the basic message #E261
5/22/04
Is everyone tired of hearing about the Iraqi prisoner abuse scandal? It seems to be a story that won't go away, and you know what? It shouldn't.
Matthew 7:16-17
"By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit."
When Jesus spoke this passage, he wasn't specifically referring to the scandal that we find ourselves embroiled in today, but his words are very pertinent to this situation. I find American reaction to the gravity of the scandal interesting. While most Americans are ashamed of what has happened, there seems to be a standardized method of justification emerging. When we're pushed a little too hard on the heinous acts of what our soldiers did to the prisoners, many respond, "Yeah, but what about the torture and murders that Saddam Hussein committed.........on his own people!" If this is the best justification we can muster for what we've done, we're in serious trouble.
I hear on a regular basis that we're a Christian nation, and George W. Bush is on the leading edge of reminding us of that. Whether an entire nation or just one person declares publicly that they're a Christian, they're immediately put under a microscope for everyone to observe their actions. It's sort of the ultimate litmus test, in that a public declaration of Christ as Savior somehow makes us guilty until proven innocent. "That's not fair!", some folks will complain. Actually, it is not only fair, it's absolutely necessary. The teachings of Jesus Christ are very specific about the way we're to treat others- including our enemies. When we strut around and brag about Christianity being superior to Islam, we'd better be ready to back it up. Think about this for a second: If the Muslim teachers in the Islamic faith have their students really study the Gospel of Jesus Christ and then compare what Jesus taught to what the United States does globally, can't you see that the Muslims will immediately charge us with being hypocrites to our faith? If not, let's read another passage:
Romans 12:19-21
Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
"Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." Are we Christians living by this today? I'm sure I'll get a few angry emails saying, "What do you propose to do, just let the rest of the world run over us?" I think we continue to forget that we moved troops in under the auspices of finding "weapons of mass destruction", which didn't pan out, and as the years go by, we are altering our "purpose". We are supposedly bringing democracy to Iraq at this point in time, but no one seems to really know whether Iraqis want democracy. I'm very ignorant about world affairs, but if, and it's a big if, we can make Iraq a democracy, I'd be very surprised if it doesn't revert back to its old way of life within a year. What a tragedy that we have had so many of our men and women killed in action, and even more of a tragedy that ultimately their sacrifices may be in vain.
What's the answer? Quite frankly, I have no idea, but of one thing I'm very, very sure: we need to immediately leave Jesus Christ out of our "mission statement" when it comes to American government. Our testimony comes up empty and without any power when we reject the teachings of Jesus Christ in order to "protect ourselves". All of you "practical" Christians out there will be outraged by that statement, but instead of getting angry, why not get our your Bibles and dig as hard as you possibly can to find anything Jesus said in regards to what we're doing in Iraq. The more you find, the more you'll be forced to agree that we're displaying anything but Christian ideals when we wage war with anyone who looks at us wrong. Send me your hate mail, call me anything you want, and I promise I will try to "give you something to eat and drink and step aside to allow God to put burning coals on your head". His words, not mine.