juantoo3
....whys guy.... ʎʇıɹoɥʇnɐ uoıʇsǝnb
War and Pieces
With apologies straight up to Tolstoy, or whoever it was that wrote that huge bound excuse for a doorstop.I jest of course, I suspect there may actually be someone, somewhere, sometime, that actually read it through, cover to cover. I seriously wonder if they are a part of any living generation, but beyond being an anachronism for "wordy" and the Jeopardy answer for "the longest book ever written"…(what is War and Peace), the book really has no meaning to me. It isn't on my short list of must reads, it isn't even on my long list of must reads. But it's a classic, or so "they" tell me…*sigh*
Those that know me here know that I am not averse to war…but it is easy to forget that I insist on necessity for war. War is not supposed to be the first action. War is not supposed to be the first re-action. War is somewhere waaaaaaay on down the list somewhere, sometime after trying everything else and trying it all over again. In a perfect world, and as I see it. Of course, I say "I," yet I am reminded often of the teachings of my religion and my Messiah. So, in a roundabout way, I guess I could say that a lot of my thinking is influenced by the man we usually call by the name Jesus.
Now, typically, Jesus taught us to be peaceful. Blessed are the peacemakers, He told us, from the Sermon on the Mount. Indeed, it seems every time He or His charges were faced with confrontation, He deliberately chose a peaceful solution, even if that solution was avoidance or retreat. Only once, in my failing memory, do I recall Jesus getting "righteously indignant." Of course, I agree with why He did what He did. And I also wonder how many others fully grasp why He did what He did, not that I have any lock on understanding in this department. It's just that the episode in the Temple was so out of character…unless one looks deeper. Alas, I will leave the reader with the intrigue, for this too is a diversion from my real intent. As much a diversion for myself as for the reader.
You see, the topic I wish to tackle is one that must be entered gingerly. To plow straight in is to risk creating the very monster one wishes to vanquish. St. George had it easy, he could see his adversary. This dragon is much more subtle, much more insidious.
It is common knowledge that Christianity has had a rather, ummm, colorful past. Some of those outside of Christianity are only too happy to point out something the average Christian would rather not discuss, let alone dwell upon. If we could be truthful with ourselves for a moment as Christians, we have a rather, well, warlike attitude. I mean, history is full of wartime atrocities in the name of religion, and all too often the religion in question is Christianity. Onward, Christian soldiers!
I really don't care for generalizations and labels, but sometimes for discussion it is all we have to work with. Christians, by and large, are rather militant at proselytizing. I mean, we are, or most of us anyway, pretty well convinced that Christianity is the only way to heaven. If you don't know Jesus, you are going to hell, plain and simple. Of course, I suppose that means G-d created about three quarters of the humans that ever lived in historic times (give or take) just to be kindling for an everlasting bonfire. I mean, is G-d really that wrathful and vengeful? Ahem, doesn't that mean that maybe G-d made a mistake, in making so many people who are doomed by no more than an accident of birth? Is the devil really that powerful that he has control over what amounts to three fourths of the world? Hmmm, it's been awhile since I looked into it, but I don't think that is what the Good Book says, at all.
Looking back at Genesis, the first chapter or two, the sixth day creation (before Adam and Eve), G-d created man and woman, and it was very good. Now, let's not loose sight here; the nations, the gentiles, the goyim, were created before the Garden of Eden, and that creation was not just "good" like the preceding 5 days, *it was very good*. G-d created every race as He meant for them to be. Now, I have no problem seeing this related in the writings of Paul, especially Romans 10 and elsewhere.
But this is not typical Sunday school teaching. Too deep for some? Maybe, I dunno. And I am but a lowly human trying to make my way back to my Heavenly Father Creator, there is always the possibility I might be mistaken. Now, let's consider for a moment…how many Christians think the Jews are lost without Christ? Show of hands please…uh huh…how many of you stopped to think that Jesus was and will always be a Jew? Jesus was a Jew who was born to a Jewish mother and raised by a Jewish Father in an observant Jewish home properly observing Jewish traditions and Jewish laws, who taught Jewish followers from the Jewish Bible, healed Jewish sick, and died a Jewish criminals death. Nah, the Good Book says the Jews are G-d's chosen people, and G-d doesn't go back on His word. OK, so the Christian argument is that G-d divorced the Jews, be that as it may, the exact same reference that makes that comment also says G-d will keep His divorced bride and remarry her. The book of Revelations seems to strongly hint in this direction. So who are we, as Christians, to deny G-d who He will marry and who He will not? Christians are the bride of Christ, the Jews are the wife of G-d, even if estranged. Personally, I think their reconciliation is coming along nicely, since 1948…
Now, I can't speak directly of Islam, but I do understand there is a close historic connection regarding not only Ishmael, but also the wife of Moses, the daughter of Jethro. (OH, please forgive this humble servant, her name escapes me just now)
To look at other peoples, one must of necessity step out of the Bible and into regional history (except for that nagging little sixth day creation thing…). There are all kinds of stories and speculation, the truth is we don't know with certainty. There are things like genetics that tie us together. To a great extent, so does a study of language. And to another great extent, so do our morality myths.
Somewhere around here on this site is a wonderful collection somebody took a great deal of time and effort to put together. In it is contained the "Golden Rule," in various formats, across all of the major world faiths and a whole lot of the minor world faiths. In short, we all know what is right and what is wrong, that harming our neighbor is harming ourselves. OK, so maybe some of them don't quite get the Jesus / Messiah thing, and maybe they don't quite relate to the Creator as "G-d", but all of us, each and every one, knows. We all intuit an innate understanding, we all reach for what is right and well and good and beautiful. G-d made us all that way.
Then there are those Christians who take an even more severe tack, that of turning upon other Christians. Leaving aside for the moment the vagaries and subtleties of who is and who isn't a Christian, when we Christians are not attacking (yes, I used that warlike moniker for a reason) those "outside" of the faith, we redouble our efforts on ourselves. There is a famous quote by Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the United States (as I recall). "A house divide against itself cannot stand." Of course, if my memory serves me correctly, Jesus used those same words. No small wonder, again if I recall correctly, I believe it was Solomon who said the same thing. Turning on other Christians in an effort to undermine their faith and somehow "make them wrong" is to miss the point of Christianity. Bickering and infighting is not the way to display grace, favor, peace, forgiveness, mercy, or love.
Now, I suppose someone hellbent on war, can quote chapter and verse proving me wrong. Lord knows, I heard it enough as a kid in Sunday school. Believe in Jesus, or burn in hell, end of discussion. Somehow, I don't think G-d works that way. I don't think that is the message Jesus wanted us to take away from his teachings.
Don't get me wrong, I do believe in hell. I just don't think a person who is doing the best they know how with what circumstances they have been given, by G-d, is automatically doomed by heritage, genetics, nationality and / or culture. Nah, hell is for those who defy and deny G-d His own. G-d don't make no junk, all is as He meant for it to be, in the end anyway. All we've got to do is place our focus, and our trust, in Him. This is true, no matter our station or location in life. I think Paul was quite keen to this, when he wrote Romans 10.
Enough for tonight…