When national disasters strike, very few contemporary American Christians ask, "What is God trying to tell us?" After the 911 attack, for example, most prayer was directed at those filled with grief & suffering (not a bad thing) and at "making the 'ragheads' pay" (a very presumptuous thing).
Very few asked, "What sins has America committed against God & the nations of the Middle East to bring this judgment down on us?"
We now face another national disaster: Obamacare.
Like Americans in general, Christians pray for deliverance as they plan to mobilize politically. What they don't do is recognize this legislation as judgment upon nation with no soundness in it and a Church delinquent in its responsibilities.
Over at my other blog, I have a post entitled "Obamacare: Who's to Blame?" I recommend that Christian Martialists read & heed. If we don't, God will certainly visit greater judgment upon us.
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5 comments:
Ok--I'm in the midst of reading/watching your linked info. Thank you; it's very helpful to me.
And secondly, this isn't to create drama but I'm curious as to exactly what you mean by "presumptuous". (I think I see what you might mean, but also believe in military retaliation as well). Hope you don't mind the question!
Spencer
Spencer, I don't mind your question at all. It gives me a chance to spout off.
In the aftermath of 9/11, Americans by & large did not view the attacks as a form of judgment on our nation. Consequently, little if any thought was given to those sins that brought that judgment upon us.
Specifically, I speak of the lust for profit accompanied by arrogant & cavalier attitudes that has driven U.S. foreign policy, especially since WWII.
After this nation invaded Afghanistan in its undeclared (that is to say, unlawful) "war on terrorism", the Bush administration wanted to invade and occupy Iraq. More than a few who supported this move were honest enough to admit that they did so because they naively thought it would bring us cheap oil.
Think about that. Many Americans advocated bombing cities, shelling villages and killing a foreign people because of a vain hope that this would bring down the price at the gas pumps.
U.S. citizens have jumped into their support of unlawful wars in the Middle East PRESUMING that their cause was righteous. The truth is, that without repentance of America's sins of international arrogance & greed, and without submitting to the rule of Christ in our land, there is no way that this war is just.
It is simply another manifestation of our nation's rebellion against God and its refusal to acknowledge and submit to His hand of judgment upon us.
I see it as purely presumptuous for our nation to assume that everything our politicians do abroad arises out of pure and just motives.
As an example of a realistic motive for invading Iraq, look at this analysis written before the U.S. invaded:
http://www.ratical.org/ratville/CAH/RRiraqWar.html
It was about petrodollars (the hegemony of the U.S. dollar), pure & simple.
Yet Americans (and many Christians among them) wrap themselves in the flag and PRESUME that since we are Americans, and since we must always support our troops, that our wars are always just. It just ain't so.
Think of the many professing Christian Cherokee who died or lost loved ones on the "Trail of Tears" as the U.S. military evicted them from their homes and subjected them -- aged, women, children to a forced march. All for a political agenda.
It's so much easier to become indignant about the Bataan death march (or 9/11), isn't it? Because then we can point at what foreigners did to us.
So much easier to weep about others' sins against us than to weep over our own sins against God and others. That's not only presumptuous, it's downright hypocritical.
Right. Gotcha. I agreed in full, thanks for outlining.
Now for a hypothetical. This is at the root and core of my own wrangling on US war issues.
Let's say that America really WAS turned inward after 9/11 (and not just patriotically--with a real eye for national cleansing). And let's say the administration was ready and willing to carry out all the trappings of a truly constitutional war.
Would you think it is justifiable to retaliate and launch a war against Al Qaeda?
Spencer
True repentance would involve asking forgiveness not only of God, but also of the others whom we have wronged. This would include the peoples of Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia, etc. whom we have manipulated, misused and suppressed for more than a generation.
It would be difficult to make a people believe we were truly sorry for how we have treated them if our protestations of repentance were punctuated with high explosives.
I believe that our repentance would lead to God's dealing with Al Qaeda just as He did with Babylon, a nation which He used to humble His people, then subsequently destroyed in judgment.
If, on the other hand, the people of the U.S. and their leaders had truly repented and had showed a willingness to make amends for the wrongs we have done, and if Al Qaeda then attacked us again in spite of our repentance, I believe our nation would have been justified in retaliating.
I see; thank you, again, for yappin' with me on the subject!
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