[Peace-discuss] RE:Supporting the troops? Who's responsible?

[John W.]

At 11:28 AM 3/4/2006, Phil Stinard wrote:

>Hi Carl,
>
>Thank you for your insightful comments.  I did hear Bush's comments about 
>combatting Islamic extremists and was wondering how he defines "Islamic 
>extremists."  I don't know whether he believes what he's saying, or 
>whether he thinks he can garner support from whoever's support is needed 
>to continue the war.  If you have any more insights on those questions, 
>feel free to expound.
>
>My disagreement with Soderstrom's article is that he was painting 
>Christian fundamentalists as supporting a religious crusade.  Here's an 
>example from the article:  "In order to justify such behavior, Americans 
>(especially fundamentalist Christians) have found it increasingly necessary to
>con themselves into believing that our children are, for whatever reason, 
>more precious than that of our enemy's children...."  Thinking over the 
>five Christians who are closest to me and whose opinions matter deeply to 
>me, not one of them supports what Bush is doing or believes that he is 
>doing God's will, nor do they believe that one human life is more precious 
>than another.  I'm really tired of people pigeonholing me and telling me 
>what I believe.
>Such carelessness is probably one reason why progressive groups don't 
>receive more support than they do from Christian fundamentalists.  (I'm 
>defining a Christian fundamentalist as someone who believes that the Bible 
>is the inspired word of God and who shares core beliefs about man's 
>nature, sin, salvation, repentance, etc.  In NO WAY can that be construed 
>as supporting a so-called holy war.)

Words, no matter how well chosen, ultimately fail to convey the totality of 
reality.  I too call myself a "fundamentalist Christian", Phil, and feel 
essentially as you and your five Christian friends do.  But surely you 
recognize that there is a sizeable number of people who also self-identify 
as "fundamentalist Christians" and who wholeheartedly support Bush's war 
and feel that he is somehow doing the will of God?  It's a pity that we get 
lumped in with them, but you can hardly blame people who know little of 
true Biblical Christianity for having a tendency to throw the baby out with 
the bath water.  You and I did it ourselves, did we not, before we "saw the 
light"?

John Wason