As a young man I went to serve my country. Back in that day, there was a draft. I chose to enlist before Uncle Sam made all the choices for me. There was this thing going on in Asia called "The Vietnam Conflict." It wasn't a war, at least nothing official had been declared. As that conflict grew in intensity, it grew in its unpopularity at home. Public war protests were prevalent, and war protest songs were popular. Now, I was just a young man, but I had never known Americans to protest a "war" we were in. I had never known Americans to hate other Americans because they wore a military uniform. For several years I couldn't figure out if I was supposed to be proud of serving my country or ashamed.
Looking back on that era, it is easy to understand why so many Americans questioned the validity of shedding American blood on behalf of people in a little Asian country barely bigger than New Mexico . Eventually, the American protestors and the Asian communists won. For the first time in our short history, Americans returned from a war in defeat. And many of us believe we were defeated by a coalition of protesters and politicians at home.
If I had been a young man in September of 2001, I would have run to the nearest recruiter. I am so proud of the young men and women who did. I could imagine what young men must have felt in the days and weeks following the bombing of Pearl Harbor . I wonder if our great nation was as heavily populated in the 1940's with wimps as it is today. Surely not!
This is America , and you have a right to speak your mind. So, if you hate war, you are free to put little signs in your yard or bumper stickers on your car that say "war is not the answer", even if you have no other valid answer. You can bedeck yourself with clothing, jewelry, and tattoos of peace symbols and imagine that peace magically happens by wishing for it or imagining it. Still, I wonder if you are really a peace lover or just a fricken chicken.
I certainly know what it is to be afraid. I've lived most of my life fearing this and that. Sometimes we cannot afford to let our fears dictate our course. Sometimes life in this broken world requires us to do something, even though we are scared to death, even though we know we may not personally survive our mission.
Almost 5000 American soldiers have died in the War on Terror over the past seven years following those shocking attacks on our homeland on 9-11. Each one of those lives matters and is a huge, regretful loss. It is a part of war. The nineteen men who orchestrated the attacks on 9-11 were not engaged in a debate or requesting better negotiations with America . They were murderers. And they were not alone. The only way to respond to such hate-filled aggressors is with force. Though Senator Obama is an impressive orator, only a fool would expect that these radical representatives of Islam will be convinced by rhetoric. They will only be convinced when they are beaten. And they will only be beaten by a strong and determined America .
Our media and many of our politicians have behaved disgracefully since September 11, 2001. They have suggested that America asked for, even deserved what we got. That is as ridiculous as suggesting that a woman who is hospitalized after a beating from her abusive husband would not have been beaten if she had just had dinner ready when he came home and kept her mouth shut about the smell of alcohol on his breath. I have ZERO respect for anyone who suggests that our foreign policies or our "whatever" warrants our embassies and other foreign interests being bombed, much less our homeland being attacked. Those who have used the war casualties to dishearten the American populace should be absolutely ashamed.
As bad as the death toll in this war is, let me put those numbers in perspective. The death toll in America due to murder since 2001 has averaged over 16,000 per year. That means that each year we have been fighting this War on Terror, we have had more than twice as many Americans murdered in our 50 states as we have seen flag-draped coffins of our military heroes during the whole war. Furthermore, according to data from our National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, "In 2005, 16,885 people were killed in alcohol-related crashes - an average of one almost every half-hour." You can check the records for yourself, but I'm sure 2005 was not an especially unusual year for alcohol-related highway deaths. Thus, we have also buried over 112,000 Americans in the past seven years due to alcohol-related traffic crashes. Remember, this is compared to the approximate 5000 total war casualties.
If you want to protest something, I suggest you protest our murder rates and/or our national love of alcohol. Start demanding that our violent criminals get a fair and speedy trial and an equally speedy lethal injection upon conviction. Maybe you should screw up the courage to tell some of your friends that you don't think their "getting drunk" was cool at all, that you can't believe they drove home from that party where they'd been drinking like a fish.
We are approaching a very serious day in our history, the election of a president to lead us in the next four years. We cannot afford to get this wrong. The radical Islamic terrorists must know that what they started on 9-11, we fully intend to finish in victory. On this point alone, Mr. Obama has utterly disqualified himself in my view. If he had had his way, we would have already left Iraq in defeat. And we would have left a nation in chaos, and given many more people reason to resent US.
War is hell. Whenever it is deemed necessary, it should be entered with an unwavering commitment to victory. Abe Lincoln was once asked if he thought God was on the side of the Union . He said something like, "I am not so concerned about whether God is on our side as I am whether we are on His side." When we are called to war, we should pray that our position is on God's side. And that I do earnestly pray.
