Shakespeare was a smart guy. He could express the human condition better and more clearly than anyone.
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them?
To fight or not to fight. To go to war, or to protest against war. Where, as Christians, do we stand?
For as long as there have been communities of mankind, there has been war. But then along comes Jesus, who states that the way forward is a way of peace. Of not fighting, but turning the other cheek. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the sons of God (Matthew 5:9).
How do we live with such a commandment in a world as war-torn as ours? Is there such a thing as Just War – a necessary evil to keep the peace? What is the difference between a soldier and a peacekeeper? Are we to stand back and die for peace, just as Jesus died for us and the martyrs died for him, or are we called to fight oppression and wrongdoing in God's name? Peter carried a sword in the garden of Gethsemane; Jesus whipped the extortionists who littered the temple's holy ground. How does that resonate with our own understandings of Christ and his teachings?
It is a topic that asks a lot of questions, none of which have easy answers. But they are necessary questions.
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them?
To fight or not to fight. To go to war, or to protest against war. Where, as Christians, do we stand?
For as long as there have been communities of mankind, there has been war. But then along comes Jesus, who states that the way forward is a way of peace. Of not fighting, but turning the other cheek. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the sons of God (Matthew 5:9).
How do we live with such a commandment in a world as war-torn as ours? Is there such a thing as Just War – a necessary evil to keep the peace? What is the difference between a soldier and a peacekeeper? Are we to stand back and die for peace, just as Jesus died for us and the martyrs died for him, or are we called to fight oppression and wrongdoing in God's name? Peter carried a sword in the garden of Gethsemane; Jesus whipped the extortionists who littered the temple's holy ground. How does that resonate with our own understandings of Christ and his teachings?
It is a topic that asks a lot of questions, none of which have easy answers. But they are necessary questions.
No comments:
Post a Comment