Onward Christian Soldiers, or WWJB?
You have to hand it to these American exceptionalist Christians. Back in the day, at the turn of the last century, the cross followed the flag. In other words, the US conquered various territories for political and strategic reasons. Close behind was always a group of Christian missionaries, determined to bring the true faith to the pagan heathens. Usually, there at least were schools and churches and hospitals established, even if the approach was paternalistic and patronizing.
The second-millenium exceptionalist Christians have taken a different approach, as James de Young, a professor at Western Seminary in Portland, Oregon, made clear in a forum in Scappose the other night. He declared that the US incursion into Iraq, with all the mayhem and chaos and civilian casualties it brought, meets all the requirements for a "just war" and are therefore not only permitted, but sanctioned by God. We had just cause, he explained, to invade Iraq "in light of 9-11." "I don't think we brought war to anyone," Professor de Young said. "The war came to us. This(invading Iraq)was simply our response and therefore justified." The problem with everyone being upset, de Young went on, would disappear if the news media would just stop obsessing about the killings and bombings and focus on the "good news."
Rhetoric like this just takes your breath away. First, it sickens you to know that there are people like this among us. Surely, warmongering on this level--from a self-proclaimed "man of God"-- should bring expulsion from the ranks of civilized humanity. Also, of course, it makes you wonder about the evolution of militant Christianity and American exceptionalism. When the cross followed the flag decades ago, at least you could argue that the residents got some benefit. Now, they get a bomb dropped on their neighborhood and/or a bullet upside the head. I guess the object now is to off the brown infidels, rather than convert them.
Which only begs the troubling question: Whom would Jesus bomb?
The second-millenium exceptionalist Christians have taken a different approach, as James de Young, a professor at Western Seminary in Portland, Oregon, made clear in a forum in Scappose the other night. He declared that the US incursion into Iraq, with all the mayhem and chaos and civilian casualties it brought, meets all the requirements for a "just war" and are therefore not only permitted, but sanctioned by God. We had just cause, he explained, to invade Iraq "in light of 9-11." "I don't think we brought war to anyone," Professor de Young said. "The war came to us. This(invading Iraq)was simply our response and therefore justified." The problem with everyone being upset, de Young went on, would disappear if the news media would just stop obsessing about the killings and bombings and focus on the "good news."
Rhetoric like this just takes your breath away. First, it sickens you to know that there are people like this among us. Surely, warmongering on this level--from a self-proclaimed "man of God"-- should bring expulsion from the ranks of civilized humanity. Also, of course, it makes you wonder about the evolution of militant Christianity and American exceptionalism. When the cross followed the flag decades ago, at least you could argue that the residents got some benefit. Now, they get a bomb dropped on their neighborhood and/or a bullet upside the head. I guess the object now is to off the brown infidels, rather than convert them.
Which only begs the troubling question: Whom would Jesus bomb?
posted by buckarooskidoo at 11:25 AM
5 Comments:
Ok, I'm getting lost in the in light of 9/11 & the war came to us = invading Iraq is ok. Has anyone told the professor yet that the 9/11 hijackers were mostly Saudis and that al Quida was in Afghanistan, not Iraq?
It's unbelievable that all these years later, with all the information we have on this that there are still people out there that think Iraq had something to do with 9/11. These people are just stupid.
The really sad thing is, these people don't CARE...we had to respond, their logic goes, and so why not against Saddam, a classic "bad man?" We were offended, so we have the right to avenge ourselves--never mind that it's people who did absolutely nothing to us.
i made some remark in a class about 3,000 US soldiers having been killed in Iraq. A student quickly responded that WE had 3,000 killed on 9-11, and that WE had killed a LOT more Iraqis(this was for her a good thing). i then pointed out that saddam had nothing to do with 9-11, it was analogous to her coming and punching me in the nose, and my choosing to take out my frustrations by beating the student NEXT to her to a pulp rather than her. i'm afraid the point was lost, however, because they just don't CARE. any middle east people would do.
I just don't know what to do with people like that. I really don't. It's some special style of denial that they cloak themselves in to hide from the world.
There have always been people like this, twisting religion to their own ends. The religious right leaders today are no different that the Pharisees, Sadducees and money changers of the first century. The only people Jesus actively opposed were the religious hypocrites.
I'll tell ya man, if someone dropped just ONE small "smart bomb" on your local corner tavern, most of that area of the neighborhood would be destroyed...personally, I can't IMAGINE visiting that kind of shit on ANYONE. Well maybe Boosh's little 'ranch'...
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