As the Deer

A Pastor’s Spiritual Journal

Saddam Hussein Wrote Poetry

with 5 comments

He made time each day to read fiction too.  He also apparently lied about possessing weapons of mass destruction to appear stronger to his rival Iran.  That boast brought him to an ignominious end.

Advocates have offered two reasons for the ‘03 invasion of Iraq:

  1. A fear of WMDs falling into the wrong hands (a potent concern in the aftermath of 9/11).
  2. A desire to end a cruel totalitarian government and partner with the people to build a humane, consensual one.

Ever since events discredited No. 1, the war’s critics have felt vindicated; but I’ve not heard them offer a credible plan to address No. 2, ending cruel totalitarian governments around the world, the kind exemplified in Hussein’s Iraq and the Taliban’s Afghanistan.  Peaceful means should come first, of course, but I don’t see a realistic way of ending these governments if force of arms is not an option.  (Although arms can let loose the Furies.)

Having said this, I should note the denomination I serve, the United Methodist Church, regards all warfare as ‘incompatible with the teachings of Christ.’  Yet war also seems to me a sad and necessary thing in some cases.  Whether war was necessary to dethrone a certain poetry loving dictator, I’ll leave history to decide.  Or better, Christ to judge.

Written by Chris

July 3, 2009 at 11:24 am

Posted in Current Events

«
»

5 Responses

Subscribe to comments with RSS.

  1. I like your post — I originally supported the second Iraq war, but grew more and more disillusioned as time passed. I like the fact that you are trying to consider these things from Christ’s perspective. Do you think the New Testament scriptures support war? I know that in the Old Testament, God commands war, even demands the extermination of certain people, but I don’t think the New Testament as a whole supports war. Paul commands us to live at peace with everybody, as far as it depends on us. Jesus preaches turning the other cheek. The conflict is between God’s fierce love for his people, which is expressed in the Old Testament and continues to this day — his desire to protect his people from harm — and human institutions that defy God and place us in dangerous positions.

    Veedub

    July 3, 2009 at 3:45 pm

  2. Veedub, the New Testament presents the ‘most excellent way’ of love. Whether this automatically nullifies the other less excellent ways of living, I don’t know. Paul shows the tensions — in Romans 12 he advocates agape love, and in the next chapter he allows the state to use the ’sword’ in restraining evil. These are hard issues… smarter people than I have wrestled with them. But thanks for coming by; peace to you today.

    Chris

    July 3, 2009 at 8:44 pm

  3. I was reading the commentary to my Wesley Study Bible tonight about Joshua when he encountered “the commander of the army of the Lord.” (Josh 5: 13-15) The commentary mentioned that at that time, battles were perceived as contests of deities. As near as I can tell, that contest ended the third day after Calvary.

    As for our current times, I have nothing original to say. We reap what we sow. Pacifism is an ideal that I can identify with, but not fully accept. Some men can be left to stew in their own juices. You can ignore them or turn the other cheek because they pose no real danger to anyone else. But men who are through and through bad & have all of the resources of their nation at their disposal, must be contstrained. I prefer any means other than war. But, IF all other means have been exhausted, constrain them we must. I’m not sure how often all other means are truly exhausted though. It seems often times that one way is legitamately tried, the next half-heartedly so, and then the saber rattlers open up the propaganga machine and all bets are off. There are probably many flaws in my thinking on the matter. I suppose in the end, I find war justified only when not using force would be the greater sin. Not that I, nor anyone else really, is qualified to make that distinction.

    SRB

    July 3, 2009 at 11:32 pm

  4. SRB — have you ever watched the TV show Flashpoint? On CBS. The main character, Greg Parker, intrigues me. He leads an elite police squad that handles various kinds of crises, hostage situations, etc. He shows great compassion and understanding; he identifies with the people who are trying to do terrible things; he talks to them, reasons with them, genuinely cares for them. He goes the second and third mile with them, and he will only use lethal force if there is absolutely no other option. He’s a profoundly Christian character.

    BTW, do you like the Wesley Study Bible? I’ve thought about getting one, even though I need another Bible like I need another nose on my face. Peace to you today.

    Chris

    July 4, 2009 at 9:36 am

  5. Never watched it, but now it appears I’ll have to.

    As for the Wesley Study Bible, I really enjoy it. The commentary is enlightening and the Wesley Terms and Application Topics sprinkled throughout are good introductions/reminders of Wesley’s “practical” theology. It’s my “go to” Bible now. Plus, if nothing else, it’s a rather attractive Bible.

    Here’s a good interview with Bishop Willimon about it.
    http://www.wesleyreport.com/2009/01/willimon.html

    SRB

    July 4, 2009 at 12:34 pm


Leave a Reply