Wednesday, May 16, 2007

God and Empire

I'm not going to comment on this book because I have not read it yet. I do like the description of it in this link. But they are trying to get you to buy their book too. I am at a crossroads as to whether or not we should be in Iraq right now. So I think I may buy this book and see what it says and how the writer is interpreting the scriptures. Here is a brief excerpt describing the book.

In God and Empire Crossan surveys the Bible from Genesis to Apocalypse, or the Book of Revelation, and discovers a hopeful message that cannot be ignored in these turbulent times. The first-century Pax Romana, Crossan points out, was in fact a "peace" won through violent military action. Jesus preached a different kind of peace—a peace that surpasses all understanding—and a kingdom not of Caesar but of God.

The Romans executed Jesus because he preached this Kingdom of God, a kingdom based on peace and justice, over the empire of Rome, which ruled by violence and force. For Jesus and Paul, Crossan explains, peace cannot be won the Roman way, through military victory, but only through justice and fair and equal treatment of all people

3 Comments:

Blogger friend said...

I think true spiritual freedom (the kingdom type) can only come from peaceful means and measures....

But freedom of life & liberty, speech and religion must often start with war - America had to overcome the bonds of british oppresson with war, America had to fight a war to remain united and ultimately free slaves, in WW2 we had to fight a war to avoid being bombed by Japan - and to help stop hitler.

So for sure war never stopped anything - except facism, nazi-ism, and communism, totalitarianism, and the purposefull annihilation of a race of people because they were jewish.

Ok - see you at lunch tomorrow.

8:36 PM  
Blogger Keith said...

Dear Secret Rapture,

All I can say is, Are you on hallucinogens? You are absolutely entitled to your voice, therefore I will not delete your comment. I read some of your stuff. It was some of the most bizarre stuff I have ever read.

I don't agree with any of it, but I did find it all interesting. If not a bit strange and whacky.

Be well! Or get well?

10:24 AM  
Blogger ckincaid@xdx.com said...

Actually, the Jews had Jesus executed for blasphemy. The Romans seemed pretty ambivalent about it as I read it. They wanted to let Him go.

Regarding the war on Iraq. Maybe we went in there under questionable circumstances, but as part of the "War on Terror" (which is very real), it is necessary to take these governments out before they take us out. The question is not whether we should be there or not. First of all, because we are there, and giving our enemys a timetable for our retreat (which is what the Dems are calling for) is ridiculous, and unprecedented in history. We're going to let John Edwards and Hillary Clinton develop our war strategy? I don't think so. Second, Islamic Fundamentalists want The West GONE. They have come after us, and they'll continue to.

The following comments are not made from a Christian perspective (which should color our individual decisions); rather, I'm speaking from a global geopolitical perspective. "What would Jesus do?" is a question we ask ourselves when we make decisions, it's not a question governments ask. This is a highly arguable point, I know, but it's what I think.

The only mistake we made in Iraq was not going in hard enough. Also, we cared about the media coverage of collateral damage. The only thing those people understand is brute force and violent. We were too easy going in, we don't have the stomach to do as a nation what it would really take to get their attention. And that's probably a good thing, but it's made this an ineffective assault in my opinion.

Anyway, there's some controversial commentary for ya. . .

6:44 PM  

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