The arguments for creating nuclear weapons always seem to center on matters of national security. Owning nuclear weapons provides a sense of protection for a country on two fronts. The most obvious is that they can be used to defend one’s country when under attack. However, the more persuasive argument for nuclear build up is as an offensive strategy, i.e. if we have nuclear weapons it will discourage foreign countries from attacking us because they know that if they do, we’ll blow them to kingdom come.
How can a reasonable citizen disagree with that argument? There is a seductive logic in believing that a rational enemy will avoid certain death by attacking us and therefore by owning the most deadly and destructive weapons currently available we have guaranteed our national security. We have taken control of the situation by preparing wisely and therefore can now rest easy knowing that our fate is in our own hands.
But can we? One of the annoying challenges to our position is that our enemies refuse to behave rationally! So owning a powerful nuclear arsenal doesn’t seem to be nearly as effective at deterring deadly terrorist attacks as we had planned. Perhaps it is because our enemies know that we are reluctant to actually use the weapons of mass destruction because once mass destruction begins, it is impossible to contain. And while many might be able to agree that having the weapons to wage war is a “sensible security measure”, using them to initiate Armageddon is fraught with ethical issues for even the most aggressive nationalist because in the end, everyone is likely to lose. The loss of life and level of human tragedy will be on an unimaginable scale, particularly the loss of innocent lives. Therefore, one could argue that there is a strong religious pro-life argument to be made for nuclear disarmament based on the desire to adhere to God’s commandment, “thou shall not kill”.
Nuclear disarmament however is a higher order still because it requires countries to do more than promise not to make more weapons or use the ones they already have. It requires powerful countries, like the U.S. to commit to destroy the weapons they already have! It is not a call for a truce – it is a call for a rebalancing of power. And that takes faith in a higher power to believe that when we give up control of our manmade weapons of mass destruction we will not be immediately delivered over to what we perceive to be the enemy for them to destroy us at their will. President Obama and the UN Security Council have asked the world to take a bold step towards creating a new future where the lion can truly lay down with the lamb. The lion will still clearly be stronger and more powerful than the lamb but both can come to the table without fear of annihilation by the other and therefore the possibilities of new types of relationships are endless.
A fairy tale ending? Perhaps. But our faith leads us to believe that even this is possible. And it is clear that the alternative ending could be an endless nightmare.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
And they will tell we are Christians by....?
This past week i've been thinking a lot about what it means to live a Christian life in today's world. My reflection hasn't been caused by any major crisis or event but rather has been inspired by my wondering what to write about on this blog!
At any rate, here are two observations that i'd like to share. The first thing that has struck me this week is how some of the teachings i had as a child about the way Christians behave just aren't nearly as exclusive as i was initially led to believe. The hymn i recall is that "they'll know we are Christians by our love" just doesn't work for me if i assume that it means that non-Christians aren't nearly as loving. As i look around at all the good that is done for others and the charity work i see in my community, but also those who are willing to sacrifice for others in distant communities, i often see non-Christian or even non-religious drivers of good. Clearly good deeds are not limited to Christians and not all Christians seem devoted to doing good deeds or demonstrating love for others.
My second observation however is that there do appear to be a wide variety of different motivations for doing good. My liberal Christian friends cite social justice causes in the model of Jesus' caring for the outsider, the widow, the orphan. My conservative Christian friends cite scripture. My non-Christian and non-religious friends talk about our responsibility - to the world, to the future, to our neighbor. Different motivations to the same end. But if the end is the same, how will "they" know we are Christians? What distinguishes us? Is it even important to be able to tell who is who?
I think it probably is important to be able to identify who is who, but not for "them" - it is important for "us". I think it is important for the same reason it is important for us to claim as part of our identity our family, our race, our gender etc. Who we are directly influences how we view the world and how we behave in the world.
I also think it is important to be able to have a visible identity. For us to express who we are by what we do, not just what we privately believe or are willing to share secretly with others who agree with us.
But i think i would modify the song to say, "and they/we will know we are Christians by our faith" because the one thing that strikes me as a different is that Christian good works are undergirded by our faith and beliefs about what our God calls us to do and frankly, what the consequences will be of failing to live up to God's expectations to the best of our limited human abilities.
