I’ve been wondering lately about the moral nature of political decisions. I’m not talking about gay marriage and abortion. I have my positions on those. I’m talking about the political decisions on war, particularly what has now become known as the “Bush doctrine” on war.
I struggle with what to do with not making our nation’s political decisions based on Scripture, simply because Scripture is where I stand on my own moral decisions. That argument can be left for another day. But what I am increasingly becoming confused about is many Christians’ justification for the United States going to war, especially in Iraq. And since President Bush claims to be following Jesus and praying to him each day he is President, I wonder if Jesus’ own moral (and perhaps political) statements have not really changed the President’s heart.
Let’s go back to September 11, 2001, the evening that President Bush gives a speech to the nation (and to the world). Let’s imagine that this speech is infused with the words of Jesus, whom the President looks to for wisdom. After he gives an assessment of the day, let’s imagine what would be different if he said the following:
My fellow Americans, I come to you tonight with words of comfort, hope, and encouragement. As human beings, our innermost desire is to seek revenge, to hurt those who hurt us, and to be hateful and even prejudice toward those who share a similar religion to those who carry out willful acts of violence.
But we must not become hateful people, acting only out of our hurt. We must be strong, courageous, and willing to be a light to this world, especially in our darkest hour. It may be natural for us to love our neighbor and hate our enemies, and it has been made clear today who our enemies are. But greater wisdom tells us to forgive our enemies and pray for those who persecute us.
As we have seen today, terrorism is an evil in the world that must be eradicated. And our first instinct is to wage war against those who wage war against us. But this would only be to act in revenge. “Blessed are the peacemakers,” and as Americans, we need to rise about our fears, our hurts, and our bitterness, and become a people of peace, a nation of love and hope and light in this world.
Retaliation and retribution toward those who harm us appear to be the just solution. And while those who have committed crimes against our nation will pay for their atrocities, the United States of America will be a land of people who’s love will outshine their bitterness, whose hatred will die as we learn to forgive, and whose example to the rest of the world that we are the great nation we are because we live for a greater good.
Let this day be a mark of our resiliance and perseverance in times of trouble. Let it be a reminder to us that vulnerability as a nation is part of this world. Let it be a sign to the watching world that, as Americans, we can choose to walk higher grounds, and not be pulled into the same game as terrorists play, with their violence solutions to their own agendas.
As we face tomorrow, let the same love we share for each other be extended not only to our neighbors, who have offered their condolences on our behalf, but to our enemies also.
May we as a nation rise against evil with good. Be strong, stay the course, and God Bless America!
Goodnight.
I wonder what message this would have sent to the people of our country, the world around us, and to the terrorists. I’m sure many would be laughing, but had we pursued this end, by now many may see the wisdom in the way of Jesus.
Maybe this would not have worked. Maybe it’s too silly, too simplistic, or too naïve. And I know asking the question, “What if…?” is an easy question to ask. But history always repeats itself, sometime, somewhere, and in one form or another. I just hope when the time comes, a leader will say, “What if…” and continue to think out a higher, wiser, and less violent way of defeating evil in our world.
When it comes to interpersonal relationships, I’ve always held that “love will always win the day,” and I believe that we must apply that on a much larger scale.
Follow Us!