Dane Tyner is founder and director of Home Improvement Ministry, a Christian family counseling service in Tulsa, OK.The ministry website is http://www.forhim.org.
Good question, Jean. As Prince of Peace, He certainly is a peace lover. Having gone willingly to the Cross, He was no fricken chicken. And when He returns, He will make war against His enemies BIG TIME! Finally, He did not advocate war, but neither do I believe He prohibited us from protecting our families and our neighbors against evildoers. Thanks for reading and commenting.
Thanks for replying Dane, I understand the difference between what governments must do to govern and what Christians must do to obey Christ, but I'm often troubled by the mixing of those opposing things in the church. I worry about the politicizing of the truth of the gospel. Jesus did tell his followers to turn the other cheek and he stated that his followers should not fight wars over him because his kingdom was of another world. I wonder where the line really is. Do we seriously advocate killing terrorists because they are not Christians? My question is serious and I think of this often. I know I am a very protective person and would want to fight to the death to protect my family. I also remember reading Corrie Ten Boom's masterpiece, "The Hiding Place" where she was faced with the most heinous of evil and she unequivocally stated that we should NOT and indeed could NOT do anything but forgive and pray for and show the love of Christ to our enemies. So I really am troubled by the current "kill them" mentality of many in the church. Thanks for taking the time to respond. (Sorry I'm not logged in currently) Respond to this comment
Jean, I perceive your questions as serious and not just argumentative. Indeed, these are challenging issues for the followers of Jesus. He said many things that are challenging to apply. I certainly do not, nor have I heard of any others, "seriously advocate killing terrorists because they are not Christians." I advocate killing the terrorists because they are terrorists. It would not matter in my view what kind of religion they professed. Several years ago a native terrorist blew up the Murrah Federal Building in my state. Thankfully, he was executed for his mass murder of innocent men, women and children. His terrorist act had nothing to do with religion. I do support conscientious objection clauses for military service. I know many good Christians who are pacifists in their theology; I'm just glad they are in the minority when it comes to dealing with evil aggressors in our world. Thus, to have a conscientious objection to war does not necessarily mean a person is a fricken chicken in my view.
"Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household. He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it." (Matthew 10:34-39 NASB)
The Lukan parallels (12:49–53,14:25–33) read:
NASB
" 49 I have come to cast fire upon the earth; and how I wish it were already kindled! 50 But I have a baptism* to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished! 51 Do you suppose that I came to grant peace on earth? I tell you, no, but rather division; 52 for from now on five members in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three. 53 They will be divided, father* against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law. (Luke 12:49-53)
KJV
"49 I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled? 50 But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished! 51 Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division: 52 For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. 53 The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. (Luke 12:49-53)
Verse comparison
NASB
"If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple." (Luke 14:26)
And in Luke 22:35-38
"But now, whoever has a money belt is to take it along, likewise also a bag, and whoever has no sword is to sell his coat and buy one." (Luke 22:36 NASB)
And the related Gospel of Thomas 16 (non-canonical) (SV) reads:"Perhaps people think that I have come to cast peace upon the world. They do not know that I have come to cast conflicts upon the earth: fire, sword, war. For there will be five in a house: there'll be three against two and two against three, father against son and son against father, and they will stand alone."
Dan, thanks for your Scriptural input. The key to those verses is the phrase "peace on the earth." Jesus came to bring peace to our hearts, but not peace to the earth. He told His followers that "wars and rumors of wars" should be expected even into the very last days (MT 24:6f). The Jews missed the Messiah when He came the first time partly because He didn't fit their pre-conceived mental picture. I fear that many of His followers today have created a caricature of Him and won't recognize the real Jesus when He returns. Thanks again for reading.
» left by Carol Edwards from Denver, Colorado (1 year 33 days ago.)
I don't understand why some political leaders believe that persistent pleas and strong threats and negotiations can deter terrorist attacks (long-term) against our nation and around the world. It seems there is a real disconnect when it comes to the teachings, world view, goals and actions of radical Islam. For example, many Americans love the fact that Senator Obama removed the American flag from his campaign plane, replaced it with his own logo, and proclaimed in Europe to be a "citizen of the world." It's that kind of thinking that encourages so many Americans to tell our country to get over itself. Why? Our mission is to maintain peace, and we do it by being strong. Just our military presence alone in countries all over the world defends people's right to a peaceable existence. Take our role as a military leader away and you can sing "Imagine," right along with John Lennon: "..imagine there's no country...." No amount of talking is ever going to protect anyone from terrorist attacks. I do not want a frickin' chicken as Commander in Chief of our military or as President of the greatest nation in the free world.
Hi Carol, thanks for reading and commenting. As for me, I want leaders who are as determined to protect us and our enemies are to destroy us. Blessings to you.
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