Marching As To War?

For years (decades, really) I’ve been reading and hearing Christians, both leaders and their more enthusiastic followers, talk about their faith using metaphors of war. Frankly, it bothers me. As I understand it, Christianity is a faith that is not based on having power and control over other people. As I read the New Testament, I see Jesus living a life that is distinctly powerless when it comes to war, politics and the violence of human nature.

That’s not to say that Jesus had no power or authority – quite the contrary! It’s simply that his power and authority was and is unrelated to swords, spears, missiles and bombs. Jesus – the same Jesus that war metaphor spouting Christian leaders claim to follow and worship – refused to fight back when the Roman storm troopers came and dragged him before a kangaroo court. He didn’t fight back when he was tortured and brutally executed. Jesus’ victory was complete because he refused to become conformed to the violence that surrounded and ultimately killed him.

Why is it, then, that so many people want us to go forward “as to war?” Why are we supposed to approach the world as if its’ people are there to be conquered, subjugated and forced into the belief system of the conquerors?

Why are Christians so comfortable with going to war with other people?

Right about now someone, somewhere is getting ready to tell me all about spiritual warfare and how Satan is contending against us. "We’ve got to be ready," they’ll say, "to fight the battle for our souls." If you read carefully, you’ll see that I’m not talking about an individual’s battle against the source of his/her temptation or the creator of their spiritual quagmire. I’m talking about how those of us who identify ourselves as Christ followers are comfortable with seeing everyone else in the world as the enemy and with images that seem to condone all out war against them.

We are called to be, among other things, a compassionate people. That means compassionate with all people, not just the ones who believe the things we do in the same way that we do. All people – not just the ones that look like us, sound like us, and act like us. It seems that it’s much easier to preach against people that it is to love them. It’s a lot easier to dig a chasm that it is to build a bridge.

So, here we are – a “Christian nation.” Trouble is, we seem to have little compassion or real care for human beings that do not fit comfortably into however we define what a “Christian nation” is (the definitions are numerous – it just depends on which franchise of Christian you ask). Even the term “Christian nation” gives me the heebie-jeebies. It’s as if being American automatically presents one with a membership card into Christianity with an option for religious superiority.

“Onward Christian Soldiers,” says the song, “marching as to war.” The image leaps to mind of people who proclaim Christ while moving forward in lockstep with M16s and rocket launchers at the ready. Is it any real wonder that people of other faiths distrust us when we talk about the love and acceptance of God while trying to make them conform to the image of American Christianity?

I’m not sure where today’s rant is leading me except to say that I’m not at war with anyone else. There are those who believe differently than I and those who believe nothing at all. I welcome the chance for real conversation with those folks as long as it happens with mutual respect for one another. The integrity of my own faith demands this. For those who want me to hate under the guise of preserving our faith, I submit this: It is impossible to preserve a faith that is ultimately based on love and compassion while your speech reeks of hate and condemnation. When you do that, you have already turned your back on your faith and shown yourself to be a liar.

You can “march as to war” if you want to, I guess, but I won’t be part of your parade.