Trading Away Blessings

Trading Away Blessings

I attended Grace Church today and Pastor Fred Shuckert’s message was titled “Trading away the blessings of God”. He has been going through a summer series based upon the Kings of Judah.

Sensing perhaps that some may be getting a little weary of this subject, he said:

“There may be something we can learn from this.”

I began thinking about his statement, and what follows are my thoughts and what I learned from this, probably not exactly what Pastor Fred had in mind…:):)

One of the things that could be learned from this is that God does not want his Spiritual followers, Jewish or Christians to have our allegiances to kingdoms of this world more than the Kingdom of God.

When Israel demanded a king, God told Samuel they had not rejected Samuel, but had rejected God. Their young men would be drafted to war and the king would take a tenth of their income….

To me, these kings were just murky shadows of the King to come and the Kingdom to come, as is the whole Old Testament, for that matter.

Israel was dispersed to live beyond any specific kingdom of the world and early Christians were also dispersed to live within kingdoms of this world and live within political systems but to look beyond these kingdoms, politics, kings and earthly leaders to a Kingdom not of this world.

We must look past the shadows of the Old Covenant, as prosperous and powerful as they sometimes have seemed to the reality expressed in the exact representation and being of God revealed in the light of Jesus. In the brilliant radiance of Jesus, we see the image of God. We look beyond the shadows, the shadows cast by Old Testament kings and beyond the shadows of nationalism in today’s world. We serve no master, no Lord, but Jesus.

One of the signs of having our allegiance misplaced as followers of God is the placement of our trust in political systems. Another is going to war to fight and kill others created in God’s image, and the confiscation of our productiveness to pay for these wars. Actually, more correctly, we are borrowing against the future productiveness and blessings due our children to conduct our attempts to dominate others through warfare.

The things the church and all humankind needs to cry out in repentance for are the worshipping of false Gods Jesus came to publicly display and defeat…. gods of politics, gods of nationalism, gods of materialism, gods of war.

In the United States, and much of the rest of the world, it appears we have already traded away most of our blessings for these little gods mentioned above, owing in the United States $16 Trillion that we have borrowed against the assets of our children to trade or swap the our blessings of God for the “blessings” of materialism, domination, war, abuse of our environment, and political systems.

I think all us on this formerly abundant and blessed earth we are to dress and keep should take a longer term view of our duties to an Eternal Being. Perhaps that vision should include an awareness that we are not going to die, then begin living in eternity, but that we are already living in eternity. How could it possibly be otherwise? Eternity does not “begin” when we die. Our decisions also have eternal consequences now. We can choose to continue to trade away our blessings, or we can choose as human brothers and sisters to live a way of peace exemplified by Jesus, the projected King, and begin to care for each other, and this blessed earth NOW, not trading those blessings away for trinkets of temporary and temporal satisfaction, or aggrandizement of our own dominational egos.

Just my take on what we need to learn from this….

John Cooper

www.jcooperFORpeace.org

The Gospel of Americanism

The Gospel of Americanism

I have recently been thinking of the Gospel, the Gospel of Peace, and the Gospel of the Kingdom, (one Gospel) lately. There are other Gospels also, some having a certain merit of their own. One of these other gospels may be termed the Gospel of Americanism. To me, the Gospel of Americanism is encapsulated in the Declaration of Independence, written by one of early America’s most able intellects, Thomas Jefferson. I quote below what I believe to be the heart of this gospel:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
As far as visions for nations go, to me this American vision is the best I know of and it is a vision that has drawn many from all over the world to our nation. ALL men does not just mean men born in America. It does not just mean those born already free, as Jefferson well knew but in his own weakness could not consummate regarding his many slaves. Also, ALL men being created, gives acknowledgement that ALL men are created in the image of God, thus implying a freedom of religion, not only equality, among mankind. How Jefferson could write such visionary words and still write of other races being inferior, including those of mixed race he fathered himself, is perplexing. Nevertheless, the words he wrote stand, and are essentially the Gospel of Americanism.

