What a crazy day! I woke up to find out that Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was killed early this morning our time. I don't even rightly know how to totally feel about that. I am never in favor of killing anyone, but I know that he was responsible for more Iraqi deaths last year than our military. And I know he was an awful person who destroyed many lives. But happy that someone, anyone is dead? It just doesn't sit well with me. I suppose that's a little bit of being a Christian. I think things like that shouldn't sit well with us. We live in a fallen broken world, and the fallen broken things that happen here should grieve us. And we shouldn't be surprised when things go badly here. I suppose in a situation caught between bad and worse, we should root for bad, but that doesn't mean we should celebrate it when bad happens.
And then I hear something that I refuse to believe is true, so I go to our friend Google to verify. Sure enough, Ann Coulter, whose new book Godless asserts that liberals are godless. Hyperbole at best, downright nasty and vile at worst. And she's appearing all over the place publicizing her foolishness. Now we all know that Ann Coulter is little more than the pseudo-political equivalent of a WWE wrestler. So we roll our eyes, change the channel, and return to being reasonable decent people. But today, during her publicity blitz, she made a stop on the Bob Dutko Show. Bob has a radio show on Detroit's largest Christian station. What does this woman and her vitriol have to do with the cross of Christ? How is it appropriate to put her and the things she says on a Christian station? Does she represent Christ in her work? Or is this further evidence that Christians by and large have no idea who they are and whose they are? When you can't tell where the Republican party ends and the Church begins... you have big-time problems. That's not necessarily a criticism of Republicanism, but it is definitely one of the Church.
Finally, I caught wind of this story: In the long and mostly bad history of evangelistic tracts, this one has to be one of the worst. It's a tract that is designed to look like US currency with a gospel message on the back. The problem, of course, is that there is no million dollar bill. But that doesn't stop the least intelligent among us. Someone tried to cash one of the bills after finding it and now the Treasury Department is investigating Ray Comfort for counterfeiting. I don't even know who the butt of this joke is. Is it the out-of-touch evangelist who still thinks that tracts are the way to reach people? Is it the monumental genius who tried to cash the tract? Is it the Treasury Department investigating someone for counterfeiting a bill that doesn't exist? What do we do with that? Oy.
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14 Cachinnations
every time I hear the someone was killed by air strikes, our air strikes, in Iraq, I cringe. I picture innocent Iraqi running for their lives, trying to escape the bombs, all so that we could kill one man.
you can just hear the conversation with the crew cut military in washington. "yes, some innocents will die, but it is for a good cause." whatever happened to James Bond? one man to go in a shoot him from a distance without so many innocents lost. Have you seen Munich by the way? it sort of deals with the issue of killing terrorists and it makes them look a little more human. You are one of the few christians who has this approach to killing terrorists. Unfortunately, most are willing to start another round of crusades. Oh, but wait, have we already?
Posted on 6/09/2006
In reference to the slaying of Zarqawi, I think the term "relieved" is more appropriate.
We have Ann Coulter and we have Rev. Jesse Jackson. I'm a Christian, both of them claim to be also, but neither of them speak my political language.
Oh, and I've seen one of those money tracts in Wacko, USA!
Posted on 6/09/2006
What do you mean? Ann Coulter is a Christian, like you. (tongue planted firmly in cheek) She's wants to evangelize. Don't you think like this?
"Ann Coulter wrote in a syndicated column on September 12 that in responding to terrorists "we should invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity."
I echo the recommendation for 'Munich'. I thought it was a great film. Then after you watch 'Munich' go watch the Palestinian film 'Paradise Now'.
Posted on 6/09/2006
Cach - This makes for a good opportunity for me to admit that I've had a big change of heart in the last year or so about politics, war, and other related things.
Some time back, I would have been cheering this al-Zarqawi killing with genuine enthusiasm. The Iraqis went outside and fired shots into the air and celebrated wildly, so I would have thought "See, they are happy that an oppressor and murderer is dead".
But strangely, I actually had a vision last night when I heard this news... I pictured myself sifting through the rubble where the bomb had fallen, and finding al-Zarqawi's body lying there. And I knelt over it, and wept, and felt genuine sorrow. That bomb sent a soul to Hell, and that's not a good thing, ever.
I'm still struggling with and contemplating the ideas of "just war" and "pacifism", doing a lot of personal Bible study and praying for clarity on this stuff.
But for now, I've decided to embrace and magnify the things I know are true and right, and to simply shut my mouth and not get involved in political gibberish, either left or right wing, because those involve too many areas of great doubt and uncertainty in my heart.
Posted on 6/09/2006
Men will put great trust in the words of one whose life agrees with his teaching. If they can detect something inconsistent in his character, the man's power is ended.