On our best days i think you can tell we are Christians because we put our faith into action.
At any rate, here are two observations that i'd like to share. The first thing that has struck me this week is how some of the teachings i had as a child about the way Christians behave just aren't nearly as exclusive as i was initially led to believe. The hymn i recall is that "they'll know we are Christians by our love" just doesn't work for me if i assume that it means that non-Christians aren't nearly as loving. As i look around at all the good that is done for others and the charity work i see in my community, but also those who are willing to sacrifice for others in distant communities, i often see non-Christian or even non-religious drivers of good. Clearly good deeds are not limited to Christians and not all Christians seem devoted to doing good deeds or demonstrating love for others.
My second observation however is that there do appear to be a wide variety of different motivations for doing good. My liberal Christian friends cite social justice causes in the model of Jesus' caring for the outsider, the widow, the orphan. My conservative Christian friends cite scripture. My non-Christian and non-religious friends talk about our responsibility - to the world, to the future, to our neighbor. Different motivations to the same end. But if the end is the same, how will "they" know we are Christians? What distinguishes us? Is it even important to be able to tell who is who?
I think it probably is important to be able to identify who is who, but not for "them" - it is important for "us". I think it is important for the same reason it is important for us to claim as part of our identity our family, our race, our gender etc. Who we are directly influences how we view the world and how we behave in the world.
I also think it is important to be able to have a visible identity. For us to express who we are by what we do, not just what we privately believe or are willing to share secretly with others who agree with us.
But i think i would modify the song to say, "and they/we will know we are Christians by our faith" because the one thing that strikes me as a different is that Christian good works are undergirded by our faith and beliefs about what our God calls us to do and frankly, what the consequences will be of failing to live up to God's expectations to the best of our limited human abilities.
On our best days i think you can tell we are Christians because we put our faith into action.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
so what is "faith between the lines"?
This is my very first experience with blogs (unless you count watching the movie Julie & Julia) and so i was looking for a title that would describe what i hope to write about, but recognizing that since i have never done this before i'm not exactly sure where it will head. My goal is to explore quesitions of faith in a non-conventional, non-intuitive way. Questions that relate to my everyday life. Questions that try to find a current and pragmatic application for the conceptual topics that i've learned in church, sunday school and seminary.
So what are "the lines"? My original thought was that like the phrase "reading between the lines", i would try to read between the lines of scripture to find implications for my faith and actions today. But the more i think about it i see the lines as the two sides that are typically drawn in discussions of faith - the separation of church and state, religion vs. public policy, etc. I think what i really want to contemplate (and therefore write about) is how to live a faithful life caught between these two worlds, or lines. Only in modern times are we forced to make this distinction and compartimentalize our religious-self from our secular-self. In the old days, not necessarily the good old days but simply in previous generations, we were expected to live out our faith beliefs in our real lives. I think that is what i've been called to do but let's face it, that's pretty politically incorrect in most settings outside the church or a not-for-profit organization.
So my plan at the moment is to try to bring a faith based analytical approach to issues that will blur the lines of "good religion" vs. "good business", "church" vs. "state". Faith and analytics are terms i haven't always associated but i'd like to give it a try.
Let's see what happens:)
So what are "the lines"? My original thought was that like the phrase "reading between the lines", i would try to read between the lines of scripture to find implications for my faith and actions today. But the more i think about it i see the lines as the two sides that are typically drawn in discussions of faith - the separation of church and state, religion vs. public policy, etc. I think what i really want to contemplate (and therefore write about) is how to live a faithful life caught between these two worlds, or lines. Only in modern times are we forced to make this distinction and compartimentalize our religious-self from our secular-self. In the old days, not necessarily the good old days but simply in previous generations, we were expected to live out our faith beliefs in our real lives. I think that is what i've been called to do but let's face it, that's pretty politically incorrect in most settings outside the church or a not-for-profit organization.
So my plan at the moment is to try to bring a faith based analytical approach to issues that will blur the lines of "good religion" vs. "good business", "church" vs. "state". Faith and analytics are terms i haven't always associated but i'd like to give it a try.
