Dan Minette wrote:
By no stretch of the imagination was Bin Laden opressed.
Certainly not economically. His personal concerns are unknown to me, but I'm certain that he may be reacting to his perception of how "his people," however he might categorize them, are treated. I'm not sure it matters. I suspect that we could find economically oppressed people among those whom are led by him.
In any event, I don't think we are called to figure out the self-justifications of a terrorist, so I'm not sure where you were going with this...?
But, I don't see how the West treating the people of the Middle East
better will change things all that much.
Are we not called to treat people with justice and mercy -- love -- simply because they are people, rather than to achieve some outcome? Aren't we called to do small things with great love (Mother Theresa's words), rather than trying to focus on the big picture of West v. Middle East?
Is it Christian to measure our morality on outcomes? Where is the faith in that? In my experience, faith (and peace, joy, happiness) has meant doing the next right thing without being attached to the outcome, trusting that the big picture is already covered.
I don't hear God calling on me to wipe out evil-doers, but I certainly hear a call to love mercy, do justice and walk humbly!
So, we are called to simply pray in response to evil. Was it wrong to stop the genocide in the Balkins? Would it be wrong to stop it in the Sudan? Are Christians required to be passive, worrying only about their own sins?
Was this sarcasm? I don't recall that you're ever sarcastic, but I'm unsure if you're really serious, since I didn't say I hear a call to prayer alone.
So, what I hear from this is that we should let evil happen in the world, and wait for divine intervention to stop it? It would be wrong to work against those that do evil.
Only if you take Psalm 37 out of context.
You described some things about Lutheranism, but left out "just war" theology.
"Without armaments peace cannot be kept; wars are waged not only to repel injustice but also to establish a firm peace" (Martin Luther).
Obedience to authority was a strong theme in Nazi Germany, which many argue was encouraged by Lutheran tradition. Lutherans have no corner on truth. What is the first casualty of war?
Nick
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