Silence Is Betrayal

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. Matt.5:9

The words of Jesus often afflict the comfortable. So how many times have we sat in church and listened to a sermon that challenges us and seeks to make us think outside our comfort zone? Do preachers see themselves in the role of afflicter? In my experience, except for my father, now retired, you would be hard pressed to hear a sermon these days which really addresses the world we live in. Aren't we fed sermons that let us off the hook? Don't preachers stay in the safe zone much of the time? When Stewardship Sunday draws near in the fall, what pastor would take the chance of upsetting someone? Churches more often than not seek to maintain the status quo. Social concerns are avoided at all costs. Clergy and parishioners alike want Sundays to be pleasant respites from the stress of life.

Then a lay reader stands at the lectern and reads: Love your enemies, pray for those who persecute you." (Matt. 5:44) Where do those words go after they are spoken? Do some of us rationalize that Jesus would make an exception for us in Iraq? Would Jesus excuse the actions of the United States of America: pre-emptive wars, unspeakable torture, killing tens of thousands of innocent civilians?

The Christian confesses Christ. Are militarism and nationalism seeping into our hearts? Do we accept a "theology of war?" Are we slowly beginning to see ourselves as the Righteous? Our current president uses dangerous language which is seducing us: American "mission," "divine appointment," to "rid the world of evil."

The danger today is political idolatry exacerbated by the politics of fear.

These words were written in a statement put together by a group from Sojourners and signed by 218 clergy, scholars, professors, educators and others who share a deep concern about the world situation and, in particular, the roles of God, church, and nation in finding solutions in this time of crisis.

The group has put forth a new confession of Christ which contains 5 precepts.

1. Jesus Christ knows no boundaries. Our allegiance to Christ takes priority over national identity.

2. Christ commits Christians to a strong presumption against war. We are committed to international cooperation rather than unilateral policies.

3. Christ commands us to see not only the splinter in our adversary's eye, but also the beam in our own. The distinction between good and evil does not run between one nation and another, or one group and another. It runs straight through every human heart.

4. Christ shows us that enemy-love is the heart of the gospel...[This] means refusing to demonize any human being created in God's image.

5. Christ teaches us that humility is the virtue befitting forgiven sinners.

We reject the false teaching that America is a "Christian nation," representing only virtue, while its adversaries are nothing but vicious. We reject the belief that America has nothing to repent of...

Jesus' words may not be distorted for propaganistic purposes. No nation-state may usurp the place of God.

If applied to George Bush, we find a troubling dissonance. I think he would say these words and never see a discrepency between his religious beliefs and his record on foreign and domestic policy, even though we can plainly see it. Perhaps many of us would somewhat humbly admit how difficult it would be to hold ourselves to such a standard. Wouldn't many of us find ourselves way out of our comfort zones if we were asked to live by these things? However, Bush has described himself as a Christian and made his religion a campaign issue. In his Orwellian world, this makes sense, but in our reality-based world, it is not possible. Bush cannot claim to be a Christian and do what he has done. Not unless war is peace and love is hate.

I want to see the Christian community rise up and be heard. Silence is betrayal.


[Click on the title of this blog to take you to the Sojourners article.]