There are differences in how this Gospel of Americanism has been promoted over our brief United States of America history. At times the words of this American gospel have beaconed, or drawn others to our shores. At other times we have attempted to force this gospel upon others as we have done with subversive endeavors in many parts of the world, the Philippines, Central America, Iran, Iraq, and other venues, and are still doing, thus enforcing the viewpoint of others and justifying their calling us “Ugly Americans.” This violent means of promoting the Gospel of Americanism is certainly not beautiful, as the Gospel of Peace we have recently spoken of, is. Sawing enemies in half with machine guns and blowing up entire households is not a pretty sight. We should not just take this life, this liberty, and pursuit of happiness and force it upon others, but should want to actively promote it and give it, not coerce it upon others. I believe this is the vision of our founding fathers in that our nation should be a haven of rest for the persecuted of the world, politically and religiously, and their vision was one if force were to be used, it would be defensive force, not preemptive violence.Preemptive violence is not just unethical, it is not just unchristian, but preemptive violence, according to the constitution of the United States is also unconstitutional, because it denies God given rights to Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of happiness to those it injures and those it kills.  I personally do not believe in any violence, for that matter, but most of our forefathers did believe in defensive violence.

To me, one aspect of nonviolence is a respect for all life, including life of the unborn, life of our own family, life of our own nation, life of all religions, life of all races, life of both sexes, life of other nations, and life of our enemies. From an American gospel point of view, this life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness should extend as well to ALL. I quote from Jefferson:
“God who gave us life gave us liberty. Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are the gift of God? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, that his justice cannot sleep forever. Commerce between master and slave is despotism. Nothing is more certainly written in the book of fate than that these people are to be free.”

How Jefferson could write such words as he wrote, and not reflect the application of his words in his personal life is an enigma to many. How the United States, founded with such lofty words as we are considering, and reflect the application of these words by preemptive warfare, brute force, predatory drones, retention of nuclear weapons, all the while claiming to be a “Christian” nation, is also an enigma to many outside our shores, and some inside our country also. In the very words of Jefferson, can the Justice of God sleep forever? Can we also say this life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness applies to all, then deport those who have come to our shores to live this life of the American Gospel that still beckons?

Here seems to be the problem with believing we are a Christian nation: No one wants to kill us for righteousness sake as they did the early Christians before Constantine. Now that Christians are conjoined with secular governance, (some might say, riding the beast), the reasons we are hated and despised by some is not because of righteousness, but because of our own injustices to others. We say these lofty words, as did Jefferson, but when it comes to actually living them, that is a different story. Can God’s Justice sleep forever?

Also problematic is the silence of most our mainstream religions who are supposed to know about the Gospel of Peace and the Spiritual Kingdom, regarding the injustices that remain from our conflicted political vision. I understand the importance of separation of religion and state, and agree with that separation, however, there is a time when moral injustices must be spoken against, such as the injustices of our drone warfare, for instance, which denies a portion of these ALL men we are speaking of in the Gospel of Americanism their rights to Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. That is just one area to challenge regarding our nation’s and our leaders’ injustices. To remain silent regarding violence and the way our nation is straying even from the Declaration of Independence, our founding document, is to give tacit approval to the same. The means of application of this Gospel of Americanism cannot be justified by the end. The end is not looking so good either.
I am reminded how well this Gospel of Americanism used to work for us:
“The New Colossus
Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she
With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”
Emma Lazarus, 1883”

I am an early roots Christian, hearkening back to the Christian church before Constantine, believing it is better to be persecuted for righteousness sake than to suffer persecution for our unrighteousness. I believe no Christian should go to war and kill, nor did early roots Christians believe in killing before Constantine. Although I cannot agree with everything our forefathers wrote, I can agree with the Gospel of Americanism, that all men are created equal, that all men are endowed with inalienable rights to life, to liberty and to the pursuit of happiness. I call us back to those early roots as a nation, a time when our nation beaconed and drew from the whole earth such men seeking this vision. Forcing these “rights” upon people via killing, warfare, economic sanctions, and withholding food supplies and medicine is simply not the vision of the Gospel of Peace and I do not remain silent. I speak against these injustices and call others to do the same.

