Mother Teresa adapted a prayer from the Bhagavad Gita and made it her own. I now make it mine as well:
"Lord, Teach us that even as the wonder of the stars in heaven only reveals itself in the silence of the night, so the wonder of God reveals itself in the silence of the soul. That in the silence of our hearts we may see the scattered leaves of all the universe bound up by love."
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Atheism, Morality, and the Great Insult
My feeble mind is gradually coming to understand the full, radical implications of atheism. And as I discover these, I cannot help but be incredibly insulted.
An atheist who still holds to some notion of morality (and most at least try to) is forced to admit that our inward moral inclinations are nothing more than genetic tricks played upon us by the process of natural selection to aid in the propagation of the human species. If I love my wife and feel that it is right to be faithful to her, this is because the impersonal, blind force of evolution has hard-wired me to think this way so that humankind will continue to dominate other forms of life. Monogamy is not "right" in the sense that it reflects some sort of supra-natural absolute; it is "right" only in that it coincides with my genetic make-up. The theist then asks, "And why ought I to do be moral if my morality is rooted in nothing more than chemicals, genes, and blind chance?" A good question, in my opinion.
This is where Nietzsche boldly declares the full implications of atheism. There is no objective "right" and "wrong." All that exists are "brute facts." Morality, then, is the ability to master these facts and no longer be hampered by petty moral codes. Pity and compassion are sins because they are signs of weakness. Morality is the "will to power" -- the ability to grab life by the balls and shape it according to your own will. In other words, Mother Teresa is not only stupid (for she fails to recognize her concern for the poor as a trick of nature), she is also downright evil (since she wrongly devotes her life to a cause which is incongruent with nature's brute facts).
This atheist line is all, of course, logically consistent. If you are willing to look at the genocide in Darfur and say "It is not evil. It simply is," then at least you are being true to your own philosophy. This atheist must be willing to look at a young man who gave up a better paying job, a more comfortable life, and a safe neighborhood for the sake of living incarnationally among the poor and say, "Poor misguided, Greg. He's devoting himself to a lie. He doesn't understand that he is a misfiring, a mistake of nature." (Richard Dawkinks calls "the urge to kindness -- to altruism, to generosity, to empathy, to pity" a "blessed" Darwinian misfiring).
Well I say to you, Mr. Dawkins, that I find that to be rather insulting. Fortunately for you, I believe it is a moral imperative to not retaliate when others insult you and mock you and say all kinds of evil about you. In fact, I believe that I ought to bless you and pray for you in spite of your huge insult. And, lucky for you, I believe that these imperatives come to me not from blind chance, but from the One who holds in his hands all Goodness and Beauty and Truth. Therefore, I forgive you and I hope you don't think it foolish of me to do so.
An atheist who still holds to some notion of morality (and most at least try to) is forced to admit that our inward moral inclinations are nothing more than genetic tricks played upon us by the process of natural selection to aid in the propagation of the human species. If I love my wife and feel that it is right to be faithful to her, this is because the impersonal, blind force of evolution has hard-wired me to think this way so that humankind will continue to dominate other forms of life. Monogamy is not "right" in the sense that it reflects some sort of supra-natural absolute; it is "right" only in that it coincides with my genetic make-up. The theist then asks, "And why ought I to do be moral if my morality is rooted in nothing more than chemicals, genes, and blind chance?" A good question, in my opinion.
This is where Nietzsche boldly declares the full implications of atheism. There is no objective "right" and "wrong." All that exists are "brute facts." Morality, then, is the ability to master these facts and no longer be hampered by petty moral codes. Pity and compassion are sins because they are signs of weakness. Morality is the "will to power" -- the ability to grab life by the balls and shape it according to your own will. In other words, Mother Teresa is not only stupid (for she fails to recognize her concern for the poor as a trick of nature), she is also downright evil (since she wrongly devotes her life to a cause which is incongruent with nature's brute facts).
This atheist line is all, of course, logically consistent. If you are willing to look at the genocide in Darfur and say "It is not evil. It simply is," then at least you are being true to your own philosophy. This atheist must be willing to look at a young man who gave up a better paying job, a more comfortable life, and a safe neighborhood for the sake of living incarnationally among the poor and say, "Poor misguided, Greg. He's devoting himself to a lie. He doesn't understand that he is a misfiring, a mistake of nature." (Richard Dawkinks calls "the urge to kindness -- to altruism, to generosity, to empathy, to pity" a "blessed" Darwinian misfiring).
Well I say to you, Mr. Dawkins, that I find that to be rather insulting. Fortunately for you, I believe it is a moral imperative to not retaliate when others insult you and mock you and say all kinds of evil about you. In fact, I believe that I ought to bless you and pray for you in spite of your huge insult. And, lucky for you, I believe that these imperatives come to me not from blind chance, but from the One who holds in his hands all Goodness and Beauty and Truth. Therefore, I forgive you and I hope you don't think it foolish of me to do so.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Letter to a Biblical Scholar
I came across this quote and just had to share it. The following is from Gary Willis' book What Jesus Meant (pp 34-35):
When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle... I simply remind them that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination -- end of debate. I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some other elements of God's law and how to follow them.
