A response to me
So in response to what I have already written for today, I'm going to put something up here. I was hesitant about sharing and was originally going to put up all sorts of excuses for it. But I'm just going to put it here now, and you can see what you think.
I realised something recently. The reason that we have an issue with miltant language is because we don't actually think we are at war. We throw around "consideration for others' perspectives" as an escuse to abandon our military terminology, but it is a lot of hogwash. We wouldn't be influenced by other people's perspectives if we knew we were at war. A militant paradigm would be essential! But if we don't believe that we are at war, then it is simply anon-essential, slightly antiquated window dressing that is inconvenietn to explain and perhaps no worth our time. Expecially if it's just about our own sensibilities. But it's not. We are a war. Scripture tells us we are (Ephesians 6:12 is always a good one). It's just a matter of whether we choose to engage in this war or not, but this choice doesn't change the fact there is a war. Just as Aragorn warned the kin gof Rohan, "Open war is upon you whether you risk it or not." Our engagement doesn't change the enemy's position. We either fight or be assaulted. The choice is ours.
But in a world such as today, there are so many distractions that would attempt to convince us that there is no war. Look around you. The message of the world is, "It's all about you. It's all about your comfort, your status, your security." We are subtlely (and not so subtlely) lulled into believeing, and maybe even wanting to believe, that we aren't here for others and we certainly aren't at war! Who remembers that there is a war when you can push on button to access a world of entertaiment with on-demand cable, another button for your climate controlled air conditioning and a few more buttons to order next week's groceries from the internet enabled refrigerator. And while many of us may not have these specific mod-cons, I think you get my point. (Funny how modern conveniences somehow slip so quickly from conveniences to cons, of the pros and cons type.) And so in a land that promotes this much comfort and luxury, it is more than helpful, it may even be essential to take on a militant form as our expression of the Christian faith to remind us that we are at war. Remember that one, we are at war!
And imagine if we did remember it. Imagine if we lived everyday with the awareness of the spiritual combat taht rages around us. If we did remember, and we believed the position of authority that we have been given it it, we would be taking ground left, right and centre. We wouldn't be waiting for things to come to us, we'd be going out and claiming them. We wouldn't be shrinking in 'submission' to the attacks that attempt to overthrow us, we'd be staring it in the face and staring it down, and commanding it gone to where it should be. There'd be no pew sitting, no faction fights (who fights with each other when there's a real war to wage) and we'd probably get a whole lot more serious about training and being in shape. We might actually look and act like a people at war!
So bring on the militarianism I say. We are at war. I need to remember this. If we are to succeed we must all remember this, and engage. And if the world doesn't understand (somewhere along the lines wasn't that to be expected?) then maybe we should explain it to them. Might just be a great platform from which to talk about the gospel. You know, the greatest war story ever told?!
posted by bec @ 5:50 pm
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