John Cooper
Tuscaloosa, AL
https://jcooperforpeace.org/

Behind the 8 Ball

Behind the 8 Ball

Have you ever been in difficult situations in life? An idiom used in the English language harkens back to the game of pool where your ball is “behind the 8 ball”, or you are most certainly in a losing position. Have you ever lost your job with little hope for finding another one? Have you ever been pregnant outside of marriage with no one to support you? Have you had to drop out of school because you just do not have the money to continue? Have you owned a business that is struggling in a depressive economy and you do not know how you will be able to pay your employees next week? Have you suffered a stroke, or a debilitating illness, cancer, perhaps, that offers you little hope of long term recovery? Do you have a large family, living in poor economic conditions, and you cannot support them? Have you been in the military and lost a limb or limbs, or been paralyzed in an accident? Have you been homeless and could not find a place to sleep? Are you a farmer with equipment and land payments and it has not rained in a month and your crops are drying up and you realize you will be out of business next year? Has your home been foreclosed upon or your car taken back? What if you lived in a war zone, such as Syria, Iraq, or Afghanistan? Has your husband or wife died? What will you do?

Many of us have or are facing such life altering situations in life. I have been facing some myself the past few years in a failing housing related economy, and now I face something else…. I have been kind of “behind the 8 ball” recently…..

Reminds me of Romans 8:….

Rom 8:1-9:1
Romans 8

8:1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, 4 in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.

5 Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; 7 the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.

9 You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.

12 Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation — but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, 14 because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs — heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19 The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.

22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? 25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.

28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

31 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all — how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died — more than that, who was raised to life — is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

NIV

Now, bear with me while we think about some of these things……

If we are Christians, or perhaps a Muslim who loves Jesus, as one of my Islamic friends does, or an avowed atheist, as another of my dear friends, or a Jew, we should realized that the first thing we should know is we are not being condemned… We are not being punished for our sins. The punishment for our sins has already occurred and we already forgiven. It is finished. Now, this is not to say we might not receive some bad natural consequences of our own choices, but it is not God who is condemning us. God came to save us, not to condemn us. In fact, although we are not under the law, excepting the law of love Jesus left us, which transcends all other law, we might have and “accident”, if we sleep with our boyfriend, or even carry a 40 pound of cat litter carelessly down a flight of stairs, as I did… More on that later… We may have to suffer the consequences of our choices. Hopefully we will not blame God, or someone else.

I think our suffering is described in Romans 8. I think we see advice on how to suffer, what suffering means to us, and how to come to Peace with our failings, sufferings, those failings of others in our lives, of other human beings we do not know, and the hope for us that lies beyond these sufferings. I recently wrote of the Gospel of Peace, and I believe Romans 8 is a continuation of that Gospel of Peace, in that we must grow to understand our own Death, Burial, and Resurrection to begin to understand this Gospel of Peace.

Humanly, we often really want someone to just tell us what to do; we will obey, to be able to blame someone if our rewards do not magically appear in the form of materialistic commodities. That would be the easy way, but when we find ourselves “Behind the 8 Ball”, we find that we must walk from a Spiritual perspective, not a human one. We must walk in faith. We must look beyond our immediate human circumstances, and allow our minds to be controlled by a higher Spiritual power which beacons us, draws us, to peace with ourselves and others. (“but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace;”) Perhaps this is an idea that Christian churches should look into more often. Maybe the government officials and want to be officials should look into things like this in order to bring life and peace to the world in place of bragging who is going to be the bigger bringer of shock and awe, of death and war, not life and peace. Maybe this is a vision even our post Christian society in the United States should consider. Also, Iran, Israel, and every other country in the world might pause to at least think about it. Life, and Peace, a Spiritual vision of Jesus, Gandhi, and King… (Here I go again:):))

I think what it is about God’s law, which I mentioned that Jesus left us, a law of love for one another, which should supernaturally include all mankind who live and move and have our beings in God, is that it cannot be understood by many with a “fleshly”, or simply human perspective on ethics, regardless of one’s education or political system. We understand that we need to see these visions with Spiritual eyes. I think we will understand this if we actually have or are being influenced by a Divine Spirit, placed in us, or influencing us because of someone’s sufferings, death, burial and resurrection, and our own inner possession of the same. You might not even need to be a Christian in order to begin to understand it. I actually believe President Ahmadinejad of Iran would understand these matters from what I have heard him say about Jesus. Perhaps someone will share such thoughts with him…. (Heresy to some who will read, I know. :):))…. We cannot limit this Spirit and where this Spirit will work only to the places and peoples our nationalistic systems like. We should want to share this Spiritual understanding with the whole world, all the world.

