Wednesday, February 02, 2005

Onward Christian Soldier

Ambra Nykol is asking for commentary on this Peter Jennings quote:
The image of a man (praying) on his knees with a weapon on his shoulder is incongruous.
I whole-heartedly disagree. Not only that, but I find Jennings statement willfully ignorant.

Was it not Moses himself who lead the host of Israel against the Amorites who rose up against them as they fled from Pharoah in Egypt? Did the Lord not empower his people when Moses raised his hands is supplication? When Joshua conquered and subdued the Promised Land, didn't he do it with force of arms as well as the power of the Lord? Of course. The Lord is a God of peace surely. But he is also a just God and mighty in battle. He is not a being to be triffled with.

Frankly, were I a soldier, I know I would ask for the Lord's guidance and protection continually. The role of the soldier is a difficult one. Not only does it involve danger and threat to your very life, it involves wielding the power of life and death for others as well. As a firearms owner myself, I realize that this is a great responsibility which cannot be taken lightly. I thank the Lord that the men weilding weapons on my behalf are also coming before Him for their ultimate marching orders. May their prayers conform their desires to the Just and Right paths the Lord would have them take this day.

For all these reasons I am thankful that many members of the military are people of faith. But of course Jennings doesn't understand any of this because he follows a more liberal diety. A god of peace perhaps, but not a god of action. Perhaps he cries over the suffering of earth and feels your pain, but he seems incapable of actually doing something, either directly or throught the hearts of men, about it. I just can't follow that kind of supreme being myself.

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