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In some ways, I’m better at this in person. I was asked to give a
summation of where I am at in regards to Christians and nonviolence,
government, etc. It is not exhaustive on my thoughts, where I am at in
life, or on the matters themselves, but it is, in one place, some of my
more recent and terrible thoughts.
How is a Christian supposed to act in this world? When one
observes, even superficially, the current state of affairs around the
globe, it is almost paralyzing. The evil around us seems in a perpetual
influx and at times poverty, injustice, and immorality are so rampant
that it appears that there is nothing one can do. To think critically
almost seems to be too much – after all, if you can’t trust the
figurative Wal-Mart’s, CNN’s, or the (literal) American government, who
can you trust? A relative of mine said, in response to a critical
statement made towards big corporations, that, “you can’t think like
that or you’ll end up having to analyze everything around you.” It’s
true: if we begin the deconstruction process of question the social
norms and constructs, ideologies we have most likely been taught from
birth, then it seems that there is no plausible end. Yet I would argue
that thinking critically is the job of a Christian; more accurately, we
are called to live as Jesus, which requires a degree of resistance and
a speaking of the truth. In a world of increasing globalization (which
I do not see as positive), injustices perpetrated half a world away
have potential ramifications for us. We—the church, G-d’s body, the
Bride of Christ, —are called to be a light, or witness, to the nations,
and I feel that there are some very concrete ways of doing this, a few
of which I will give my more recent thoughts on.
The discussion of nonviolence is a substantial one. To paraphrase
Peter Craige, it’s sad that Christians today are more concerned about
sex (something inherently good) as opposed to violence (something
inherently evil). I adhere to nonviolence completely and will explain
why, but we must first acknowledge that there is no proper terminology
for this type of Christian action. To claim the title of a pacifist
tends to conjure up images of, at best, the avoidance of conflict, and
at worse, apathy. This is not what I am referring to. The only major
historical examples we are given of practitioners of nonviolence (and
although there are plenty, history is notorious for burying their
stories) are Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi. By no
means am I in anyway trying to belittle what these giants have done for
history and what they have done in pushing back the darkness, but their
end goal of nonviolent participation was mainly political. Again, I am
not diminishing their lives and actions; they should be followed as
examples of what it means to live in G-d’s love and trust.
Seeing as the terms pacifism and nonviolence are not entirely
satisfactory and do not present us with the holistic way in which I am
trying to paint my thoughts, I am in search of the correct expression.
I wish that I could simply claim that I am a follower of Jesus, a
Christian, and that would be the whole of the matter, but the myriad of
sins and bloodshed committed in the name of Jesus, past and present,
have betrayed his peaceful message.
But why practice nonviolence and love of enemy? Because in doing so we
place our faith, not in the myth of redemptive violence, not in self,
but rather in the hope of our coming king. We humble ourselves before
G-d, surrendering our will to that of the perfect judge. I’m saddened
that, as Gandhi said, “the only people who don’t see Jesus’ teachings
as nonviolent are Christians.” Unfortunately, it seems the people who
require a nice, theologically sound argument for peaceableness toward
enemies are modern-day “Christians.” Jesus’ message was in unique
opposition to prevailing assumptions of both his day and ours.
Salvation has come, not to one group, but is in reach of all – even the
enemy. Jesus ran towards conflict and met it head on, but never
violently. The “turn the other cheek” verse, as Walter Wink explains in
Jesus and Nonviolence, was not a gritting of the teeth, but rather a
subversive act that leveled the playing field in ancient Israel. That
is the purpose of nonviolence: to expose the absurdity of violence by
turning it on its head and at the same time, by believing in our
ecclesiology as the body of Christ, bearing witness to the coming
kingdom of G-d, which is “not of this world, but is for this world,” to
quote Andre Trochme. Love of enemy becomes a mark of obedience, and a
sign of the coming eschatological kingdom, which the church is supposed
to be an “outpost” for. Because of the cross, G-d’s kingdom is here and
coming. Just as a pregnant mother is with child but it is still coming,
so is the earth pregnant with the coming kingdom. We are to refuse
violence, just as Jesus refused violence, and do something creatively
about the existence of it. By doing so, we place our faith in G-d and
his just vindication; that G-d will intervene miraculously. But even if
we die and never see justice done on this earth, we know that
ultimately G-d will avenge us in the most perfect manner. By responding
with violence, we seriously risk the possibility of the redemption and
reconciliation of those who commit acts of violence. There is much to
be said about the love of enemies and what that practically looks like.
I have never had to love an assailant or been in any semblance of such
a situation, but I pray that I will able to be such a witness for the
power of G-d in the world should the situation arise.
