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A "Christian" Country Or A nation In Shame?
"I say: Know your enemy and know yourself; in a hundred
battles, you will never be defeated." -Sun Tzu
By Casey Butler
07/28/05 "ICH"
-- -- Thinking back on how I idiotically supported the West's
invasion of Iraq based on my ignorant faith in what my media was
telling me, I find myself wishing George Bush was half as smart as
Michael Corleone in the movie Godfather II, smart enough to know
his enemy and his own people.
Remember the famous scene where Michael (Al Pacino), visiting
Cuba to assess 'investment potential', is driven through the
streets of Havana. On his way to meet with the Cuban dictator,
Batista, while tangled in traffic, Michael watches a scene unfold
across the street. A Castro rebel, stopped by police who are
searching his car, rushes a police captain with a hand grenade.
The rebel tackles the captain and both fall into his car as the
rebel cries, "Viva Fidel!". The hand grenade explodes,
killing both the police captain and the rebel. A suicide attack.
Michael shares this event with Hyman Roth (Lee Strasberg), his
potential partner in crime, and remarks:
Michael: “...It occurred to me, the soldiers are paid to
fight, the rebels aren't..."
Roth: "What does that tell you?"
Michael: "They can win."
In real-world hindsight, it's not as if we in the West didn't
have the same opportunity to understand the determined nature of
our opponents prior to the Iraq invasion. After all, we witnessed
the tactics of the Palestinian Intifada on our TVs. For example,
the June 1, 2001, suicide bombing of the Tel Aviv Dolphinarium
dancing club in which 21 Israelis, most of them high school
students, lost their lives.
But most people saw these suicide bombings as unique to the
Palestinian/Israeli conflict, even though there was ample evidence
that the suicide bombers themselves were devout Muslims. And we
ignored that fact even though we were told the suicide bombers
were depending on an existence in the afterlife that would more
than make up for what they sacrificed of this current life, a life
lived under occupation and humiliation, ignored by most of the
"enlightened" civilization of the West.
Ultimately our governments and the corporate interests that
back them took advantage of our ignorance - encouraged it, in
fact, through our own neo-commercialized media.
Both failed to inform us of the nature of our new
"enemies". Both failed to inform us of the true nature
of our "enemies'" religion. Both encouraged the lie that
Iraqis would meet our troops with "open arms". Both
failed to convey to us the justified and extreme resentment that
Muslims of the Middle East generally feel towards the West because
of its policies of exploitation for profit regardless of the cost
to the people of the Middle East.
Both apparently failed to read the Qur'an‘s divine injunction
for self-defense. They failed to convey to us the desperation we
were responsible for that resulted in an interpretation allowing
any type of barbaric act to instill terror and fear in the enemy: Us.
So... Contrary to the advice of Sun Tzu, our representatives
and military, as well as the overwhelming majority of people in
the West, were taken to war without knowing the real nature of
those whom our governments identified as "the enemy":
Fundamentalist Muslims whom they see as "extremists" out
to "destroy our way of life".
"...And Know Yourself"
Here the ostensible governments of "we the people"
made their biggest mistake: We forgot who we were.
Today we are people who have access to one another across
national borders, access to knowledge not limited by the media. We
are enlightened faster than ever before. We can no longer sustain
10 or 100 or 200 year wars at the pleasure of our leaders.
The phoenix of the human spirit is rising out of the
Western-imposed chaos introduced into Iraq and Afghanistan. It is
a spirit being manifested worldwide, as reason breaks asunder the
bonds of fear and terror foisted on humanity by corporate greed,
the religion of materialism, and the corruption of Western
economic and political power.
As the "War Against Terror" unfolds through violence
and oppression, battle lines are being drawn in a new type of war,
a spiritual war of ideologies and religions, of words and ideas.
It is a final war, if you will, the aim of which ought to be the
end of all wars of violence and terrorism.
Histrionics? Not really. It's where humanity is today as a
result of its own efforts at attaining peace and happiness down
through the millennia.
In my opinion, the struggling Anti-War Movement today is the
vanguard of the "good guys" in a spiritual war of words
and ideas.
But why, here in the USA, at least, in what is described as a
"Christian" country, in the midst of so many religious
people whose duty it is to promote peace, is the Anti-War Movement
struggling? Why is it seemingly unable to mobilize masses of
peace-loving people in opposition to the "war on
terror"?
Turn again to the advice of Sun Tzu:
"Know Your Enemy..."
"To fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme
excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's
resistance without fighting." -Sun Tzu
The cycle of terror and revenge, revenge and terror, continues,
and the spiritual war of words, ideology, and religion builds. We
are seeing the beginnings of a polarization of society into two
ideological camps: pro-war and anti-war. The "enemies"
of the Anti-War Movement are those supporting the war.