But if a man is evidently carried away with the one idea of being and doing good, and consumed with the purpose of glorifying God, then his utterances have power.
It is not what he says, but the man who says it, that makes the impression.
It is the life behind the words, the holy confidence in God every day exhibited, the calm restful walk with God which everybody can see in his very face, which, to a thoughtful man, makes his feeblest accent more powerful than the most furious declamation of a mere rhetorician.
C.H Spurgeons "Words to Rest On"
Posted on 6/09/2006
I actually had no reaction. I think perhaps that is worse? I hear about deaths all the time. I hear about murder all the time. A great many of them have no knowledge of Jesus. I am helpless to stop it except to love people wherever I go.
I didn't feel really excited. I didn't feel relieved. I didn't feel sorrow. I felt....nothing.
Maybe because at the end of the day, it doesn't really change anything. This murderer is dead, but the spirit of murder will live on in the hearts of others.
Chaotic Hammer, I agree with you. Over the past two and a half years, i have come to realize that I have nothing to add to the political discussion.
Posted on 6/09/2006
Seriously, Sarah? If you find one of those tracts, you absolutely must save it for me!
Operamama, this is where it gets sticky. I in no way sympathize with the terrorists, but neither can I hold them ultimately responsible. Their leaders are the ones who shoulder the most blame. As for innocent civilians, obviously it's always the absolute worst part of war. It makes us acknowledge two of the ugliest aspects of the war: first is that they wouldn't die without our bombs. Of course their lives were threatened daily under Saddam, and if we were'nt there now they'd be in even more danger from terrorists wanting to run the country. But that doesn't change the fact that they die because of our weapons. Second is that the terrorists know that game and they purposely surround themselves with women and children to either keep us from attacking them or to take as many innocents with them as possible because they know it'll be a nightmare for us in world opinion.
I also liked Munich. Not a perfect film, but what is? A very good film.
I repeat: Ann Coulter is the pseudo-political equivalent of a WWE wrestler. I just think it's gross that a Christian radio station would invite her to participate in a discussion with a supposedly Christian context.
So again, I'm left just feeling very unsettled and uncomfortable. I suppose that's to be expected. Thank you for the thoughtful tone of this discussion.
Posted on 6/09/2006
I just don't know what the answer is. I just wish we could spare civilian lives. the terrorists are accomplishing the task of making us look really bad, and the movie Munich showed that when you kill one terrorist, you create another, and you become somewhat of a terrorist yourself. where does it end?
Posted on 6/10/2006
I must admit also, that Micheal moore's Farenheit 911 did influence my thinking somewhat. Have you seen that?
Posted on 6/10/2006
Ding-dong, Zarqawi's dead! Which ol' Zarqawi? The wicked Zarqawi!
Posted on 6/10/2006
sorry to keep taking up all your blog space obnoxiously, but I just checked out the Ann coulter website, and she's pretty hard-core, but i have to say that there is a part of me that likes to hear the ACLU bashed. they support some pretty ridiculous causes, like banning the ten commandments and pornography as free speech. (yikes). Those things make me pretty angry. the liberals say such nasty things about christians and what we stand for, so i must say that it's nice to see them get a dose of their own medicine. i wouldn't say that if you have liberal views you are godless, but the ACLU is indeed pretty godless. I guess what i am saying, is that I don't have a problem with her. am i evil? I don't think she is claiming to bear a cross for Christ, I just think that she is very political.
Posted on 6/10/2006
Right, the ACLU is such a horrible, godless organization that it does stuff like this:
http://www.nj.com/newslogs/starledger/index.ssf?/mtlogs/njo_ledgerupdate/archives/2006_06.html#148180
Posted on 6/11/2006
Stephen - You're kidding, right?
So if I punched you in the face as hard as I could 99 times, and helped you up off the ground one time, would you say I was generally a kind and friendly fellow who showed a lot of concern for your well-being?
Because after all, I did help you up off the ground that one time.
Posted on 6/12/2006
Well of course the ACLU is godless: they're not a Christian organization! Why should we expect them to act like Christians? Do I agree with even a majority of what they do? No, I don't. Am I glad they exist? Absolutely.
I view them in much the same terms that I view the 2nd Amendment. I have no need to own a firearm. But I absolutely have need of the right to own a firearm as a safeguard against an oppressive government that doesn't exist but might without that right. Likewise, I have no need to exersize every last inch of my civil liberties, but I absolutely have need that those liberties exist and are tenaciously protected.
So like I said, I completely disagree with probably a majority of the stances that the ACLU takes, but I am glad that people think twice about curtailing certain liberties knowing that the ACLU exists.
Posted on 6/12/2006