That is what I mean.
It is this understanding of our living in, having our being in a Spiritual realm, and participating in the Dying, the Burial of our old ways of thinking and living, and being raised again, born again into another dimension, one that is not of this world, one that brings life and Peace, that we are thinking about. This is how we become children of God…. (The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.) We might also remind ourselves of where it is written in another place, “blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called the children of God.” This is how the rubber meets the road. Are we justified by just talking about being peacemakers once per year around Christmastime, and talk about killing our enemies with drones, attacking Iran, which has not attacked us, continuing unjust wars, and ignoring the poor, the rest of the year, indeed even making such things campaign planks? What about our “Christian” churches who are supposed to know all about this Gospel thing? Will most of them mainly remain silent?

Oh, and I have been thinking about this suffering thing some lately… As I mentioned, I was carrying a 40# bag of cat litter down our stairs to the basement inhabited by two cats we inherited from my sister in law. I got the bright idea to carry it down on my shoulder which seemed easier than straining my back with it, until I slipped on the last step and my right leg collapsed under me, with the 40# weight forcing me down, tearing my quadruplex muscles from my knee cap, requiring an operation last week and a stay in the hospital and at least this week at home in the middle of our struggling business environment and other stresses we have been going through. I may be in a brace for 2 months, maybe three, and without Divine intervention, which I am hoping for, a possible 6 month recovery. Also, it hurts and I am suffering……

So, God knew all this in advance and God did it to me to make me suffer, and to bring me closer to him, and numerous other reasons, right? I think not. I do not think our lives are all mapped out like that, each and every little thing. I brought the suffering upon myself. We also bring a lot of our suffering on ourselves, sometimes we inherit physical and mental weaknesses and although God could and does intervene in our behalf, sometimes he does not right when we think he should. Sometimes we also suffer because of our belief in God, which is a much better thing to suffer for, than our own choices which are not so good at times. It is even more important to know that God believes in all of us first. He loved us first, and what little belief in God we have, relatively speaking, compared with the infinitude of God, was a gift to us from God to begin with, and before we were begun with, or predestined, one might say. Sometimes nations suffer because of warfare, famine, drought, our own political folly, etc. But God is with us. He is with us all, and with our enemies too. We who believe in God groan and so does all creation looking for our redemption, our resurrection, for new life as a parched land looking for rain. Healing is what we need, but not just physical healing, although that would be nice too, but Spiritual healing is desperately needed even more in our nations, in our churches, mosques, and synagogues…. Also, Spiritual healing seems to me to be obviously needed in our political systems and for the powers that rule over them. One Day…..

One thing that is special to me is this: “28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” To me, all things means also in our sufferings too… God can cause something good to come from our sufferings, although we often prefer to take the easier way out. It can be God’s shaping, God’s molding, God who is with us, who will never leave or forsake us. No condemnation. No accusation will stand against us. No famine, no nakedness, no sword or war, nothing can remove us from our Spiritual life in God. Even if we die, the Spirit remains…

Therefore, when we find ourselves “Behind the 8 Ball”, let us remember Romans 8. Let us be encouraged because God loves us and will never forsake us.

John Cooper
https://jcooperforpeace.org/

Facing Conflict

Facing Conflict

We see a world set in conflict. Nations are in conflict, Individuals are often be in conflict. As I write, much of the world and Iran are in conflict. Attempts to solve this conflict appear not to be working. Today, July 1st, 2012 punitive sanctions against Iran are to go into effect. I jotted down some thoughts today regarding dealing with conflict. What I thought of I am certain is not the be all and end all to conflict resolution, nor do I believe any one person can have all the answers to solve conflicts of all kinds every time, but here is what came to me today:

1.) Quickly and nonviolently face the problem.

In most circumstances, do not wait and let the conflict come to a boiling point where violence tends to occur.
2.) Begin by respecting your adversary’s systems.

We all grow up and are part of systems. Our family is a system, our nation is a system, our culture is a system, our religion is a system, our race is a system, our gender is a system, our politics are systems. Ours is not the only system, nor the best system for everyone else in the world. Respect another’s systems and attempt to move beyond systems. Systems themselves sometimes create conflict.

3.) Listen to your adversary.

Active listening, without interrupting, and when given the opportunity repeating your adversary’s points, is crucial to coming to understanding. Take a notepad so you can write what is said down as your adversary speaks. Attempt to solve the difficulty one to one if possible. If that does not work, then bring in an unbiased person to help.

