Sunday, March 19, 2006

Jesus, Protecting American Freedom


I'm no pacifist. I supported both wars. I bought into the Iraq sales pitch, and I assumed that the "intelligence" knew that such a campaign would be feasible, with a well thought-out plan for after Saddam was gone. I also assumed that planes would not be allowed to fly into the Pentagon without someone knowing well before hand- but this just shows you how much I know.

Take note that my opinions about Iraq are not swayed just because Jesus wouldn't have supported it. I wouldn't care whether Jesus were for it or not (and anyone with half a wit who has read the bible knows he would not support killing under any circumstance).

What boggles my mind to no end is how the Jesus party became the party of war, social darwinism, and agression. How did it become the type of party which actually has to have a debate about whether torture is acceptible. Even more silly- how did the Jesus party became the party to make fun of those who are against torture under any circumstance- umm, the actually Christians that is to say.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ha!

Great picture of Jesus, Aaron. Did you create this montage yourself?

About sums it up doesn't it? The question: Is it human nature that twists and screws up religion? Or is it religion that twists and screws up human nature?

And did you read about the man who is likely to be executed in Afghanistan because he converted to Christianity? It's a crime punishable by death to reject Islam in Afghanistan and apparently supported by Sharia. Bush has really created a government there that we can be proud of, hasn't he? Barabaric. Every time I read another article about Islam, the religion sounds blood thirstier and more savage. Is it just me?

Aaron said...

I was just listening to airamerica radio on my way home and sam sedar was trying to offhandedly defend Islam while denouncing all forms of fundamentalism. It seems logical at the surface, but in truth I think there are only religious fundamentalists and those who haven't really read their favorite holy book much lately.

I just don't see how people continue to fit modern values with ancient agrarian ignorance. Shit, there's more morals and values and spiritually edifying material in the shittiest of shit in the new age section of Barnes and Nobles than there is in the entire bible. The only significance the bibel has, is that people *really* believe God wrote it.

Anonymous said...

Actually, that's probably a large part of the appeal in New Age literature. It provides ethical and moral values missing in religion, be it Christianity or Islam. It's not coincidence that spirituality and religion are commonly thought to be in opposition to one another.

Aaron said...

I think it could be said that religion has hijacked the American spiritual scene. At least with the new age craze, the dialogue was a little better. It appears as though the new agers have either completely lost the struggle (out of their blissful complacency), or they simply sequester themselves altogether from the dialogue. They have absolutely no political voice. Pundits are allowed time and again to equate traditional religionism with the be all and end all of morality and spirituality as if the hordes of people labeled as "secular" have absolutely no personal philosophy containing any sort of spirituality. Somehow these people have totally monopolized and distorted the dialogue. Even as an atheist I would wholeheartedly support someone pushing a more modern god into the public square. It might just literally save the world. These people *want* an apocalypse.

Daniel S. Ketelby said...

In terms of Christianity, war, social justice etc, may I recommend Jim Wallis's God's Politics: Why the American Right Gets It Wrong and the Left Doesn't Get It.

Jim is one of the leaders of Sojourners, a broadly anti-war and pro-social justice Christian movement... he discusses the shortcomings of the Christian right, and how the Christian left can mobilise an alternative.

Of course, 'left' and 'right' here are convenient generalisations, and he doesn't see things this crudely.

Anonymous said...

Money hijacked the American spiritual scene.