Chokehold

When I become convinced that I am right, I can be a formidable adversary.

We all can, I am sure.  I see it in so many circumstances, from minor altercations in line at the checkout, to negotiations in the board room.  We like supporting strong characters and consider the more forceful aggressor to be the strong one.

And Saul approved of their killing him. That day a severe persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout the countryside of Judea and Samaria. Devout men buried Stephen and made loud lamentation over him. But Saul was ravaging the church by entering house after house; dragging off both men and women, he committed them to prison. - Acts 8:1-3

I can't help but draw a parallel in today's reading to what has been happening in Iraq and Syria.  People are being dragged from their homes and carried off, some to be murdered, others to be turned into war slaves, uncommitted soldiers.

What right do we have to treat each other this way?

How can we believe this is how God intends us to be?

I watch my grandsons tease each other, pushing and pulling at each other's egos until one submits to the other and I see the seeds of real conflict. Taunting with verbal attacks and other short bursts of aggression are far different from outright hatred, but is it hatred that leads to war or something else?

I remember discussions in college about propaganda and how important it was to the war effort during the Second World War.  We needed to demonize the enemy in order to mobilize troops, engage communities in collecting metal and other materials, buying war bonds, and most importantly, sencing our children off to kill.

Was it hatred or fear that motivated us?

In a way, it was a religious war, with Hitler cast as the devil, with his angels in Italy and Japan, and the Allies fighting to restore the world to God's intent.

Not much has changed, except today, the role of the devil is being cast differently, and we aren't the ones doing the casting.

But there is hope.  We Christians remember Paul and tend to forget his prior life as Saul, overseer of the murder of Stephen.  We in the U.S. buy Japanese and German cars, visit Vietnam and struggle with the on again, off again good relations with Russia and a whole host of countries that bounce back and forth from friend to foe.

Can we find a way past the violence to live in peace?

In a stand off, the one who backs down loses, just like boys locked in a chokehold.  If I let go, you might retaliate and hurt me, so here we stay.

Lately, the chokehold has been broken, and people are dying.  Like the crowd that gathers around watching the boys fight, we avoid getting involved fearing a brawl.

Meanwhile, the fear grows and the temperature rises.

What is the answer?  Is there a way out that leads to peace, or do people need to change vor that to happen?

I don't hold out much hope for people changing their ways.  Do you?

More to come.