Pro-war people reflect the entire spectrum of Western society,
as do Anti-War people; so we know most of them pretty well.
But there is one particular group in America supporting this
war that is distinctive. Its support of the war, and its attempts
to insinuate itself into the secular government that is waging it,
is paradoxical, completely at odds with the ideology of its
Founder.
That group is called the "Religious Right", and it is
made up of Christians.
Christians? Think about that, please. If you are part of the
Anti-War Movement maybe you've decided religion is not for you...
maybe you're an atheist, or religious but just not a Christian.
Maybe you're even a Christian who is actually against the war.
Regardless of what we believe, why are we allowing Christians
of any kind to support the war?
Why aren't we doing everything in our power to stop them - to
turn them back to their roots, to urge them to live what they
believe?
Two of the greatest 'peace activists' of the last century,
Martin Luther King (a Christian himself) and Mahatma Gandhi (a
Hindu), were admirers of the philosophy taught by Jesus Christ,
the Founder of Christianity. Both men were inspired by the Sermon
on the Mount given by Jesus and recorded in the book of Matthew,
chapters 5 thru 7. These chapters teach a brotherhood of mankind
called the Kingdom of God.
How is it, then, that Christians of the Religious Right are
behaving like storm troopers in a global version of the Roman
Empire, using secular American government as their vehicle,
marching to the motto "In God We Trust"?
How is it that those in the Anti-War Movement, who can see this
behavior, are allowing it to happen?
Where are the true Christians, one might ask. Shouldn't
they do something? No... they aren't doing much but registering
complaints. The true Christians are admonished in Jesus’
teachings not to judge others, to be the meek of the earth.
What about you? Are you obliged to be non-judgmental? In
actuality, doesn't the Anti-War Movement literally stand for
‘judgment against war‘?
Then let's judge. Forget political correctness, judge these
people!
The Pat Robertsons, Jerry Falwells, James Dobsons, certain TV
evangelists, all religious megalomaniacs seeking power through the
state, even the George Bushes - "Christian politicians"
directing the policy of secular government - have led Christians
down a path of selfish design, interpreting the Bible for the
purpose of gaining and exercising the power of the state, imposing
their views on society, and lining their own pockets along the
way.
Let's remind the rank and file of the Religious Right, who
follow these "wolves in sheep's clothing", of the actual
teachings and philosophy of their Founder, and the God of which
His life was a witness.
Let's remind them how these people they are following have
changed the nature of Christianity for their own benefit and to
the detriment of the national ideal of freedom of religion. We
need to reach the Christians who have depended on their leaders
for religious wisdom and spiritual understanding, but who have
been severely misled, lied to, and deluded in the process.
How do we do that? Using their own Bible to publicly correct
them. Using the law.
Read the Gospels, note the teachings of Jesus and the
government of God they outlined. Talk to "real"
Christians to get their opinions of how the Religious Right has
fallen away from Christian principles in order to
"defend" and impose their version of morality in this
country. Picket their churches and educational institutions, raise
Cain like he's never been raised...
The Religious Right has corrupted Christianity beyond
recognition - except in name. The corruptions are easy to point
out if we allow ourselves to point them out, if we hold these
people to the Bible, and hold them to the laws of the United
States the rest of us are under.
Biblically, for example, the text "Thou shalt not
kill" has been rendered and taught as "Thou shalt not
murder", thus allowing killing by the theocratic state
envisioned by the Religious Right. The claim is that the Hebrew
translates to "murder", not "kill". But the
Hebrew word "ratsach" [English transliteration], which
is used in the text of the commandment, is also used for
accidental killings elsewhere in the text. For Christians, Jesus
left no doubt as to how this commandment was to be interpreted:
"Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time,
Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger
of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry
with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the
judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be
in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool,
shall be in danger of hell fire." (Matthew 5:21-22)
The foundation of the government of God that Jesus taught, not
to kill one another under any circumstances - including self
defense, is being ignored.
Nationally, the tax-exempt status that most Christian
denominations and evangelists enjoy was bestowed on early churches
"in exchange" for their services to the poor, orphans,
sick, and needy.
Yet most Protestant denominations stopped providing these
services during the 30's, 40's, and 50's as government welfare
programs and social security came into being. Today this
tax-exempt status is really a free gift, and Christian
denominations have become corporations, replacing the sacrifice
and hard work of Christian pioneers with competitive salaries and
benefits, the "services" being provided having been
reduced to evangelism and serving the wealthy and middle class.
Nearly all of the work of the Religious Right to acquire power
within the state through the electoral strength of their
congregations is subsidized by you and I as churches and
evangelists avoid paying their share of taxes. Meanwhile they
continue to steal from the poor, because of whom they received
tax-exemption to begin with.
