I'm reading a stunning book called "To Heal a Fractured World: The Ethics of Responsibility" by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks. It honestly might be one of the top five pieces of non-fiction that I've had the pleasure to read. In it, he speaks of how God created us as beings who, in his creative image, continue the work of creation through healing the brokenness and injustice that we, as humans, inevitably cause. I'm intrigued by this thought, because I've long rejected the still preached thought of most Christians that since Jesus is returning anyway, we basically just wait around until he returns, while the world degenerates further and further into a chaotic hellhole. Most Christians see their only duty as proselytizing people so that more people will be on the heavenly train when God destroys this earth anyway.
Let me just say that I don't believe God is going to destroy this world. In fact, Revelation, the deeply symbolic and coded book that so many Christians use to define their "Left Behind" theology, speaks of a new heaven and a new earth coming down out of heaven. In fact, Jesus speaks greatly of the idea of God desiring to come down here (look, for instance, at Jesus being "God with skin" on earth). In Jesus' most famous prayer he says this, "Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." In other words, "may we bring a little bit of heaven down here by what we do."
I say all of this to build up to this point, there's a lot of evil in the world (anyone that denies this is either blind or just totally ignorant), and God isn't just going to fix everything. He has given us creative ability to fix a lot of the problems of this world by bestowing us with his creative image. This means that he has left the responsibility of ridding this world of evil, albeit with him backing us with his strength. So how do we even begin to bring justice to an seemingly unjust world? What can we do in the face of so much unspeakable evil?
Rabbi Sacks says this, "The only way to fight evil the morning after the storm is to do good, countering hate with a no less determined love." Sounds an awful lot like a rabbi who lived 2000 years ago. Rabbi Jesus said, "But I tell you who hear me: love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you."
The only way to conquer hate is with love. Pure and simple. Some may remember the journalist Daniel Pearl, a Jew who was brutally murdered by terrorists in Pakistan while he was on assignment writing a story. Since his death, his father (also Jewish) has sought out ways to bring reconciliation and understanding between Jews and Muslims, the very people who killed his son. When asked what motivates him to do this, he said, "If I were to fight hate with hate, I would only create more hate. Therefore I fight it with love." War isn't the answer to the world's problems. All war does is create more conflict and war. If you don't believe me, look at the brief history of our country, we've basically been at war since we began. Doesn't seem to be working.
War is not designed to cure evil. Only love can do that. I know it sounds like I'm just a hippie idealist, but reality is reality, so call me what you will. Your way isn't working and never has. Jesus' way seems to work, maybe it's time we, as Christians, started acting like him.
6 comments:
don't be silly, bradders.
god told them israeliteys to kill everyone. that means we can do it today to.
duhhhhhhhh.
(for reals though, i agree with what you're saying. when i was working at the church i got told i'm a young hippie idealist and one day i'll grow up and see what the real world is like. but somethings got to counter the hate cause otherwise we'll just destroy ourselves. and i don't think that's our job to do. it's gods. if that makes sense at all.)
i listened to Rob's (that was for you Kim) sermon Calling All Peacemakers and he pretty much said the same thing. Hate for hate, war for war isn't working (obviously). Who will stand up and fight hate with love, fight war with peace, be creative enough to offer other solutions?
i need to buy that freaking book.
Quit writing things that I agree with you on.
How's this. Bush is a horrible president. I know you don't agree with that.
to quote my (our) mother from the other day concerning bush: what happened to him?
yes, we have finally brought her into the realm of enlightened thinking.
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