President Bush's "theology of war"
Bishop Joseph Fiorenza, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, reminds us that seeing oneself as the agent of God in battling evil is not contrary to biblical teaching so long as the mission's focus is legitimate. The Nazis' call to rise up against the Jews was clearly evil. Dietrich Bonhoffer's call on German Christians to rise up against Hitler was clearly good. The focus of the mission is absolutely intrinsic to its morality. One has to wonder whether the professors would be so exercised if Mr. Bush had used good-and-evil imagery to fight, say, environmental pollution or "social injustice."
posted by David at 5:31 AM
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There is nothing intrinsically evil in seeing oneself as an agent of God.
Seeing oneself as an agent of God, and at the same time giving the finger while cameras are rolling to a women, too may not be evil but definitely strange behavior.
Then again, there is a certain someone who also sees himself as an agent of God. He goes by the name of Osama Bin Laden. He, and a large section of Muslims see his mission as legitimate, inevitable, and heavenly ordained. So is Bush the Christian Osama, or is Osama the Muslim Bush?
Legitimate mission. Legitimate according to whom? To your instinct? Legitimate according to American law? Legitimate according to international law? Legitimate because you are for restricting abortion (publicly) and therefore can do no wrong?
The Nazis call to rise up against jews was supported by many christians, as jews were supposed to be people who crucified Jesus. At that time, you could not live in Germany and say that the mission was 'clearly' evil. That 'clarity' comes easy when looking back. Perhaps George Bush's war is clearly evil too, if one looks back after ten years looking at mushroom clouds everywhere. The war is doing nothing but inciting Islamic fundamentalism everywhere in the world and turning America's past friends into foes. I dont live in America, and can see that happening around me. You know, in places you cant see from under that rock.
There are Sikhs in India who thought it was divinely ordained to fight and separate from the country.
The Muslims in Kashmir feel Allah is with them when they kill and rape innocents.
The HIndus in India feel the same when they killed Muslims and some Christians.
People who threw a bomb into a church in Pakistan too are confident eh hand of God is with them.
Ku Klux Klan is confident that they are guided by divine will.
The Protestants and Catholics in Ireland are both confident about the morality of their always being at each others throats.
In my local church group, there are many who think that they speak the word of God when they support Bush. There is an equal number who feel the same when they support Ralph Nader.
Ha.
I'm pretty sure TERRIER is not being guided by Divine Will.
Haha, anonymous :) Good one.
The original 'guided by divine will' appeared on Tv today, seen him? Nothing like the original, I say.
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