4.) Share love and concern with those who disagree.
Attempt to love your adversary. It may not be easy. Seek to help, not harm. Offer water, coffee, tea, or a culturally sensitive appropriate drink as discussions occur. Studies of near death experiences from all kinds of people, both faith based, and not faith based have shown the commonality of those who have survived near death experiences of their traveling through a tunnel toward bright lights, of their envisioning meeting those that have already died, and returning to their bodies with common concern, love for others and lack of fear of death.  It is quite possible you will meet your adversary in eternity… Keep this in mind.  Do not kill your adversary….

5.) Confront the core problem.

Do not allow minor points to confuse the core difficulty needing attention.

6.) Speak softly.

As much as possible, not raise your voice in anger.

7.) Control your body language.
Bristling up like a cat with its hair standing on end is not conducive to solving problems… Hands open, palm up, an occasional smile, and concerned eye contact are conducive to peaceful resolution.

8.)Believe in Prayer.

Many of various Faith based systems believe in prayer. If you do, pray silently during discussions.
At some times it may be appropriate to offer to pray with your adversary, even if they are of another faith system.

9.) Confess your own failings.

No one is perfect. It is important to realize our own faults and weaknesses. We have all been affected by systems outside of ourselves and forces that work in ourselves promoting hatred, bias, and conflict. Admit it. Ask for forgiveness from your adversary for one’s own failings.

10.) Forgive.

Even if you do not receive forgiveness based upon your own confession, go ahead and issue a statement of forgiveness to the adversary. However, the adversary needs to know that his or her hurtful practices cannot continue just because you have forgiven them.

Normally one ends writings with some kind of conclusion…. In this case let’s not do that. Facing conflict is a work in progress that seems to bring about temporary conclusions… Let’s leave this a work in progress… Please add your own thoughts and give your own input into this continuing field of study.

Grace & Peace,

John Cooper

Devil’s Advocate

Devil’s Advocate

I am reading a book, “Blood Guilt”, by Phillip P. Kapusta http://www.covenant.nu/ concerning Christian Responses to America’s War on Terror. In this book, Mr. Kapusta takes the position of Devil’s Advocate on pages 136 through 140 in describing how Christian pastors and teachers, especially perhaps those, in my view of the TV and radio types, outline their sermons, writings, and reasoning processes regarding supporting the predominate government’s desire to send men (and now women) to war and fight and kill…

I am reminded of the Apostle Paul, and how in some places in the New Testament he appears to argue his opponent’s views so well, one might think he is teaching it, even better than his opponent. Then he comes back and dissects his opponents view with his own position.

In this vein, I would like to help, using Mr. Kapusta’s writings, how Theologians and Preachers may prepare their speeches and sermons regarding what appears to be an upcoming war with Iran.[1] http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=27471 I will condense his writings for space requirements, but it appears the outline is the same one used Post Constantine by mainstream Christianity folks of all stripes.

1.) Expose the impracticality of following Jesus’ teachings of love and forgiveness to military enemies.
2.) Declare Jesus’ instructions regarding turning the other cheek, and loving one’s enemies apply only to one’s personal enemies, not to the enemies of the state in which one happens to live.
3.) Attack “”pacifism” as being naive and stupid. Do not define what pacifism is, except in purgative terms.
4.) Confuse the roles of Servants of Christ and servants of Caesar. Meld belief in Christianity with belief in one’s own nation. Make Christianity and Nationalism synonymous. We are a Christian Nation, even if those we fight against also claim to be Christians… ( I pause to lament the bloodshed of Islam sects against other of Islam’s sects also.)
5.) Teach that patriotism is a Christian virtue. Democracy and freedom are what Jesus would believe in and even Jesus would fight for Democracy and Freedom…

6.) Speak of those against war as threats to Democracy and Freedom, as unpatriotic and traitors.
7.) Picture the enemy as evil. Teach that the enemy is against God and Jesus.
8.) Call upon the long tradition of “great” theologians who believe in Christians going to war throughout history since Christ. Be sure to leave out the Christian History of the first three Centuries after Christ, for that would not support your view that Christians should go to war and kill others, and each other, for that matter.
9.) Compare the ultimate sacrifice soldiers make and the sacrifice of Jesus. (Note that I am not saying soldiers do not sacrifice for their country, and I appreciate their sacrifice, but that sacrifice is not the same as Jesus’ sacrifice)
10.) Appeal to emotion. Be emotional… Picture that if we do not take preemptive action now, hoards of the enemy will invade our shores, rape our women and kill our families. Advise stockpiling weapons and food in advance for such disasters.
11.) Be sure that the meaning of Christ’s sufferings and becoming like him in his death is that the enemy’s blood, not ours is shed, and that our blood is not shed in Martyrdom….
12.) Quote Jesus:
Luke 22:36-37

