[Vision2020] 935 False Statements Made Before War

[pkraut at moscow.com]

So the raping, shredding starving was OK with you and you do not think 
that injustice should be addressed by those who follow Christ?
interesting!

> 
> Groupthink is truly a dangerous thing, stoked as it is by those with the
lo> udest voices and stronger hands.  The gods of this world refuse to be
quiet> ed and bound, and the horror compounds when "religious" people 
provide
them>  with amplifiers and weapons, believing they have somehow baptized 
them
int> o The Cause when, in reality, they themselves have been conscripted 
into
wa> r against the very things God came to deliver us from.  
> 
> I wonder what would happen if those who follow the Prince of Peace -- 
what
> three or four billion people around the world call Jesus Christ -- in
seeki> ng peace, living in peace, working for peace, and expecting peace 
to be
the>  grid through which our leaders make decisions about our world and 
our
posi> tion in it.  I wonder how it is that we as Christian individuals 
give
assen> t to the whole idea of "living at peace" -- we know it's good to 
be kind
to>  the rude store clerk, and we applaud those who meet ugly words with 
humor
> or kindness -- and yet we seemingly have little concern that the 
corporate
> Body or the leaders of our government do the same.  I don't read in
Scriptu> re that the idea of reflection, prudence humility and love -- 
such a
femini> ne, sentimental word! -- in response to provocation is simply for
individua> ls, not for the body politic.  And it's a sinful world; those 
who don't
rev> ere this Prince of Peace probably won't be as determined to live 
peaceably
> as His disciples would, we assume with smug, self-satisfied judgment  --
an> d then we rush to join them.  
> 
> His disciples don't obey Jesus on this.  Not individually, not
corporately,>  not "professionally" in the public square or privately at 
home.  Further,
> no other disciples dare rebuke them; the expectation that THIS 
particular
e> mphasis of Christ's teachings actually be practiced seems quaint, 
archaic,
> or imprudent beyond what their Author seemingly could have known.  We 
who
a> re often rightly condemned as lockstep fundamentalists practice a very
pecu> liar form of theological liberalism when we not only dismiss these 
words
of>  Christ, but expect our "Godly" leaders to do the same.  Worse even 
is the
> contempt we heap on those who are committed, because of Christ, to 
obeying
> him on this issue:  they seem so out of touch, so naive, so silly, 
so . .
>  un-American.  We who are referred to in Scripture as aliens and
strangers,>  citizens of a heavenly place and mere sojourners on this 
one, have lain
ba> ck and spread 'em for the whorish idolatry of blind nationalism,
patriotism> , and enthusiasm for power.  This is not to say that there is 
never a time
> to take up arms, but the reality of that ought to be what causes us to
shri> nk back in horror at the idea of carelessly, mindlessly, responding 
in
viol> ence -- or encouraging our young men and women to.   Elders are 
supposed
to>  be examples of honor and integrity; instead, we create situations 
that
req> uire killing and result in the same, and calling it "righteous" may 
well
at> tract our young people to the cause -- just as it increases our own
culpabi> lity.  If we really believed the words of Christ in the Gospels, 
we
wouldn'> t think that medals on their chests in any way mitigate the 
millstones
arou> nd our own necks.
> 
> I'm glad Libertarians are against the war, if somehow it made a
difference,>  but to condemn war not because of its attendant evils but, 
instead,
becaus> e it's an inefficient entanglement that violates isolationist, 
free-market
> principles is repugnant.  It's like condemning rape not because it
violates>  women, but because it constitutes adultery under a strict and 
pointless
in> terpretation of the Seventh Commandment instead.   A nation not at war
beca> use it doesn't give a collective damn is not a nation in any way "at
peace,> " and yet worse is the bloodshed applauded by those who follow 
the One who
> shed His own blood in condemnation of the mindless carnage wrought in a
fal> len world.  I pray for a committed, united Christian war against 
violence,
> against poverty, against injustice everywhere.  That kind of "stirring 
up
o> f the masses" would go such a long way toward eliminating the war cries
and>  rallies from the pews that feed the beast of destruction and 
savagery.
> 
> Keely
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Date: Sat, 26 Jan 2008 21:41:34 -0800
> From: starbliss at gmail.com
> To: kjajmix1 at msn.com
> Subject: Re: [Vision2020] 935 False Statements Made Before War
> CC: ophite at gmail.com; vision2020 at moscow.com
> 
> keely et. al.
>  
> The truth can hurt, so maybe there is some "harm," when the medicine of
fac> ts is a disquieting treatment.
>  
> We tried to head off the impending disasters of the Bush administration,
wi> th the J20 Coalition efforts in Seattle on Jan. 20, 2001, to protest 
the
Bu> sh administration, on Bush's inauguration day.  Around 5000 protested 
in
Se> attle, taking over downtown streets from sidewalk to sidewalk, in a
protest> /activism event that was an all day community effort, with a 
stage set up
f> or speeches, theater and music, from many organizations.  
> 
>  
> I put up flyers in the Moscow/Pullman and Spokane areas to advertise 
this
e> vent, and attended.  I expected protest related problems, and was 
prepared
> to be arrested.  But amazingly, the police who monitored the event were
rat> her low key, and the city cooperated with the protest in allowing 
city
stre> ets to be closed to traffic.  Still, I expected someone to throw a 
rock
thr> ough a window, or attack someone, after which all hell can break 
loose,
aft> er which the peaceful can get caught up in the ensuing crackdown.  
But
noth> ing like this happened.  
> 
>  
> One inspiring moment was when we linked arms surrounding the entire
Seattle>  Federal building, a large urban structure, chanting various 
activist
sloga> ns.  Cameras were firing left and right, some from the press, or 
for
privat> e use, but certainly some from the FBI. 
> 
>  
> I look back on this event, and feel an sense of futility.  What good did
it>  do?  The nation was so caught up in the emotion of events after 9/11 
that
> reason, fact and compassion took a back seat to propaganda, revenge and
fea> r.
> 
>  
> Here's a press release on the J20 Coalition event held in Seattle on 
Jan.
2> 0, 2001:
>  
> THOUSANDS EXPECTED AT SEATTLE INAUGURATION DAY
> PROTESTS ON JANUARY 20TH
> 
> The King County Labor Council(membership 130,000) and
> the MLK Celebration March Committee have endorsed
> demonstrations in Seattle on January 20th to coincide
> 
> with national protests against the inauguration of
> George W. Bush as U.S. President.
> 
> A group called the "January 20th Coalition" has called
> for endorsements from labor unions, civil rights
> groups, environmental groups, faith organizations and
> 
> women's groups.
> 
> The protests will begin on January 19th with a
> candlelight vigil for those citizens whose votes were
> not counted. This event will start at 5 PM at the
> Courthouse at 5th and Madison in downtown Seattle.
> 
> 
> On January 20th a demonstration is planned for
> Westlake Center at 1 PM. Following this event, a march
> "March For Democracy" will move to the Federal
> Building at 3 PM.
> 
> In the evening, a forum will be held at the Labor
> 
> Temple (1st and Clay) with music and speakers
> addressing the election results and complaints of
> civil rights violations in Florida and other states.
> Speakers will include King County Council member Larry
> Gossett, KIRO radio talkshow host Mike Webb, and
> 
> attorneys from the American Civil Liberties Union.
> -------------------------------------------
> Vision2020 Post: Ted Moffett
>  
> 
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