Shaun Groves
Thomas Mann once wrote, “Enemies are the necessary concomitant to any robust life.” Tyler Durdan described Generation X as a generation of “slaves in white collars” with “no purpose or place” because “we have no great war.” These are just two ways of re-expressing what some scientist types have come to believe: Much of our significance comes from the existence of our enemies.
The fastest way to unify a nation is to share a common enemy. The most surefire way to grow a blog is to pick a fight with another blogger, an idea, a company, anything. Superman has Lex Luthor. Rush Limbaugh has the left. Bono has poverty. Bush has terror. Hillary has Bush. McDonald’s has Burger King. Driscoll has femininity. Your favorite team has a rival. It seems at times as if everyone we admire, want to be, fall in line behind has an enemy.
Enemies define us, giving us something to be the antithesis of. Enemies encourage us, giving us something lesser to measure ourselves against. Enemies give us significance, providing us an evil we must defeat or else.
A person who doesn’t wake up each day and take aim at commies, capitalists, “coloreds,” racists, nazis, Christians, atheists, fascists, drug dealers, cops, democrats, republicans, corporations, southerners, northerners, the French, urbanites or ruralites is hardly living…some psychologists would say.
We all need an enemy, the theory goes. We’re hardwired for them, to create one even if they’re in short supply. And we’re short-circuited without them.
euphrony says:
I totally disagree with this fallacy. I’m starting an opposing series on insignificance on my blog next week. Wait, does that validate what you were saying? (Note: the previous is to be read with sarcasm and irony.)
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What’s really odd about this assertion that we are hardwired for opposition (and I don’t argue with the reality of this is how we live) is that this is not what the call of Christ is all about. Sure, we want to frame it as opposing Satan, opposing evil, resisting temptation – all of which are valid parts of a Christian walk. But Jesus calls us to Follow Him, to love each other, even our enemies, to serve and forgive.
While we go out to pick a fight, Jesus tells us to go out and love a person. Of course, doing this is often going to result in conflict and enmity with the world. But it is not the opponent that defines us – “they’ll know we are Christians by our love”.
Shawn Bashor says:
I honestly don’t have any enemies I can think of…other than myself.
I don’t try and take sides on anything political, go ahead call me a name I don’t care, but I don’t vote. The Kingdom I am loyal to does not have borders. I am blessed to live where I do for all the aestheticly pleasing benefits, but really man, I am tired of everyone saying everyone else is wrong.
I have just recently come to the conclusion that I don’t need to try and convince anyone of anything, this includes convincing someone about Jesus, and it was an atheist who convinced me of this, because I lost a friend over trying to push my God on her, instead of just loving her and supporting her as Jesus would…through her breast cancer and double mastechtomy.
Yep that is right, I am no longer going to try and take a stand on anything besides taking a stand to not take a stand (other than cheap shots at friends and a chance to be sarcastic).
So is that right? can I not deny Christ, yet not take a stand? I am thinking by not denying something you are not imposing your will on someone else.
Shawn Bashor says:
Oh and I am not going to fall for the trap of pointing out and telling you how you are wrong for using certain words. Your blog, your words, not mine or anyone elses.
Katherine says:
Thank you for saying the Driscoll v. femininity thing…
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
gzusfreq says:
Samuel L. Jackson has some great monologue based on how all great heroes need a great enemy to define them in the movie “Unbreakable”.
j-mo says:
Samuel L. Jackson also has some riveting dialogue regarding being frustrated with dealing with snakes that made their way onto an airplane in the movie ‘Snakes on a Plane’.
Albert says:
Euphrony- I don’t think I’m disagreeing with you, but I think it is what the call of Christ is about…at least in part. C. S. Lewis says (don’t you just love it when someone pulls out a Lewis quote to make their point?) that, “Enemy occupied territory- that is what this world is. Christianity is the story of how the rightful King has landed… and is calling us all to take part in a great campaign of sabotage.” We fight with strange weapons like love, sacrifice, giving, forgiving and service, but we do fight. Most of our problems (I believe) come from not recognizing the difference between the enemy and the victims of the enemy. That’s how I can love my enemies, because they aren’t really my enemies, but victims of the enemy.
Albert says:
Just re-read my comment, sounded kinda preachy, as if I’ve got it all figured out. Sorry, didn’t mean it that way.
Cali Amy says:
lol, Hilary has Bush.
Well, I suppose it’s true, after all there must be two sides, good and evil, light and dark, black and white, life and death.
Lots of people refer to Satan as The Enemy all the time. (like instead of the devil, or Satan)
I think Satan is very much our enemy. But I pick lots of smaller and less important enemies to combat and define myself by. Not always knowingly, but I do for sure.
brody says:
ummmmm…. awkward
euphrony says:
Albert, I totally agree that we’re in a fight. No doubt about it. What I was trying to say was that as Christians we should be defined not by The Enemy but by the one who calls us to resist Satan. Somewhat opposite of how we act, as I see it. And I don’t think you sounded preachy – hope I don’t, either.
Amy, “Satan” literally translates as “the enemy”. Just fyi . . .
Amy says:
oh is that why it was awkward? I don’t get it. I thought satan meant adversary. I just meant that people who say the enemy instead of satan are being very deliberate stating that. I also think a lot of the time we don’t really take The Enemy…satan, seriously but perhaps we should more. I guess I was unclear. or maybe I have a wrong understanding of satan?
Shawn Bashor says:
Amy I would not capitalize satan, he isn’t omnipresent, nor is he equal to God. That is just what I would or wouldn’t do, don’t want to push my beliefs on you or anything.
I think we should take Jesus seriously and no matter how you try and break it down, l”ove your enemies”, is still, “love your enemies.”
RBerman says:
It’s interesting that Jesus assumed that we would have enemies. We’re supposed to bless those who curse us, walk the extra mile for them, and be blessed by God when they curse us. Enemies are a given, and we’re supposed to get concerned if all people only say good things about us.