If Peace Is Weak, So Is Jesus

Last updated on: May 9, 2013 at 6:10 am by Faithful Democrats

If Peace Is Weak, So Is Jesus 2013-05-09T06:10:06-06:00 Faithful Democrats

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

It’s anathema in politics to preach “peace.” We can talk diplomacy, and maybe even deign to use the word “cooperation.” But peace? That’s the epitome of Kumbaya naivete — and, one assumes, a political death knell.

Tomorrow, the Christian Witness for Peace in Iraq will be at the National Cathedral in Washington to call for an end to this literally godforsaken war. They are calling for peace.

It’s time that we in the Democratic Party joined them. Although our government says “we don’t do body counts,” others do, and by one estimate, over 600,000 Iraqi civilians have died violently since the U.S. invasion. That’s like the entire city of Baltimore being wiped off the map — pretending, that is, that Baltimore’s in the middle of a tinderbox like the Middle East.

Sure, some Democrats have been unafraid of the p-word. But all too often, we’re tempted to take the politically expedient, rather than prophetic, course: we lecture and blame the Iraqis for the disaster zone that is now their country.

The Iraqis’ failures should be beside the point, at least for us. We must take responsibility for the havoc we have wreaked. And, for those of us who take our Christian faith seriously, we must remember the clear words of Jesus:

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” (Matthew 5:9)

We must also go back and read the prophet Micah, who tells us what foreign policy is supposed to look like in God’s kingdom:

“Many nations shall come, and say, ‘Come, let us climb the mount of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, That he may instruct us in his ways, that we may walk in his paths.’ For from Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between many peoples and impose terms on strong and distant nations; They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; One nation shall not raise the sword against another, nor shall they train for war again. Every man shall sit under his own vine or under his own fig tree, undisturbed; for the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken. For all the peoples walk each in the name of its god, But we will walk in the name of the Lord, our God, forever and ever.” (Micah 4: 2-5)

No, we mere mortals haven’t yet reached the point where we can truly live out God’s command to “beat [our] swords into plowshares” and refuse “to train for war again.” We are far from heaven. But we have been occupying the Iraqis’ metaphorical vine and fig tree for the last four years. And if we’re remotely serious when we pray to God, “Thy kingdom come, they will be done on earth as it is in heaven,” we must give the Iraqis their country back — not because they owe us, but because we owe them.

Meanwhile, religious right leaders like James Dobson continue to offer uncritical support for his war and “admire [Bush] for standing firm.” Jerry Falwell insists that “God is pro-war” and that “President Bush declared war in Iraq to defend innocent people.”

Are they ashamed of their faith? Are they reluctant to believe that we might actually have the ability to move our world in the direction Scripture demands? I’m not sure. But those of us who have a vague interest in reality must take a different approach.

For if Jesus is truly the Prince of Peace, and if our war is neither directly nor indirectly promoting God’s peace, our job as Christians is clear. We must encourage the Democrats, for their part, to advance an enforceable bill — one with teeth — to get our military out of Iraq. And we must encourage the Republicans to crawl back in their hole and let us try our hand at cleaning up the mess they’ve made.

Featured Writers

Previous Post

March 14, 2007

The Institution of Marriage in the Holy American Empire

Next Post

March 17, 2007 Support the Troops? Words vs. Deeds

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category About Us About Us Action Center Advertise Ask a Theologian Ask a Theologian Blogs Books Campaign Blog Candidate Spotlights Commentary Donate Facebook Featured Writers Fellows Fellows From the Pulpit General Information Hillary Clinton Interfaith Blog Latest Media Center Media Center Media Center MyBlog MyBlog News Newsflash Newsflashes Our Team Reader Blogs RSS Sermon of the Week Shop Social Networking Static Items Support Talking Points Test blogs The Basics Theology Uncategorized YouTube

Select a Month November 2020 October 2020 February 2020 August 2019 July 2018 July 2017 March 2017 February 2017 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 June 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 January 2006 August 2004

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who led the Israelites out of Egypt?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Aaron Moses Joshua Caleb