My interlocutor's response to this email.
Not all who do evil in the world do it because violence has been
done against them. Sometimes they do it because of ideology. For me this
evil is ideologically driven and is indiscriminately perpetrated
against all who disagree with them, whether Americans, Europeans,
Australians, Africans, and even their own fellow countrymen (including
children) who don't hold to their unique views. The idea that all of the
bloodshed perpetrated by this like-minded group is the direct result of
America's sins does not hold up. The idea that if America just stops
acting violently then everyone will get along seems naive to me in light
of the fact that violence against those who do not share the views of
this group is built into their world view. There is no negotiating with
an ideology that has at its core the idea that Christians and Jews must
be subdued/eliminated and that makes conversion to Christ an offense
punishable by death. The idea of a free society in which everyone gets
to practice his or her own religion without fear and repression is not
in their vocabulary. I could not practice my faith in their country, but
they are free to practice theirs here. That says something to me. That
is worth defending. At least it is to me. And those who would seek to do
away with this way of life (because that is their goal) should be
resisted and defeated.
The golden rule is a
way of life, it is not a peace-making technique. Frankly if I were
beheading children because they believed in Christ, I should expect the
civil authorities to execute justice upon me - to do unto me as I have
done unto others. There are good guys in the world. There are those who
are more righteous than others, those who stand for what is good and
right. To put everyone in the same boat so that no one ever has the
right to hold someone else accountable is very cynical. Whether you like
it or not God has given the sword to the civil authorities for a
reason, and it's not for the purpose of pursuing biblical peacemaking.
Yes the authorities can use that sword in wrong ways, and when that
happens they must be held accountable. The answer to the abuse of power
is not to take all power away from government, but to put people in
positions of power who hold to what is good, and right, and true. The
alternative is to just give license to those who want to take away from
me my freedom to serve Christ (and also my life). But that's not right.
It is not just. It does not comply with the rule of the King of kings,
and so it is the obligation of earthly governments to do something about
it. And if they don't they will have to answer to Christ who gave them
the sword for the very purpose of protecting and defending the
righteous.
We are talking here about an
ideology that is not only anti-freedom, but anti-Christian. It is not
that it just has ideas that are different from America and from
Christianity, it has ideas that would mean the end of America and
Christianity. Those who have the power and rightful authority of the
sword should not allow this to propagate. It is a dangerous and
threatening ideology that needs to be forcefully repressed. The horse
and mule must be controlled by bit and bridle. Regrettably the U.S. did
not exercise enough force in shaping the governments established in
these countries once their secular dictators were toppled. It gave the
religious groups that were previously held at bay by harsh and
authoritarian rule to now flourish and to seize power. The result is
that Christians are worse off now than they were under the dictators.
The genie needs to be put back in the bottle. These people don't want a
free society - a society in which there is freedom for Christians and
Jews. And so it should not be left up to them to decide in some sort of
"democratic" process. People should not be allowed to democratically
choose evil. Instead a free society should be demanded of them and if
necessary, imposed upon them. But because of political correctness and
hand-wringing over past sins, I don't think that the U.S. government has
the will to do what it would actually take to reverse things, and that
is something that will continue to haunt us as a nation for a long time
to come.
I actually think that if the back
of this ideology is broken - if its adherents can be shown that the god
in whom they trust is actually weak and ineffective, unable to save
them and unable to accomplish his purposes in this world, that they will
be more inclined to turn to the true and living God. So, no, I don't
see that biblical peacemaking is what is called for here. That would be
casting pearls before swine. Those who would practice it would be
laughed at and would lose their heads, and no peace would be gained for
their trouble, and no one would be drawn to Christ. It is time for just
governments to call upon the true God for help, and then to use the
sword to suppress real evil, to defend the righteous, and to demand
unconditional surrender. And if little ones get dashed upon the rocks in
the process, well that is the price that is paid for defying the living
God. I pray that God would raise up godly and fearless leaders who are
willing to do what needs to be done in these perilous times.
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