As the death toll of U.S. soldiers in Iraq approaches 2300, I wonder about why we ever got into this war. Like most people, I initially believed it was unavoidable, inevitable and a necessity. 2286 deaths and five years later, however, I began to sense the futility of fighting a war not for the hearts and minds of the Iraqi people but for oil and profits for America and its allies. There are many countries that experience internal conflicts - not many of which have experienced the level of 'assistance' and peace brokering that the United States has brought to Iraq. And it forces me to consider why this is. Are the civil wars and genocide in Africa any less important than the fates and minds of the Iraqi people? Or is it just that other countries don't have as much to offer in the way of compensation - vast amounts of potential riches and opportunities for political associates and allies to 'contract' their way to millions? Why else are we there? It certainly isn't because we're winning - because we're not. 2286 American deaths and 28501 Civilian Deaths well prove that point. And, even after the recent imposition of curfews and the restriction of vehicular movement in Baghdad, the insurgents are still managing to kill their own people and coalition forces. Is it really worth it?
Which brings me to the question - has President Bush been the 'good Christian' he professes to be by getting us involved in this war? As a Christian, I readily acknowledge our ideological and theological differences. But how can we go to war against another country in part due to our President's 'Christian' beliefs? Why hasn't President Bush given us a structured plan to pull our troops? And, finally, how can President Bush equate the tenets of the Christian faith with the death of so many of our sons and daughters? I pray for it to end.
Waiting...
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But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall
mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they
shall wal...
6 years ago
8 comments:
There isn't a Christian bone in his body. We attacked a country that didn't want to fight and couldn't even control its own air space. If you remember, just before we invaded they conceded to our demands, but then we said that wasn't good enough, we need regime change. What happened to weapons inspections and WMD’s. Now they’re trying to do the same thing to Iran. They’ve started calling the Iranian government a “regime” to give it a sense of illegitimacy. We are torturing people and holding others without trial. These are shameful and dark days for the USA.
The God we serve hungers for justice and righteousness not oppression and hypocrisy. Pray that God has mercy on us for the transgressions of our leaders and raise your voice against the injustices they are doing.
T.H.
I do believe our President is a Christian - my argument was simply against his use of Christianity as motivation to go to war. And, yes, I agree with you in that we all need to pray.
What gives you the impression that Bush is a Christian, certainly not his fruit?
He favors the rich over the poor, violence over peace, intimidation over civil diplomacy, and results over the rule of law.
What kind of Christian is that?
What he says does not matter. His fruit is rotten to the core.
T.H.
I hear you, T.H. I know President Bush doesn't always have the best 'fruit', but then, most of us lack good fruit at some time or another. And I base my impression of him being a Christian on what the bible says we need to do to be saved. It says in Romans 10:9 that you just have to confess Jesus, believe that God raised him from the dead and you will be saved. It says nothing about, fruit, works or anything you do - just that you believe. I hope that you are praying for our country and the direction we are taking in our war against terrorism. Peace.
I agree with you that works do not save, but I disagree with you that works do not reveal. Works are the manifestations of the heart. What you do and say is a reflection of what’s inside of you. All throughout the bible God speaks to the condition of our hearts as he commands us to be loving, merciful, kind, helpful, honest, and just to one another. Accepting Christ and receiving the Holy Spirit is a transforming process. It changes your heart more and more over time to conform to God’s will. Christ is our salvation and role model. He didn’t come as a conquering king; he didn’t gather up an army. He rebuked Peter for raising his sword and healed the man Peter struck. He said blessed are the peacemakers, the merciful, and the righteous.
On this issue we may have to agree to disagree because in my heart I do not believe a true Christ follower could have done what he’s done. He launched an offensive war in which there was no eminent threat (peacemaker???). He approved the torture of prisoners (mercy???). He approved the holding of captives without any right to a trial (justice???).
I guess you would say Hitler was a christian too then huh?
"My feelings as a Christian points me to my Lord and Savior as a fighter." - Hitler
- in a speech on 12 April 1922 (Norman H. Baynes, ed. The Speeches of Adolf Hitler, April 1922-August 1939, Vol. 1 of 2, pp. 19-20, Oxford University Press, 1942)
T.H.
T.H. - You are brilliant! You do your homework, your thoughts are well-researched and well thought-out. I didn't even see that Hitler thing coming.
I totally agree with you that works reveal (and that was a great turn of phrase).
Sadly, though - we are going to have agree to disagree on what makes a Christian - I still believe it is one who professes Christ.
P.S. - If you ever want to write an article for my website - http://www.urbanchristianz.com, or be a guest blogger here, let me know. (Or let me know if you have a website/blog of your own - I'd love to visit). We could definitely use some more intelligent Christian voices out there in the internet world. My email address is sonya@urbanchristianz.com. Take care!
Thank you. I might take you up on your offer and submit you an article to review at some point.
I don't have much time these days.
What makes a Christian?
One who confesses Christ and invites him into their heart. It’s not so long ago that these confessed Christians you love so much were hanging me up in trees after church. God gave us a brain to think, ears to hear, and eyes to see. It is not with pride or boasting that I say Bush is no Christ follower. The four years of his fruit testify against him. If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and talks like a duck…
Jeremiah 31:31-33, "The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant that I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt—a covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, says the Lord. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people."
John 15:8-10, “My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.”
John 13:34-35, “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Matthew 12:33-34, “Either make the tree good, and its fruit good; or make the tree bad, and its fruit bad; for the tree is known by its fruit. You brood of vipers! How can you speak good things, when you are evil…”
Luke 6:43-44, “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit; for each tree is known by its own fruit. Figs are not gathered from thorns, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush.”
Matthew 21:43, “Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces the fruits of the kingdom.”
Galatians 5:22-23, “By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”
Colossians 1:10, “so that you may lead lives worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, as you bear fruit in every good work and as you grow in the knowledge of God.”
Ephesians 5:8-11, “For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light — for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true. Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.”
1 Peter 3:11, “let them turn away from evil and do good; let them seek peace and pursue it.”
I could list more but I have to get going.
T.H.
T.H. - You have sent me back to the Bible! I am now studying and trying to get a better understanding of bad fruit and good fruit. I believe it will help me to be able to better discern the spiritual indwelling of another individual. Thank you for opening my eyes to a new understanding of God's word. I look forward to your insight and wisdom and hope you will be back to visit soon!
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