Tuesday, October 10, 2006

I read an opinion letter today in the Oregonian that struck a sour note for me. The opinion expressed was roughly, this "Christian nation" went to war with muslims, while those who keep religion private are condecended to, forced to do little but mutter to themselves while the vote grabbing continues, and that we are all put to shame by the Amish. Their response to the killer and his family is an example of real family values and "true Chrisianity".

On the one hand, I agree, it is all that (a great example of true Chrisitan response). On the other hand, forgiving those who hurt you is done on a personal level and rarely happens in the limelight of the media. I have witnessed many examples of Christians forgivness, but it doesn't get in the paper. The proper venue for that to happen in in a personal, individual level, and cannot be extrapolated to national policy. We might behave that way as a nation but you cannot compare what we are expected to do individually with what we do as a nation.

For example, after WWII we worked hard to help the Japanese (instead of punish) but they were willing to work with us. Does anyone really think that is we just knocked the crud out of the Muslim world (whatever that is, how many countries would it take to encompass the totality of terrorism???)and then went to them and said, ok, from now on, you cannot have any armies, you must work at developing a stable ecnomy, and you cannot attack anyone else, that they would just go, "oookay, shure thing"? Really??

Do I expect my government to act as I would as an individual and as a Christian? Well, why would I, when the secular forces of our society has worked so terrible hard to remove any and all tinge of Christianity out of any aspect of our lives, public, scholastic and governing? I don't expect our leaders to act any more Chrisitan than any other joe on the street, why would I expect different, they are individuals just like me. I don't know what their religious beliefs are. Why would we expect our goverment to function as a Christian would individually, when we deny the very role of Christianity in public life? That which we have tried so hard to seperate we should not be surprised really have become seperate. Unless I missed something about seperation of chrch and state in the last 30-40 years.

Is non violence the best answer? I think a lot of liberals would say yes, but if the criminals were holding a knife to their throat, would they want a policeman who was non violent or one who was prepared to use violence if necessary to meet the immediate need? Unfortunately in this fallen world, there is a time and a place for force, it need not the the only, the best, answer but it is an answer. You will notice the Amish were happy to accept the use of medical technology to answer the need of their injured children, despite their adherence to the "old ways". They recognize that extraodinary needs may require extraordinary responses.

I dunno, it seems easy to point the finger and say "see, they are being the real Christians here". The statement implies that other Christians aren't "real" or "true" Chrisitans, when that just isn't true. God made a variety of people and we do things in a variety of ways, who is to say that their response is more better than say your neighbor who, rather than yell and swear at you when your dog poops in their yard, or when your dandilions get out of control, smiles and says hi, or helps you weed one day. In a matter of degree it differs, but forgivenss is a choice we make every day of our lives in big and little ways. Just like there is not big sin and little sin, and God doesn't differentiate in degrees, we need to recognize that the little stuff matters too, and not pooh pooh it because it doesn't make the headlines. God says, he who is faithful in little things I will make ruler over big things. Hopefully none of us has to practice the level of forgiveness that the Amish were asked to do, but please don't denigrate the impact that Christians make in the myriad of little ways each and every day. In the eyes of God, they all matter.

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