A Christian response in regards to governing authorities is a
sensitive one as well. We as Christians deal with a “dual citizenship,”
as it were – we are to be “in this world but not of it,” “not
conforming to the patterns of this world,” of which violence is one. We
are aliens in a strange land, to be sure. The classic verse in the
bible in regards to governments is Romans 13. If someone today reads
Romans 13 and thinks they are to be submissive to governing
authorities, I implore them to read the chapter before, Romans 12, as
well as (ironically?) Revelation 13. Using Romans 13 as your “biblical”
argument for submissions toward governing authorities is problematic
for two reasons. One is that there is no qualifying statement for which
government we are to submit to. It doesn’t say a democracy, or one that
is (seemingly) doing G-d’s will. On the contrary, using the chapter as
your basis, means you are to submit to the Hitler’s and the Hussein’s
of the world. The second involves a redemptive hermeneutical look at
scripture. This is a slippery slope, yes, but we must look at the
overall narrative of the bible, not individual verses. If there is some
truth to be found in Romans 13 regarding submission to government, it
probably has been lost. Just as we no longer think slavery is a good
practice, is this possibly how we are to look at Romans 13? I’m not
sure, but an intelligent reading of scripture leads us this overarching
biblical narrative: Do not put your faith in Babylon/Empire/America. It
is a system contrived by man, for man, and not those who adhere to the
Christian law of love. Jesus viewed all man-made institutions as
relative; they can be instruments of G-d, but only insofar as they are
open to his rulership. Political institutions were not a part of G-d’s
creation, but rather a result of the fall. After Cain killed Abel, G-d
starts “politicizing” and says that whoever kills Cain will be killed
in order to keep a general peace. Later on down the line, Lamech says
that if that is to happen to whoever kills Cain, whoever kills him will
get 7 times that, essentially showing that violence begets violence.
Romans 12 outlines a Christian lifestyle, and Romans 13 is a response
to chapter 12: how Christians are to view government, which is to say,
governments exist to keep the peace (general, not G-d’s Shalom). They
are a threat for pragmatic peace, and it is the job of the church to
work for the greater peace. G-d is at work through two institutions in
the world: Governments and the church (that’s biblical) in an attempt
to reconcile the world to himself. Our job is to pick which one is
better. What’s sad is that, by and large, the church has essentially
moved toward the status quo standing, as Martin Luther King Jr. said,
as a tale light behind other community agencies (governments) rather
than a headlight leading men toward higher levels of justice.
A terribly common assumption with all of this is that a “good”
government exists for G-d (i.e. America) and therefore to serve the
state is to serve G-d. This is false. As Christians, we are not to be
antinomians (lawless creatures) with the Powers, rather we submit to
them in so far as it does not conflict with the word of G-d.
Governments want to see good for their people (some time), but they are
not the ultimate agents of good—the church is supposed to be. By trying
to “put the right people in office”, we put our faith in the Empire,
rather than G-d. And that will always leave us burned. The church is
supposed to be a light to the nations (empires) as an example of how to
be more moral. They will never achieve it, but by our lives we can hope
for some sort of impact. There will always be violence and nations will
always fight, but as Christians we are called above that.
Some say that our government here in America, while imperfect,
does guarantee and strive after a semblance of fairness. By refusing to
defend or help it, are somehow culpable for a “worsening rule” taking
over? Service given blindly to the state will lead to deterioration.
The church should never give allegiance to empire, even if the empire
protects it, but constantly call the state to a higher level of
morality. For if the church does not surpass the morality and justice
of the state, then we will have sadly lost our light.
“Jesus is Lord” is the most political statement I know. Above any
president, man, authority, pledge of allegiance, principality and
power, Jesus is Lord. I answer to him first and foremost. Our lives are
to be our witness, and that does not necessarily put us in conflict
with the state, but it probably will at some point.
This was not nearly as thorough as it could be, but perhaps gave some insight, and was also challenging.
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| Josh and I have decided to spend Spring Break Oh Great being brothers and being creative and the mountains are streams. ihavenocenter?
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...It's been over two months since I "clued" anyone in with e-words, and honestly, sometimes it feels like it's been that long in real time. Jones says otherwise, but I will now say my piece! (Give me grace...)
To those of you who don't know:
I have been a part of many fascinating things. I made a vow with the words of "maktub" and "thy will be done" and He lights my path, but only one stone at a time.
I now live in an intentional community in East Nashville on Sharpe Ave. I helped start (and am still starting) it with a few people I didn't know, even fewer who I knew fairly well, and only one I knew very well. These were his people, and this is G-d's thing, but here I am. There are 9 of us now, although we numbered 12 for a while (Travel Kids are notorious for leaving after a while anyway). 3 married couples and 3 of us single-folks.
