Shaun Groves
Part four, the finale, below:
What we’ve heard so far – Parts 1-3:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
In part four Hauerwas gets asked, “What does your view of pacifism say we should do with the President for going to war in Iraq? Impeach him or what?” While giving a lengthy, stammering, um-filled answer he asserts that hope was spelled W.A.R by President Bush and claims we Americans actually like war, unending war. One has to wonder how much truth there is to this theory of his, seeing as how America has in fact been at war non-stop (war defined as armed conflict) since World War I began.
The question he’s asked is essentially, “What about all those wars in the Old Testament? What made those wars alright? Did God change his view of war when the New Testament was written?” Arrogant I know, but while Hauerwas’ answer is fine, I think I can do better. See you in the comments.
Roger says:
He mentioned…
“God does the fighting, not Israel”
and also…
“God gets to kill who God wants to kill, it’s God’s business, not ours”
How does that answer the question that it was Abraham and other flesh and blood doing the fighting in Gen. 14? Was that wrong? Were they supposed to let God deal with it like with Ananias and Sapphira?
The best I can figure out is that Hauerwas is saying Gen. 14 is an event that is subject to special environmental factors therefore no principles are involved and no principles are to be gleaned from that passage of scripture. It must simply be there for completeness or historical reference.
Doesn’t Hauerwas do some hand-waving over the bigger question of why “God gets to kill who God wants to kill” – Why is God ever involved in war?
Barry says:
My battle is with powers and principalities in the heavenly realm. Against the Devil to be more exact.
I will never put my nation state above my God, especially since the United States of America is not a Christian country, and most of our armed forces are not Christian. I like what the guy said in the interview about comitting suicide when a Christian kills another Christian.
I remember when I first heard White Flag when it came in the mail on the day before the release date. I absolutely love the whole Cd, including #2 when you speak of orphans being made out of flags and steel. A guy I know, whom is also a big fan, is ultra-conservative to the point that he now “doesn’t agree with your theology”.
I guess my point in this is that I don’t know the answer about wars, how christians can be involved, or whatever, but what I do know is that Christ was absolutely peaceful when he could have waged war on us for treating him like garbage. That’s the example I want to live by–a peaceful one.
People raise the question “But Barry, don’t you enjoy the freedoms given to you by our country and the people who died for you?” I guess so, I enjoy driving a car and eating taco bell like the next guy, but I absolutely could go without it. I think that as Americans we’re so worried that if we don’t “rid the world of evil” that they will take us over and make us slaves or something. What is evil really? Who decides what’s evil? A bunch of congressmen? Seriously, God decides what’s evil, and I’m pretty sure the way that our country is such an ungrateful and disrespectul one doesn’t look real pleasing in God’s eyes. And really, we should be so lucky. Christ suffered under an opressive regime, and was killed. So what if we share the same fate? If we’re not willing to share that fate are we really devoted to him? Do we really love him? Paul said that he wanted to share in Christ’s sufferings. Most of America would run from it.