36 “He said to them, “But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don’t have a sword , sell your cloak and buy one. 37 It is written: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors’; and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is written about me is reaching its fulfillment.” ”
NIV
Do not mention how hard it will be to bear the cross and the sword simultaneously.
13.) Refer to Old Testament wars where God instructed Israel to fight and to kill their enemies. Disregard how many times God delivered the children of Israel into the hands of the enemy himself, and warned Israel not to fight. Fail to mention we are no longer under the law.
14.) Mention the faith of the Roman soldiers in the Gospel and how Jesus never instructed them to give up soldiering. (keep this as an argument from silence) Never mind the Roman Oaths of Allegiance to Caesar and that Roman soldiers were the ones who persecuted Christians, feed them to lions in the Coliseum, and whipped, mocked, and killed Jesus.
15.) Quote from the Apostle Paul where he used military service as analogous for the Christian way of life. Say this proves Paul legitimized soldiering and participation in warfare. Don’t mention that Paul uses slavery as an analogy for the Christian way of life also.
16.) Be sure to tell the story of Jesus taking a whip and driving out the animals and money changers. Equate this as approval to use machine guns, grenades, drones, and bombs in killing people. (Do not mention that Jesus’ driving out the animals probably saved their lives from sacrifice, not killed them)
17.) Quote Jesus’ saying:
Matt 10:34-36

34 “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace , but a sword. 35 For I have come to turn

“‘a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—
36 a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’
NIV

(Ignore the parallel passage in Luke 12:51 that replaces “sword” with “division”)

18.) Make Romans 13 your most important “proof text”….
Rom 13:1-3
13:1 Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong
NIV
Don’t read the whole chapter, just pick and choose these few verses. Above all do not read all of the book of Romans, which is about radical submission to civil laws, and civil authority, and that warfare and military service are never mentioned at all..

Well, there you have it…. I think you will recognize you may have heard this logic before. If one needs to prepare a sermon on calling Christians to war, (the upcoming Iran war?), this is how it has been done for years. I even have a distant cousin, who perhaps used the same details in drawing young men to war during the Revolutionary War. His name was Peter Muhlenburg. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Muhlenberg He was related through my 8th Great Grandfather, Rev. Anthony Jacob Henkel . I quote from the footnote:
“Rev. Jacob Anthony Henkel, http://www.ncgenweb.us/catawba/henkel/b25112.htm who came to America in 1718, was a descendant of Count Henkel von Donnersmark; Rev. Jacob Anthony Henkel was instrumental in bringing to America the famous Rev. Peter Muhlenburg, who descended from the Henkel family. Rev. Peter Muhlenburg was a Major-General in the Revolutionary War, and as such gained much renown. Most every school boy knows the story of how Rev. Peter Muhlenburg, pastor of the Lutheran Church at Woodstock, Virginia, clad in his long black silk clerical gown, preached a patriotic sermon to his people, and then opening his robe, disclosed a Colonel’s uniform underneath. Laying the robe aside, he said: “The time to fight has come.” He enlisted over a hundred of his congregation in the service of his adopted country.

Out of love for the Henkel family, from which Peter Muhlenburg descended, he gave the robe to the student, Rev. Paul Henkel, asking that it remain in the ministerial line of the Henkel family. From Rev. Paul, the robe went to his oldest son; then to another son, Rev. Andrew Henkel; from Rev. Andrew Henkel to his nephew, Rev. Socrates Henkel, D.D., whose mother was Katherine Hoyl, dau. of “Politician Peter” Hoyl, of Lincoln County, N.C. ”

