What Would Ezekiel Do . . .?

[catscradle]

I've been seeing a lot of Christian's supporting this war with their whole heart and soul. I've been trying very hard to look at the Christian philosophy and figure out why this is. The crux of Jesus' teachings, I think most Christian's would agree, is taken from Matt 5-7, other wise know as The Sermon on the Mount. From there, we might agree that the 8 beatitudes given there, are the platform for the sermon from which he expounds on in the following chapters. So lets look at those and see where we might find an argument that Jesus would agree with this war:

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are the meek: for they shall posses the land.
Blessed are they who mourn: for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice: for they shall have their fill.
Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart: for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Matt 5:3-10

Well, it's difficult to see, but I do think you can extrapolate an argument from war based on The Sermon on the Mount. It's quite easy, actually. You see, you can't be meek with out obnoxious opposition. You can't mourn if you have no one to mourn for - someone must be smited. You can't hunger and thirst for justice if it is already present in the world. You can't be merciful if there is no one that is in need of your mercy. You can't be a peacemaker if there is not war. You cannot suffer persecution for the sake of justice, if there is not injust persecution.

So those Christians in favor of war are merely the loyal opposition. They allow for the suffering that Christian's must live up to if they are to take The Sermon on the Mount seriously.

Though most Christian's follow more the Samuel L. Jackson interpretation of Ezekiel 25:17 from Pulp Fiction.

The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides with the iniquities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who in the name of charity and good will shepherds the weak through the valley of darkness, for he is truly his brother's keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon those with great vengeance and with furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy my brothers. And you will know that my name is the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon thee

Ezekiel 25:17

At least he came to an understanding of what was meant by the end of the movie. Most people never will. . .

Comments

[dirtyoldlady.livejournal.com]

I disagree with your statement that most Christians are pro-war. I am a Christian, and I am not pro-war. I'm just not as big a loudmouth as those who are (including my family), and the media would not be inclined to publish my opinions if I were. I think most Christians, like most peace-minded Southerners in the midst of all the "Yee-haw! Let's kick some fer'ner butt!" propaganda, are keeping their mouths shut.

Perhaps that makes me a weak Christian, that I fear persecution for my liberal political views. :)

[dirtyoldlady.livejournal.com]

Which is not to say that I disagree with the rest of what you had to say about the "Onward, Christian Soldiers" variety of Christianity. ;)

[catscradle.livejournal.com]

Then I wouldn't consider you most Christians. I'm a Catholic, which would make me a Christian (though some would argue) and I know most Catholics in the US are pro-war even though the Pope came out against it. 67% of the nation appoves of this war. 90% of the nation is of some Christian denomination. Therefore, most Christians approve of this war.

Because I say "most Christians" does not mean that I imply "all Christians". 33% oppose the war - that means a good many of them are Christian. That still makes them a minority.

[dirtyoldlady.livejournal.com]

I didn't assume you meant "all Christians." :)

And boy, that is a depressing statistic. Only 33% of Americans have the sense God gave a goose? ;) I guess I'm just not a big believer in statistics, since it's so hard to run a bias-free survey or poll, and the numbers can be skewed regardless of whether the poll was fair. But I concede the point that, given those figures to work with, it certainly does look like most Christians are pro-war. What a depressing thought.

[catscradle.livejournal.com]

It is difficult to run a bias free poll or at least get a good sample - but when several polls run by several different organizations start churning out the same statistics, then you can start seeing the depressing pattern. This isn't to say that public opinion isn't swayed by a very manipulating force out there that some like to call the government. When you have Bush insisting that we're acting as a very Christian nation by going to war to "free" the Iraqi people (free them from the bonds of life, one might think) - well. . .

And I see the pro-war comments every day where I work. And yeah, it's very depressing that these some people invoke Jesus. . .

[vasiliki.livejournal.com]

Only 33% of Americans have the sense God gave a goose? ;)

I have to stand up for the gooses and point out that they are sensible. Gooses don't start wars.

Is this the most recent statistics, then? Because (less than?) one month ago, I recall it to be around 50%. Depressing. Double depressing, when it comes from believers to a God of love, who reveal themselves as hypocrites.

and the numbers can be skewed regardless of whether the poll was fair.

Heh, like election chads? ;)

[geckodru.livejournal.com]

I am stand firmly that most Americans who claim to be Christians are Americans first. I could go into a long exposition about why, but suffice to say, if you put Caesar before Christ, you are not a Christian. Give me a couple hours and I'll have it written out quite clearly with sufficient biblical reference to bring tears to the eyes of those who feel so very saved and so very well represented by our intrepid leaders. If people want to be Christians, they must be Christians before they are Americans.

Various sects of Judaism, if they were not so tied to a false sense of blood lineage, would be a good place for those war mongering beliefs. Those sects that are not so confused and atavistic accept most of the reformations of Christ even if they give him no name service at all.

I am still working on the Koran, but am quite certain that submission to the will of God is not congruent with most militant actions. Defense of the innocence is only a single and from the Suras I've read cannot be taken to some abstraction that would require intervention for a party who is not currently endangered or to include those who are ignorant of their repurcussions as agressors. Islam does make it quite clear that those who believe Christ is God and those who believe that they are the sole receiver of the book are both confused heretics and in many cases should be treated as such (which depending upon the interpretation can be read as not treated well).

Thanks Stephanie,

Andru