"the greatest force for good"
"America is the greatest force for good in the history of the world." _John McCain
How many people across the globe are suffering due to American greed and violence? I don't want a president whose pride and patriotism has apparently blinded him to the injustices dished out by his country and has given him the same kind of trust in his country and its' economic system that Caesar had of his own. If America is the greatest force for good in history then we have a very dark history.
Caesar believed that his country was the greatest force for good in the history of the world. The Roman propaganda machine sold Pax Romana, the peace of Rome, to the people as the sole and final hope for the world. It was Pax Romana that justified whatever war or conquest Rome desired. They saw themselves as peace makers in the world by way of the sword.
This is why it was so powerful for early Christians to speak of hope in Christ and the peace of Christ, as apposed to the peace of Rome, which surpasses all understanding. The Christian response to Roman peace was not to blindly buy into it and place hope into it. The Christian response was to keep the cross at the front of their mind, the cross which exposes violence and oppression for what it really is, and to recognize the injustice of the nation-state. Rather than hope in Rome, they hoped in Jesus who displayed a much different kind of peace than that of Rome--a humble and non-violent peace. They opposed Rome and became martyrs to the sword of Pax Romana. They subverted their patriotic language saying "Jesus is lord" rather than "caesar is lord" and speaking of the peace of Christ rather than the peace of Rome. They died alnong with all those whom Rome sought to conquer when all it would have taken was a simple "Caesar is lord" and a hope in Pax Romana.
The American Church has lost sight of their true hope and the peace of Christ. Their faith has been absorbed into their patirotism. And what we call patriotism, the early church called idolatry. Why is the Christian response today to slap campeign stickers on our cars? Why do we meet in stadiums and pray that God will support America's leaders and bless America's cause? Why don't we stand in oposition to America's dream and offer God's dream instead? Why don't we see the oppression caused by "the greatest force for good in the history of the world"? Rather than die with those who are dying, stading in solidarity with the suffering of the world, we mount up on America's horse and ride over the suffering of the world.
I guess with this historical perspective, I find it quite strange that someone who places so much trust in Americas' systems has so much of the "evagelical vote." Where are all the prophets?
How many people across the globe are suffering due to American greed and violence? I don't want a president whose pride and patriotism has apparently blinded him to the injustices dished out by his country and has given him the same kind of trust in his country and its' economic system that Caesar had of his own. If America is the greatest force for good in history then we have a very dark history.
Caesar believed that his country was the greatest force for good in the history of the world. The Roman propaganda machine sold Pax Romana, the peace of Rome, to the people as the sole and final hope for the world. It was Pax Romana that justified whatever war or conquest Rome desired. They saw themselves as peace makers in the world by way of the sword.
This is why it was so powerful for early Christians to speak of hope in Christ and the peace of Christ, as apposed to the peace of Rome, which surpasses all understanding. The Christian response to Roman peace was not to blindly buy into it and place hope into it. The Christian response was to keep the cross at the front of their mind, the cross which exposes violence and oppression for what it really is, and to recognize the injustice of the nation-state. Rather than hope in Rome, they hoped in Jesus who displayed a much different kind of peace than that of Rome--a humble and non-violent peace. They opposed Rome and became martyrs to the sword of Pax Romana. They subverted their patriotic language saying "Jesus is lord" rather than "caesar is lord" and speaking of the peace of Christ rather than the peace of Rome. They died alnong with all those whom Rome sought to conquer when all it would have taken was a simple "Caesar is lord" and a hope in Pax Romana.
The American Church has lost sight of their true hope and the peace of Christ. Their faith has been absorbed into their patirotism. And what we call patriotism, the early church called idolatry. Why is the Christian response today to slap campeign stickers on our cars? Why do we meet in stadiums and pray that God will support America's leaders and bless America's cause? Why don't we stand in oposition to America's dream and offer God's dream instead? Why don't we see the oppression caused by "the greatest force for good in the history of the world"? Rather than die with those who are dying, stading in solidarity with the suffering of the world, we mount up on America's horse and ride over the suffering of the world.
I guess with this historical perspective, I find it quite strange that someone who places so much trust in Americas' systems has so much of the "evagelical vote." Where are all the prophets?