Let's see what happens:)
Saturday, September 19, 2009
THE LORD'S PRAYER
Rather cleverly done.
This is in two parts,
the prayer (regular case) and
GOD (in CAPS)
in response.
It is very, very good.
*********
Our Father Who Art In Heaven.
YES?
Don't interrupt me. I'm praying.
BUT -- YOU CALLED ME!
Called you?
No, I didn't call you.
I'm praying.
Our Father who art in Heaven.
THERE -- YOU DID IT AGAIN!
Did what?
CALLED ME.
YOU SAID,
"OUR FATHER WHO ART IN HEAVEN"
WELL, HERE I AM.
WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND?
But I didn't mean anything by it.
I was, you know, just saying my prayers for the day.
I always say the Lord's Prayer.
It makes me feel good,
kind of like fulfilling a duty.
WELL, ALL RIGHT.
GO ON.
Okay, Hallowed be thy name . .
HOLD IT RIGHT THERE.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?
By what?
BY "HALLOWED BE THY NAME"?
It means, it means . . good grief,
I don't know what it means.
How in the world should I know?
It's just a part of the prayer.
By the way, what does it mean?
IT MEANS HONORED, HOLY, WONDERFUL.
Hey, that makes sense.
I never thought about what 'hallowed' meant before.
Thanks.
Thy Kingdom come,
Thy will be done,
on earth as it is in Heaven.
DO YOU REALLY MEAN THAT?
Sure, why not?
WHAT ARE YOU DOING ABOUT IT?
Doing? Why, nothing, I guess.
I just think it would be kind of neat if you got control,
of everything down here like you have up there.
We're kinda in a mess down here you know.
YES, I KNOW;
BUT, HAVE I GOT CONTROL OF YOU?
Well, I go to church.
THAT ISN'T WHAT I ASKED YOU.
WHAT ABOUT YOUR BAD TEMPER?
YOU'VE REALLY GOT A PROBLEM THERE, YOU KNOW.
AND THEN THERE'S THE WAY YOU SPEND YOUR MONEY --
ALL ON YOURSELF.
AND WHAT ABOUT THE KIND OF BOOKS YOU READ ?
Now hold on just a minute!
Stop picking on me!
I'm just as good as some of the rest of those people at church!
EXCUSE ME.
I THOUGHT YOU WERE PRAYING
FOR MY WILL TO BE DONE.
IF THAT IS TO HAPPEN,
IT WILL HAVE TO START WITH THE ONES
WHO ARE PRAYING FOR IT.
LIKE YOU -- FOR EXAMPLE ..
Oh, all right. I guess I do have some hang-ups.
Now that you mention it,
I could probably name some others.
SO COULD I.
I haven't t hought about it very much until now,
but I really would like to cut out some of those things.
I would like to, you know, be really free.
GOOD.
NOW WE'RE GETTING SOMEWHERE.WE'LL WORK TOGETHER -- YOU AND ME.
I'M PROUD OF YOU.
Look, Lord, if you don't mind,
I need to finish up here.
This is taking a lot longer than it usually does.
Give us this day, our daily bread.
YOU NEED TO CUT OUT THE BREAD.
YOU'RE OVERWEIGHT AS IT IS.
Hey, wait a minute! What is this?
Here I was doing my religious duty,
and all of a sudden you break in
and remind me of all my hang-ups.
PRAYING IS A DANGEROUS THING.
YOU JUST MIGHT GET WHAT YOU ASK FOR.
REMEMBER,
YOU CALLED ME -- AND HERE I AM.
IT'S TOO LATE TO STOP NOW.
KEEP PRAYING. ( . PAUSE . . )
WELL, GO ON.
I'm scared to.
SCARED? OF WHAT?
I know what you'll say.
TRY ME.
Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.
WHAT ABOUT ANN?
See? I knew it!
I knew you would bring her up!
Why, Lord, she's told lies about me, spread stories.
She never paid back the money she owes me.
I've sworn to get even with her!
BUT -- YOUR PRAYER --
WHAT ABOUT YOUR PRAYER?
I didn't -- mean it.