1. Leviticus 25:44 states that I may posses slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can't I own Canadians?
2. I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?
3. I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is on her period of menstrual uncleanliness (Lev. 15:19-24). The problem is: how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense.
4. When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasant aroma to the Lord (Lev. 1:9). The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?
5. I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself, or should I ask the police to do it?
6. A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination (Lev. 11:10), it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this? Are there degrees of abomination?
7. Leviticus 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle room here?
8. Most of my friends get their hair trimmed around the temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Leviticus 19:27. How should they die?
9. I know from Leviticus 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?
... I know you have studied these things extensively and thus enjoy considerable expertise in such matters, so I am confident you can help. Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and unchanging.
When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle... I simply remind them that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination -- end of debate. I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some other elements of God's law and how to follow them.
1. Leviticus 25:44 states that I may posses slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can't I own Canadians?
2. I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?
3. I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is on her period of menstrual uncleanliness (Lev. 15:19-24). The problem is: how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense.
4. When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasant aroma to the Lord (Lev. 1:9). The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?
5. I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself, or should I ask the police to do it?
6. A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination (Lev. 11:10), it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this? Are there degrees of abomination?
7. Leviticus 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle room here?
8. Most of my friends get their hair trimmed around the temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Leviticus 19:27. How should they die?
9. I know from Leviticus 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?
... I know you have studied these things extensively and thus enjoy considerable expertise in such matters, so I am confident you can help. Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and unchanging.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
i'm tired
i'm tired of being nice to everyone
i'm tired of worrying that my daughter might get lice from her friends at church
i'm tired of dealing with everyone's problems but my own
i'm tired of people who make my wife feel guilty for not doing what the former pastor's wife did
i'm tired of grouchy old women who drive people away with their bitterness
i'm tired of knowing people are talking behind my back
i'm tired of being lied to
i'm tired of working hard and seeing no results
i'm tired of living in chaos
i'm tired of trying to help others out of addiction when i myself am an addict
i'm tired of the silence from God
i'm tired of poor listeners, dogmatism, and pharisees
i'm tired of medicating myself with all the wrong things
i'm tired of not seeing my daughter before she goes to bed because i'm needed by others
i'm tired of being needed at all
i'm tired of constantly being evaluated by others
i'm tired of the stench of poverty
i'm tired of trying to find evidence of God in the inner city and finding none
i'm tired of trying to change the world and make it a better place
i'm tired of people who smell bad, have no manners, and take me for granted
i'm tired of making sacrifices for others and not even being thanked
i'm tired of housework, homework, writing sermons, heading committees, driving people to places, changing dirty diapers, paying bills, fixing the internet, paying late fees on movies i never watched, trying to be a perfect father and perfect husband and perfect pastor and perfect Christian. All I want to do is sit down and watch the Olympics.
i'm tired.
i'm tired of worrying that my daughter might get lice from her friends at church
i'm tired of dealing with everyone's problems but my own
i'm tired of people who make my wife feel guilty for not doing what the former pastor's wife did
i'm tired of grouchy old women who drive people away with their bitterness
i'm tired of knowing people are talking behind my back
i'm tired of being lied to
i'm tired of working hard and seeing no results
i'm tired of living in chaos
i'm tired of trying to help others out of addiction when i myself am an addict
i'm tired of the silence from God
i'm tired of poor listeners, dogmatism, and pharisees
i'm tired of medicating myself with all the wrong things
i'm tired of not seeing my daughter before she goes to bed because i'm needed by others
i'm tired of being needed at all
i'm tired of constantly being evaluated by others
i'm tired of the stench of poverty
i'm tired of trying to find evidence of God in the inner city and finding none
i'm tired of trying to change the world and make it a better place
i'm tired of people who smell bad, have no manners, and take me for granted
i'm tired of making sacrifices for others and not even being thanked
i'm tired of housework, homework, writing sermons, heading committees, driving people to places, changing dirty diapers, paying bills, fixing the internet, paying late fees on movies i never watched, trying to be a perfect father and perfect husband and perfect pastor and perfect Christian. All I want to do is sit down and watch the Olympics.
i'm tired.
Saturday, August 9, 2008
10 Reasons Why I Am A Liberal
Those who remember me from my high school and college days are oftentimes surprised to find that I have moved from being a loudmouthed conservative to now being an equally loudmouthed liberal. In fact, I even hosted a conservative political talk radio show in college. I’ve had some friends ask me why I am now a liberal and I would like to give a few of my reasons why. So below I offer ten reasons why Greg Coates has switched over to the “dark side”:
1) The way I interpret the Bible has changed. I have come to see that a society is judged by God based on how well it cares for its poor and marginalized. The repeated refrain about taking care of the orphan, widow, and alien found in both testaments has convinced me that as a nation we need to provide safety nets for those who are struggling with very basic needs such as food, clothing, shelter, and health care. I guess that makes me a liberal.
