I wonder what the Christian faith would look like if we removed the American internal leanings - if not desire - for warfare. The American spirit is defined, really, by how much fight you have in you. Overcoming odds. Crushing obstacles. Destroying enemies. Americans have never known a defeat in war [1]. America is the world’s first and foremost superpower.
Warfare is built so much into the American culture there is often an assumption violence is not only the first option, but the only true lasting one. A line from Don’t Tread On Me, one of my favorite Metallica songs, says: “To secure peace is to prepare for war.” The New Hampshire state motto is “Live Free or Die.” Patrick Henry’s declaration before the American Revolution, “Give me liberty or give me death!”, is still yelled from Main Street USA in multiple variations. The fighting gene has been inbred in us since the founding of our country.
Now, before some of you get all hot and bothered with me, I realize violence is a human condition, not an American one. One that each person regardless of nationality or ethnic origin possesses and has full capability of acting on. Yes. I understand. However, I am a product of and a resident in the American culture. This is the culture and environment from which I am able to assess, evaluate, and understand the world around me. I love learning about new cultures, but unless something drastic happens, I will always be a guest in those cultures - learning what I can about building bridges for better understanding. What I say is focused on the American culture because it is my culture. It is focused on what I believe Jesus said because it is my faith. And currently, in my culture, the loudest voice representing Jesus does not align with my faith.
For an example, let’s jump in the Way Back machine and return to September 2009. President Obama announced he had scheduled a time to address students across the entire country through a simulcast. It was a history making moment. A president of the United States had never before addressed the country’s student population in a focused way like this. He was going to discuss the importance of education, the value of finishing school, and encourage students to push through obstacles to chase their goals.
I am saddened to say this, but many of my Evangelical Christian friends were in an uproar over this. They hadn’t voted for President Obama, and there were many who demanded their children be removed from the classroom for the duration of the President’s address. I don’t know what fear motivated their actions. And I don’t believe it matters at this point. I bring it up to make a comparison of the full rejection of one President, even when he was doing something good, with the current embracing of a President who uses his words to threaten, condemn, tear down, and in general promote violence with 140 characters or less. [2] This is the America I feel awash in. We crave violence. We believe in its power.
In the Bible, the prophet Isaiah said the Messiah would be put to death even though he had not committed any violence to deserve it. The message of Jesus was one of peace. He told his disciple to put away the sword drawn to protect Jesus from oppressive soldiers and a heart-wrenching act of betrayal. Revenge and violence were not a part of the message of Jesus.
As of the date of this writing (March 27, 2018) there have been 50 mass shootings in America [3]. 50 in less than three months. For clarification, the word “mass” can be a bit misleading. The definition of “mass shooting” in the government statistics is when 4 or more people are injured or killed. Regardless of what word is used to categorize these acts of violence, in our country alone someone injured or killed four or more people every day and a half by choosing violence over peace.
The discussion has been ongoing for years now about trying to curb access to certain types of guns. Outlawing some that seem to have no other purpose than just target practice or to scratch the itch of those who like to see things go boom. On one hand, I get it. I’ve shot a few guns. It was fun. A lot of fun. On the other hand, my faith teaches me to prioritize peace over violence. To lay down my anger in exchange for understanding. To release any desire for vengeance and embrace forgiveness. This becomes the great battle - the message of Jesus to connect to the world around me by being an instrument of peace versus the intuitive drive to use violence and anger to control that same world.
I am not against weapons. I have always been drawn to the beauty and design of weapons. I own various knives, swords, bows, and right now there are two rifles and a shotgun in my gun safe. I am a product of a culture that saw weapons as things to have fun with instead of the tools of destruction they were created to be, and I participate in that culture willingly. In an effort for full transparency, I do favor outlawing weapons that rank high on the destruction scale while ranking low in pragmatism.
Without wanting to sound like I have it all figured out or I am somehow a master of this territory, my question to those who follow Jesus is whether they believe more in protecting their need for the potential of violence through access to weapons designed for military intent, or if they believe more in a life of peace even if it means they may feel vulnerable.
Feeling vulnerable can be a fearful place, and fear is a great motivator. Fear can fuel me as I grab a weapon and walk to the door with the intention of winning whatever war awaits on the other side. But this isn’t the way of Jesus. The way of Jesus is to open the door with open arms and work for peace. The way of Jesus scares the hell out of me. It removes my ability to control any outcome. I am forced to trust God is taking care of me - which is a struggle because my instinct is to believe I can take care of myself better than God.
What would an American expression of the way of Jesus look like if we removed the fundamental belief in might over right? I’m not sure. There are many factors that make this topic muddy, messy, and very difficult for calm discussion from opposing sides. I can only do my best to walk in the way of Jesus as I journey through life. Each step brings a lesson learned. It’s my hope to help the world become a better place by embracing the good God has put in it. I believe that will only happen as I become more vulnerable and open myself to the beauty of walking on the edge of what I do not know.
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1. In strict understanding of government classifications, Vietnam never elevated beyond a “conflict.” In many ways, America definitely did not win the Conflict in Vietnam, but America withdrew from the conflict without an official declaration either way.
2. Yes, President Obama made decisions that resulted in violence, destruction, and death. My point is that I never heard him speak of those decisions or outcomes glibly or with a shrug of his shoulders. He spoke of those situations with a grave tone that was deserving of those types of incidents.
3. statistics taken from www.gunviolencearchive.org