I have seen this robe in the Lutheran Seminary in Germantown, Philadelphia, Pa. It is the Muhlenberg Robe . http://www.pbs.org/opb/historydetectives/investigation/muhlenberg-robe/ I am a descendant of this line of ministers and early American pioneers, going even farther back to the Mayflower on the Cooper side. I must say misrepresenting Scriptures in the way of some of my forefathers is not something to be proud of.
Yet, this article is entitled, “Devil’s Advocate” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devil’s_advocate Would that mean me? Who is on God’s side? Who is on the Devil’s side? Is the one on God’s side the one who takes off his preaching robe, as did Peter Muhlenburg, Revealing his Revolutionary War uniform below, and enlisting hundreds of men to fight on God’s side? Are we as Christians to take of the robes of Christ when it comes time to fight for the state and reveal our submission to the State, wearing robes of soldiers? Again, I am reminded of the robes we are to be in when Jesus returns, white, pure and clean, not good ones to fight in… And, it is Jesus, whose robes are soaked in blood, His own blood, that is…

John Cooper

Bird on a Wire

Bird on a Wire

Upon leaving work this afternoon around 7 PM, my eyes were diverted by a beautiful Red Cardinal bird flying through the air that rested upon a Hi Line wire just outside of our business… I stopped to reflect on the setting sun shining on its gleaming breast high up on the wire. I also saw another bird, perhaps a swallow of some kind coming to rest upon the roof ledge of our warehouse. My truck was just outside the door so I leaned upon the hood, taking everything in. I heard sounds of other birds singing in the dusk of the afternoon…. They were singing to each other, as I imagined songs of love, thankfulness, and happiness…

It seems rare that I pause long anymore to listen to the sounds of nature, to gaze into the starry sky, or think about nature as I did as a boy growing up in the farmland of Illinois. I remembered the time, as a testosterone laded youth, I would take my BB gun or a 22 rifle and shoot birds just as sport. I also remembered the time that as a boy, just South of one of my best boyhood friends, Bob Rubbert, on the right side of the road, going South, (I can take you there) that I took a rock from the gravel road and threw it at a bird, a sparrow, I believe, on a power line wire by the side of the road, and killed it. Feathers flew…. I am not now proud of my actions….

Before leaving work, I had been contemplating the inclusiveness of the triune God that Christians are supposed to believe in. I was thinking of how much God loves everyone, (One God, by the way) and how much he cares for each of us even after our deaths….

Then the bird on a wire thing….

I was reminded of the passage of Luke 12 where Jesus says, “I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him! Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.”

If not one of these sparrows have been forgotten, I can imagine that God has not forgotten the sparrows I killed… I can also imagine how much more he loves all of his creation, including human beings who have killed each other, and that none of them are forgotten… What love is this, and how can it be? There is no fear in this love. This love does not carry swords around and this love would not even think of making a nuclear weapon, let alone use it, as some have done… How can it be, that we, supposedly intelligent human beings cannot hear the songs of the birds singing love songs to each other in the fading light of day?

Listen….

Listening is one of the keys of conflict resolution, of coming to Peace with one another…. Let us pause, lean upon something, and just listen to each other… We need each other… Each of us has a place on this earth and are not and will not be forgotten…. Nor, do we need to fear death.

Let us listen to each other’s heartbeats as we hold each other’s babies, hearts beating next to ours, as we embrace each other, as we give our unconditional love to each other, and sing and tell each other that we love you…

Quite a simple solution to the world’s apparently unsolvable problems, some would say, but I say, “a little bird told me to tell you”

Love & Peace,

John Cooper

Enemy Love as the Key to the Gospel of Peace

Enemy Love as the Key to the Gospel of Peace

Throughout history mankind has sought the key to peace with one another. Many methods have been tried to bring peace to the world. The most consistent and predominate method of peacemaking is what some term the Myth of Redemptive Violence. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myth_of_redemptive_violence) Since Cain killed Abel, this method has been used consistently in human attempts to bring peace to this earth.

 
The Myth of Redemptive Violence has never solved mankind’s problems with one another throughout thousands of years, no matter how many times it is tried over and over again. It is impossible to defeat Evil with Evil. Evil must be defeated with Good, self-sacrificial good, or from a Christ centered perspective, Cruciform Love.