And it's been good. Community is an adventure I've been sent on for a little while now, but I never knew how it would manifest itself. How it did was nothing, and with no one, like I imagined. It is trying of course, living in community intentionally. We're taking steps towards being an intentional community, but it's hard, especially for me while I am still in school. It is also hard being significantly farther away from my "old" life. I've struggled with maintaining certain aspects (they probably needed to be pruned anyway), but at the same time, this has caused me to be very...aware of my inner workings (pros and cons) and I've needed to just
be
and I'm learning a lot right now. Life, however different it was from one year ago (same yet not), is still in-freakin'-credible. It always seems to be an adventure.
Some pictures (I'm sorry I don't have a "group" picture of all of us):
  
(This one still likes me)
(Valentine's succulence)
We mostly just play with all the little kids on our street (there are many of them), build and ride bikes, talktalktalk, dododo (try!), plant vegetables and try to start gardens, wrestle, exercize creativity and play music, hang out with the poor/rich/homeless/yuppies/punks/hipsters/travel kids, dance, practice sustainability pretty seriously, and push back the darkness, in our own lives and in the lives of others. We try to be on the same page, but we're not. Still, the trying is what's most important.
-sigh-
I miss most. I know in many ways I have not "been here" like I should have been, especially for my loved ones who are not in NSV. Please, please - know how much I love, care, think about, and pray over you all. Family and friends alike. My life fluctuates constantly and is a wild, wild, wind, and I adapt to what seems days that were starkly different than the previous.
Life! and all who live under it.
Also - I got hit by a car on the tall bike (two bikes welded together). I am more than fine and it was actually funny and I know many people would have liked to have seen that.
"...tell him there is measure in everything, and so dance out the answer."
I guess that's all for now. I will see you all...
iamlookingforwardtospringbreak and just the warmth in general.
Whenever you hear from me again. Peace.
Is. 55:10-13
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| ...but I used my sister's shower products today, and I don't know what that says about me but I did it and seeing as since I've been home I haven't...stayed...in the same place at night and it won't stop tonight. I'm supposed to get on the rrrrrrrrrr-r-r-r-r-road to find myself, right (that's what i'm supposed to say?) but if you need a break from this town, you need a break from this town; you do need a break from this town but it's only seven hrs which isn't really any time that can amount to finding yourself. Deal another. That Burial and Jens Lekman albums should have made the list...
It rained the whole way home - not today, yesterday. I have an old train schedule of my dreams and I'm going to fall it out and follow it out because they aren't here aren't here aren't here aren't here theywilleatyoualive aren't here aren't here aren't here aren't here
A lady most familiar with the night once said to me:
"Hello better.
Make sure you look for me .
The fancy well-crafted player fidgeting or whose green glove
makes sound while her daughter’s small camera stares."
and then I saw that she wasn't real. Whatever.
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| The end of it all, I mean.
Kind of like a firework BOOM! because there was this nervous build up that was well yo...u know, boring and kind of anti-climactic; uneventful. But it was necessary (I think). Nothing was different and everything was safe and now there was an exPLOsion and everything is different and nothing is safe.
An explosion...
And colours and sparks and pretty patterns in the sky that makes people go "oooh" and "aaah" and a sort-of dust that lingers on even after the colours and sparks and pretty patterns are gone so you can still remember what the firework looked like because it's not the firework that is important but what the fireworkkk made you feel and think about.
...the car went zoom right on past me and I looked and it had spontaneity in tow.
It almost happened man, it almost happened. I almost worked more than I played.
In almost 4 days I went from one roommate to intentional community. 9 of us, only 1 of them is considered "my good friend" but they almost all are good friends and they soon really will be good friends and they are all already god friends.
To be sure.
"Ten seconds my man!"
I did really well in school this semester. But it was long and trying and different. I missed and I didn't. And now I'm REALLY interested to see how next semester will turn out. I think there are more than a few people making New Years resolutions to hang out with their friends more, and I am one of them.
The setting has now gone from west to east, literally and mentally.
"Moving on up to the east side. We finally..."
Merry Christmas! Yes! You'll probably get more out of me next time. I love you.
You will get my 10 favorite albums of the year, though (subject to change? sure, because I'm fairly certain I'll remember one I forgot)
and there's no order...but the first few are definitely the upper echelon or so.
Panda Bear - Person Pitch
Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam
Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
Justice - †
MIA - Kala
Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?
Radiohead - In Rainbows
Anberlin - Cities
(Pick any of the 2 to finish it off):
Wilco - Sky Blue Sky
Battles - Mirrored
Feist - The Reminder
LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver
Whatever. I got way into electronic music this year. Everyone's doing it.
2007: the Treat You Right year. That Panda Bear album blew/blows my mind and what did you think?
I think most of us will be in Nashville for New Years...
AKA - awesome.
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