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 My son told me last night that he had read about all the trouble that Joe Darby, the soldier who exposed the abuse at Abu Ghraib had gone through because Rumsfeld “outed him” as the whistle blower.
Bruce Prescott alse weighed in on the story today. I can’t help but think about one of my favorite quotes from Menno Simons regarding violence:
All Christians are commanded to love their enemies; to do good unto those who abuse and persecute them; to give the mantle when the cloak is taken, the other cheek when one is struck. Tell me, how can a Christian defend scripturally retaliation rebellion, war, striking, slaying, torturing, stealing, robbing and plundering and burning cities, and conquering countries?
The answer to Simons’ question is that Christians simply can’t defend such violence. I’ll be preaching this Sunday at a Baptist church in New Orleans. My text will be Luke 21:5-19. It seems to me that when Christians face difficult times like 9/11 or Katrina, they should view these times as opportunities to be witnesses for hope.
Unfortunately, the response to 9/11 and terrorism is often fear and violence. This simply doesn’t work. It only makes monsters out of us. Monsters like those who torture prisoners and monsters who persecute those like Joe Darby who speak out against violence.
But, not only does this approach not work. More importantly, it goes against the teachings of Christ.
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