This is corruption beyond imagination that we have accepted.
Where does the ACLU stand concerning this nation's poor? How
can this historical injustice continue? Aren't these
"non-profit" religious corporations defrauding the
government based on their original purpose? Aren't they, in fact,
now a corporate trust against the poor as they support legislation
to curb welfare and affirmative action?
The grass roots of the Religious Right are Christians. Unlike
the neo-conservatives, if Jesus is still "in the hearts"
of these Christians, the sincere ones will respond when reminded
of the real thing. They will see where they have been misled if
the real Jesus is once again brought to their attention.
We know the leadership of the Religious Right are not living up
to the morals, values, and teachings of Jesus, so they are hardly
able to dictate morals to the rest of the nation or the world.
But that's exactly what they intend to do.
It's time that we call the rank and file of the Religious
Right, who are being led into the abyss by their leadership, back
to the correct path. The path of peace they all signed up for to
begin with.
Jerry Falwell said it well - though the moral bearings he lost
long ago are now the property of the Anti-War Movement:
"If we lose our moral bearings, we shall surely collapse.
The scriptures are clear. 'Righteousness,' that is, living by
God's principles, 'promotes a nation to greatness,' Proverbs
14:34. 'Violating those principles brings a nation to
shame.'" - Jerry Falwell, August 16, 2003
Falwell and his ilk have violated those principles much too
long under the cover of "Christianity". I think it's
time that rank and file Christians join the Anti-War Movement, and
participate with us in ending this war.
Can we do it? Is the desire for peace and justice, the desire
for avoiding the draconian authority of another Roman Empire,
worth beating these charlatan "Christians" at their own
game?
Last time they launched a crusade the Bible with the truth in
it was not available to everyone, so they were followed blindly
into the breach. This time there's no excuse, their corruption and
lies are laid bare by their own Holy Book.
"...And Know Yourself"
"The opportunity to secure ourselves against defeat lies
in our own hands, but the opportunity of defeating the enemy is
provided by the enemy himself." -Sun Tzu
Perhaps you think you really don't have the authority to cross
the church/state boundary and judge the Christians of the
Religious Right who are working towards a beastlike theocracy
enforced by American power under the American flag?
We all have the Authority necessary! Our founding
fathers were geniuses. The Declaration of Independence, that
document that outlines the founding principles of the nation,
gives us all access to turn to the greatest Authority known to
Judeo-Christianity for the mutual protection of all Americans:
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men
are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with
certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty
and the pursuit of happiness...
"We, therefore, the representatives of the United States
of America, in General Congress, assembled, appealing to the
Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our
intentions... And for the support of this declaration, with a
firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we
mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our
sacred honor."
By appealing to God as the Creator, the Supreme Judge of the
world, and Divine Providence, for the protection of the principles
of complete equality laid out in the Declaration, the founders
gave all of us access to the Authority of God for the defense of
that equality. Christians, Jews, Muslims, even Atheists - all
American citizens have equal Authority from God to protect their
equality before God in this country.
The real Jesus Christ is in the Bible - a book available to all
no matter what they believe. Can we understand it without Pat
Robertson telling us what it means? Can we resolve the seeming
contradictions in it and get a unified message of peace from it?
At this point I believe we either use what it says to correct
those who have been misled, or we will be carried into the
theocratic abyss with them, into a new Dark Age.
Jesus:
"He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath
one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same
shall judge him in the last day." (John 12:48)
We're close enough to that day, in my opinion. This war is a
clash of civilization with no holds barred. With His words as our
war cry, the Anti-War Movement being "of the world", the
entire world, we can judge all we want.
Agitate! Agitate! Agitate! We can win.
###
Annotations:
Mahatma Gandhi's favorite book articulating the philosophy of
Jesus Christ: The
Kingdom of God is Within You by Leo Tolstoy. An excellent
analysis of religious leadership and their use of religion for
personal gain in support of state authority.
The
Sermon on the Mount: Jesus teaches the principles of
brotherhood, the Gospel of the Kingdom of God.
Title
18, Section 666 of the US Criminal Code: Theft or bribery
concerning programs receiving Federal funds. Is it applicable?
Are non-profit corporations allowed to form trusts for
political purposes or for the purpose of depriving the poor
through seeking lower taxes for themselves? The
Clayton Anti-Trust Act of 1914.
Casey Butler is the author of the award-winning, anti-war
geography game series World Empire. Today he spends most of his
time working towards understanding religious scriptures. He can be
reached at jogger@xmission.com
Copyright: Casey Butler. All rights reserved. You may republish under the following conditions: An active link to the original publication must be provided. You must not alter, edit or remove any text within the article, including this copyright notice.
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