 
We all live in and live through and are affected by various systems in our journey through life. There are educational systems, political systems, religious systems, gender based systems, patriarchal systems, tribe based systems, racial systems, family systems, community systems, etc. All these systems vary throughout the world and throughout our lives as we move through and are affected by these systems. I realize myself, I am writing, even though in my own personal journey, that I have moved through various systems, which currently I write from being influences by a Judeo-Christian system, and I am affected by a Western democratic political system. ((Refer to Dr. Frank J. Ostrowski’s book, “Beyond Systems: Achieving Peace Through Our Shared Humanity”, (http://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Systems-Achieving-Through-Humanity/dp/1425721443) for additional understanding of systems.)) We must move beyond our own individual systems as the end of this peacemaking process. We must also value other perspectives to Peacemaking, even if they do not come from the system by which we have been influenced.

 
I believe Jesus radically moved beyond his Jewish system, and radically beyond his Roman Empire political system. His radical beliefs challenged and over time drastically affected and changed the systems in which he lived, and still continue to radically affect the systems in which we live now. (http://www.amazon.com/Politics-Jesus-John-Howard-Yoder/dp/0802807348) (http://perthanabaptists.files.wordpress.com/2008/06/politics-of-jesus-simplified-january-2005.pdf) Jesus challenged the Myth of Redemptive Violence. Although he was offered the Kingdoms of the World at virtually no cost as far as losing his life is concerned, he chose to take a different path regarding the defeat of Evil. It was a costly path, that of Cruciform Love. So must we, if we are to defeat Evil, as Christ followers, choose the same costly path.

 
It appears the vast majority of “Christians” do not choose this path, the same one as Jesus, but keep choosing the path of Redemptive Violence, keep going to war with one another and other Christian and non-Christian countries, and keep undermining the political systems of other countries at our own whims over and over and over again. As I write, world tensions are being tuned regarding the Iranian nuclear weapons disagreement. Of course, we and Israel, are preparing for war, the same method we used unsuccessfully in Iraq, and Afghanistan, to name just two ventures, not even knowing the reason we are doing these things. Perhaps the reason is, as Pavlov’s dog, we are just conditioned to react in these manners and can think of nothing else.

 
I cannot think of a war that has brought lasting peace. I can think of cases where, after war, new generations are born and grow up across nationalistic and political divides, to like one another, then eventually to begin to love one another. I can think of when I visited Germany perhaps 20 or more years ago, that I could sense animosity in some of the older generation, some of the men in particular, yet sensed contrition, and willingness to move on in peace among the younger generation. As older generations die out, hope springs that younger generations can bring change to this earth. For instance, in Iran today, I believe 70% of Iranians have been born since the Revolution of 1979. Perhaps the young of our world can look beyond the hatred and bitterness fostered by historic myths and gradually overcome corrupt political systems of all kinds, including that of our own United States of America.

 
Why can we not as nations and as people begin to like each, then to love each other, before war, instead of after war? Why can we not move beyond our systems and love one another more readily?
I believe Jesus presented the key to Peace in advance, as another way of expressing that he himself was our personified key of peace, namely that we should “Love our enemies, and do good to those who despitefully use us.” Although very few “Christians” carry this key, or have ever used it, or tried to use it, I believe this key will open doors to peace beyond nationalistic systems, political systems, racial systems, gender systems, and all systems. It is the key to moving beyond systems, to love one another as fellow human beings as brothers and sisters, whether we are Christians or not. After all, we are all humans. The key to the Gospel of Peace which all human beings may use, is enemy love, a matter that very few  seem to understand. One day I will write about the Gospel of Peace also, but I believe if we can begin to understand the way Jesus moved beyond the systems in which he lived we will begin to understand the Gospel of Peace, which is Good News this broken world so desperately needs, and has needed for thousands of years. This is a walk of Faith, not of sight.

 
Let us all, even if we are not “Christians”, take this key in our hand, it is a Universal key, that anyone can use, whether “Christian” or not, that of Loving our Enemies, and follow the example of Jesus, at least in this one regard, and open the doors of Peace and Nonviolence not just for yourself, but your children and future generations. Jesus dying for us while we were still his enemies brings to us the good news of the Gospel of Peace that God is not mad at us, but He is now at Peace with us and beacons us all to come to him and live in Peace with him and with each other. This, to me, is Jesus’ radical intention, that we should dispose of the Myth of redemptive Violence, the myth that one defeats Evil with more Evil, that one brings Peace to the world with War, but that we bring Peace to the world by Loving our Enemies.

Grace & Peace,

 
John Cooper