WELL, AT LEAST YOU'RE HONEST.
BUT, IT'S QUITE A LOAD CARRYING AROUND ALL THAT BITTERNESS
AND RESENTMENT ISN'T IT?
Yes, but I'll feel better as soon as I get even with her.
Boy, have I got some plans for her.
She'll wish she had never been born.
NO, YOU WON'T FEEL ANY BETTER.
YOU'LL FEEL WORSE.
REVENGE ISN'T SWEET.
YOU KNOW HOW UNHAPPY YOU ARE --
WELL, I CAN CHANGE THAT.
You can? How?
FORGIVE ANN.
THEN, I'LL FORGIVE YOU;
AND THE HATE AND THE SIN,
WILL BE ANN'S PROBLEM -- NOT YOURS.
YOU WILL HAVE SETTLED THE PROBLEM
AS FAR AS YOU ARE CONCERNED.
Oh, you know, you're right.
You always are.
And more than I want revenge,
I want to be right with You . . (sigh).
All right all right . .
I forgive her.
THERE NOW!
WONDERFUL!
HOW DO YOU FEEL?
Hmmmm. Well, not bad.
Not bad at all!
In fact, I feel pretty great!
You know, I don't think I'll go to bed uptight tonight.
I haven't been getting much rest, you know.
YEAH, I KNOW.
BUT, YOU'RE NOT THROUGH WITH YOUR PRAYER ARE YOU? GO ON.
Oh, all right.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
GOOD! GOOD! I'LL DO THAT.
JUST DON'T PUT YOURSELF IN A PLACE
WHERE YOU CAN BE TEMPTED.
What do you mean by that?
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.
Yeah. I know.
OKAY.
GO AHEAD. FINISH YOUR PRAYER.
For Thine is the kingdom,
and the power,
and the glory forever.
Amen.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT WOULD BRING ME GLORY --
WHAT WOULD REALLY MAKE ME HAPPY?
No, but I'd like to know.
I want to please you now.
I've really made a mess of things.
I want to truly follow you.
I can see now how great that would be.
So, tell me . . .
How do I make you happy?
YOU JUST DID.
______________________________
Rather cleverly done.
This is in two parts,
the prayer (regular case) and
GOD (in CAPS)
in response.
It is very, very good.
*********
Our Father Who Art In Heaven.
YES?
Don't interrupt me. I'm praying.
BUT -- YOU CALLED ME!
Called you?
No, I didn't call you.
I'm praying.
Our Father who art in Heaven.
THERE -- YOU DID IT AGAIN!
Did what?
CALLED ME.
YOU SAID,
"OUR FATHER WHO ART IN HEAVEN"
WELL, HERE I AM.
WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND?
But I didn't mean anything by it.
I was, you know, just saying my prayers for the day.
I always say the Lord's Prayer.
It makes me feel good,
kind of like fulfilling a duty.
WELL, ALL RIGHT.
GO ON.
Okay, Hallowed be thy name . .
HOLD IT RIGHT THERE.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?
By what?
BY "HALLOWED BE THY NAME"?
It means, it means . . good grief,
I don't know what it means.
How in the world should I know?
It's just a part of the prayer.
By the way, what does it mean?
IT MEANS HONORED, HOLY, WONDERFUL.
Hey, that makes sense.
I never thought about what 'hallowed' meant before.
Thanks.
Thy Kingdom come,
Thy will be done,
on earth as it is in Heaven.
DO YOU REALLY MEAN THAT?
Sure, why not?
WHAT ARE YOU DOING ABOUT IT?
Doing? Why, nothing, I guess.
I just think it would be kind of neat if you got control,
of everything down here like you have up there.
We're kinda in a mess down here you know.
YES, I KNOW;
BUT, HAVE I GOT CONTROL OF YOU?
Well, I go to church.
THAT ISN'T WHAT I ASKED YOU.
WHAT ABOUT YOUR BAD TEMPER?
YOU'VE REALLY GOT A PROBLEM THERE, YOU KNOW.
AND THEN THERE'S THE WAY YOU SPEND YOUR MONEY --
ALL ON YOURSELF.
