Quote of the Day
As cited by Brian McLaren in The Secret Message of Jesus, this statement was made by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in "Where Do We Go from Here?" annual report delivered at the 11th Convention of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference on August 16, 1967 in Atlanta:
The chapter I'm reading now addresses war and its place in "Christianity" (or lack of place). It makes me wonder anew about going to war. And the comments about torture and its use make me all the more thankful today for Barack Obama's dedication to closing down the prison at Guantanamo Bay.
I'm thinking now about the place that the military has in our country. I do appreciate the sacrifice that the men and women in the military make for us. And yet I wonder about whether Jesus would use violence against another, regardless of what that "other" did.
I tried to make these two (US Military and being like Jesus) align in my mind... then realized the major point that I was missing: The United States is not the Kingdom of God. Of course the US has a military force - because it is of the world, not of God. People may argue this point with me, but when it comes right down to it our military is here to protect us, not to defend God's honor. He can do that all on his own - and he has. By sending Jesus as the pacifist redeemer.
Through violence you may murder a murderer, but you can't murder murder.
Through violence you may murder a liar, but you can't establish truth.
Through violence you may murder a hater, but you can't murder hate.
Darkness cannot put out darkness. Only light can do that.
The chapter I'm reading now addresses war and its place in "Christianity" (or lack of place). It makes me wonder anew about going to war. And the comments about torture and its use make me all the more thankful today for Barack Obama's dedication to closing down the prison at Guantanamo Bay.
I'm thinking now about the place that the military has in our country. I do appreciate the sacrifice that the men and women in the military make for us. And yet I wonder about whether Jesus would use violence against another, regardless of what that "other" did.
I tried to make these two (US Military and being like Jesus) align in my mind... then realized the major point that I was missing: The United States is not the Kingdom of God. Of course the US has a military force - because it is of the world, not of God. People may argue this point with me, but when it comes right down to it our military is here to protect us, not to defend God's honor. He can do that all on his own - and he has. By sending Jesus as the pacifist redeemer.