Church Chat

As regular readers know, two of the founding principles of the Church of the Infinite Chasm are that 1.) creation as the explanation for the origin of life deserves your consideration; and 2.) that religion is one of the primary reasons people switch religions from whatever they once were to atheism.

Our sermons sometimes delve into science, sometimes into scripture. Today, let’s go with the latter. Is religion a force for good in the world? Certainly its stated principles are. Most religions teach that it’s wrong to kill, steal, lie, et cetera. But do they practice what they preach? To take but one example, warfare is very, very rarely not raging someplace on planet Earth; it’s not uncommon for several unrelated wars to break out in different places simultaneously. Where does religion stand on the topic?

Most religions are usually silent on the topic of war at best, and they often actively endorse and support the war effort of the country in which they operate. As a result, Lutheran ministers in Germany blessed Nazi troops during World War II, while their Lutheran counterparts in America blessed American troops. Catholic priests in America prayed for an Allied victory; Catholic priests in Germany prayed for the Axis to win. Lutherans were killing Lutherans and Catholics were killing Catholics, and the mainstream religions were silent. Correction. They were not silent. They were actively supporting the armies of their respective nations. As pictured here, nothing has changed in the decades since.

During and after World War II and in the countless wars since, thoughtful people have wondered about religion’s support of war. Is it right? Does the Bible endorse or support it? I won’t bore you with chapter and verse, but I’ll invite you to consider just two Bible references and the lessons they teach. Let’s consider Jesus, the founder of Christianity and therefore the person upon which all Christian religions and their followers would be expected to model their conduct. He said more than once, “My followers are no part of this world.” That certainly could be construed as a call for neutrality, not active involvement in political and military matters. More to the point, the Bible’s account of the final night before Jesus’ execution includes his arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane. During the commotion the apostle Peter hacked off the ear of a servant of the high priest in defense of Jesus.

Here’s a question for any Christian to ponder: what would be a more worthy cause than taking up arms to defend the son of God? Is there one? It’s hard to imagine a better reason for some zealous Christian to use a weapon. But Jesus’ reaction was immediate: he instantly told Peter to put the sword away, and then he healed the man’s wound. This event was the source of the famous quote, “Those who live by the sword will die by the sword.”

Contrary to what many believe, the Bible isn’t a collection of rules and regulations; it leans more on principles than rules. It teaches lessons using true life accounts, along with illustrations, proverbs and parables. There are many Bible principles that argue against participation in the affairs of nations than the two briefly alluded to here. Where does your religion stand on the matter?