AND WHAT ABOUT THE KIND OF BOOKS YOU READ ?
Now hold on just a minute!
Stop picking on me!
I'm just as good as some of the rest of those people at church!
EXCUSE ME.
I THOUGHT YOU WERE PRAYING
FOR MY WILL TO BE DONE.
IF THAT IS TO HAPPEN,
IT WILL HAVE TO START WITH THE ONES
WHO ARE PRAYING FOR IT.
LIKE YOU -- FOR EXAMPLE ..
Oh, all right. I guess I do have some hang-ups.
Now that you mention it,
I could probably name some others.
SO COULD I.
I haven't t hought about it very much until now,
but I really would like to cut out some of those things.
I would like to, you know, be really free.
GOOD.
NOW WE'RE GETTING SOMEWHERE.WE'LL WORK TOGETHER -- YOU AND ME.
I'M PROUD OF YOU.
Look, Lord, if you don't mind,
I need to finish up here.
This is taking a lot longer than it usually does.
Give us this day, our daily bread.
YOU NEED TO CUT OUT THE BREAD.
YOU'RE OVERWEIGHT AS IT IS.
Hey, wait a minute! What is this?
Here I was doing my religious duty,
and all of a sudden you break in
and remind me of all my hang-ups.
PRAYING IS A DANGEROUS THING.
YOU JUST MIGHT GET WHAT YOU ASK FOR.
REMEMBER,
YOU CALLED ME -- AND HERE I AM.
IT'S TOO LATE TO STOP NOW.
KEEP PRAYING. ( . PAUSE . . )
WELL, GO ON.
I'm scared to.
SCARED? OF WHAT?
I know what you'll say.
TRY ME.
Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.
WHAT ABOUT ANN?
See? I knew it!
I knew you would bring her up!
Why, Lord, she's told lies about me, spread stories.
She never paid back the money she owes me.
I've sworn to get even with her!
BUT -- YOUR PRAYER --
WHAT ABOUT YOUR PRAYER?
I didn't -- mean it.
WELL, AT LEAST YOU'RE HONEST.
BUT, IT'S QUITE A LOAD CARRYING AROUND ALL THAT BITTERNESS
AND RESENTMENT ISN'T IT?
Yes, but I'll feel better as soon as I get even with her.
Boy, have I got some plans for her.
She'll wish she had never been born.
NO, YOU WON'T FEEL ANY BETTER.
YOU'LL FEEL WORSE.
REVENGE ISN'T SWEET.
YOU KNOW HOW UNHAPPY YOU ARE --
WELL, I CAN CHANGE THAT.
You can? How?
FORGIVE ANN.
THEN, I'LL FORGIVE YOU;
AND THE HATE AND THE SIN,
WILL BE ANN'S PROBLEM -- NOT YOURS.
YOU WILL HAVE SETTLED THE PROBLEM
AS FAR AS YOU ARE CONCERNED.
Oh, you know, you're right.
You always are.
And more than I want revenge,
I want to be right with You . . (sigh).
All right all right . .
I forgive her.
THERE NOW!
WONDERFUL!
HOW DO YOU FEEL?
Hmmmm. Well, not bad.
Not bad at all!
In fact, I feel pretty great!
You know, I don't think I'll go to bed uptight tonight.
I haven't been getting much rest, you know.
YEAH, I KNOW.
BUT, YOU'RE NOT THROUGH WITH YOUR PRAYER ARE YOU? GO ON.
Oh, all right.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
GOOD! GOOD! I'LL DO THAT.
JUST DON'T PUT YOURSELF IN A PLACE
WHERE YOU CAN BE TEMPTED.
What do you mean by that?
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.
Yeah. I know.
OKAY.
GO AHEAD. FINISH YOUR PRAYER.
For Thine is the kingdom,
and the power,
and the glory forever.
Amen.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT WOULD BRING ME GLORY --
WHAT WOULD REALLY MAKE ME HAPPY?
No, but I'd like to know.
I want to please you now.
I've really made a mess of things.
I want to truly follow you.
I can see now how great that would be.
So, tell me . . .
How do I make you happy?
YOU JUST DID.
______________________________
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