experienced quite a bit of abuse. So much for righteousness guaranteeing our security. Paul's blessings were spiritual. He was at peace; he was content. His peace rested in the fact that he was loved by God, rather than the circumstances in which he found himself, which were not very pleasant. None of these people thought that faithfulness would bring them a hot wife, a nice home, or wealth. Yet they lived faithfully, regardless. But what does living faithfully mean?

Faithfulness is not a complicated subject, at least in a general sense. We are to love God and neighbors. What does it mean to love God? Well, since God is not tangible, the way that we love God is by loving our neighbors. This is a double reinforcement. Those who want to love God but not other people don't have the luxury. Loving God is directly tied to loving our neighbors. This means that faithfulness is relational; it is not a one man play, but something we act out in concert with others. This is why John Wesley believed that Christian Perfection is realized through the practice of perfect love. When we fully love others, we are faithful to the way of Christ and the commands of God. To love others means to take their interests seriously and to work for their good, their benefit. To be righteous is to act in such a way so as to benefit others. This is the entire direction of the Christian life.

It is not single scriptures divorced from history that will save us from the various bits of stress and pain that we experience. Rather, it is a life grounded in the love of God through Christ that empowers us to persevere amidst trials and suffering. No single scripture will save us, but the love of God will.