2) Conservativism in America is rooted in extremely strong patriotism. Living in China and seeing the world through the eyes of another culture convinced me that America is not the center of the universe. There are other ways of living that are equally legitimate. Although not all political systems are created equal, all people of all nations are of equal value to God. I refuse any longer to base my political ideology on blind nationalism and the idol of uncritical patriotism. I guess that makes me a liberal.
3) Not all people start at the same place in life. Some people try to work hard, get good grades, and climb the social ladder, but are unable to do so because systems of oppression keep them down. Just take a look at an inner city public school and ask yourself if all people have equal opportunities in this world. Because of this, I support initiatives which attempt to remedy these imbalances. I guess that makes me a liberal.
4) I have come to believe that the earth does not exist for us to exploit, but rather we are stewards of this planet. The earth is good; God has entrusted it to us. As evidence increasingly surfaces from scientists that humanity is causing permanent damage to the earth, I believe the proper response of Christians is to support plans that limit the burning of fossil fuels even if this slows the growth of our most sacred economy. I guess that makes me a liberal.
5) I believe that we ought to do unto others as we would have them do unto us. For this reason, I stand on the side of the immigrant who wishes to enter our country, work hard, pay taxes, and contribute to the American culture with their own unique linguistic, religious, and cultural backgrounds. A moral country must welcome people with open arms and show hospitality to those who are suffering. I guess that makes me a liberal.
6) I no longer accept the notion that what America deems to be right and just and the proper way to live is necessarily universally true. For this reason, we must not impose our will upon other sovereign nations simply because it benefits us and advances the “American way of life.” Transplanting democracy into other parts of the world is not our job. I guess that makes me a liberal.
7) I follow a man who did not retaliate when others hurt him and who taught me to do the same. I trust in God for vengeance and do not trust myself with the responsibility of doing violence to another human being. Jesus says that I ought to love my enemies and bless those who curse me. I believe this is a profoundly political statement. For this reason, I oppose the gods of militarism and warfare. I guess that makes me a liberal.
8) I think that the richest nation on earth, the richest nation that has ever existed in the history of humankind can probably afford to provide basic health care to its citizens. I think it is a crime that a nation like ours cannot provide a way for even little children to see a doctor. I think it is a crime that in a nation like ours, many worry about getting sick or injured for fear of bankruptcy. I guess that makes me a liberal.
9) I once thought that the goodness of people’s hearts would provide for the basic needs of their fellow man. But as I study history and contemporary culture, I find that humans are wicked to the core. They pursue their own profit even at the expense of others. For this reason, government policies which curb basic human depravity and greed and instead direct resources to those who have no voice or power seem humane, moral, and reasonable to me. I guess that makes me a liberal.
10) I happen to believe that there are worse evils in the world than being gay. I believe that God loves homosexuals and that he created them the way that they are. While I still believe that homosexuality in practice is a sin, I believe that such inward inclinations are not inherently sinful. I believe that matters like environmental degradation, exploitation of the poor, and military aggression are more serious issues than making sure that gay people have no political rights. I guess that makes me a liberal.
Well, that pretty much sums it up. I could go on at length about any of the above issues. I hope I’m not being unreasonable. But if the conclusions that I have listed above make me a liberal, then sign me up. I still love Jesus, believe it or not.
1) The way I interpret the Bible has changed. I have come to see that a society is judged by God based on how well it cares for its poor and marginalized. The repeated refrain about taking care of the orphan, widow, and alien found in both testaments has convinced me that as a nation we need to provide safety nets for those who are struggling with very basic needs such as food, clothing, shelter, and health care. I guess that makes me a liberal.
2) Conservativism in America is rooted in extremely strong patriotism. Living in China and seeing the world through the eyes of another culture convinced me that America is not the center of the universe. There are other ways of living that are equally legitimate. Although not all political systems are created equal, all people of all nations are of equal value to God. I refuse any longer to base my political ideology on blind nationalism and the idol of uncritical patriotism. I guess that makes me a liberal.
3) Not all people start at the same place in life. Some people try to work hard, get good grades, and climb the social ladder, but are unable to do so because systems of oppression keep them down. Just take a look at an inner city public school and ask yourself if all people have equal opportunities in this world. Because of this, I support initiatives which attempt to remedy these imbalances. I guess that makes me a liberal.
4) I have come to believe that the earth does not exist for us to exploit, but rather we are stewards of this planet. The earth is good; God has entrusted it to us. As evidence increasingly surfaces from scientists that humanity is causing permanent damage to the earth, I believe the proper response of Christians is to support plans that limit the burning of fossil fuels even if this slows the growth of our most sacred economy. I guess that makes me a liberal.
5) I believe that we ought to do unto others as we would have them do unto us. For this reason, I stand on the side of the immigrant who wishes to enter our country, work hard, pay taxes, and contribute to the American culture with their own unique linguistic, religious, and cultural backgrounds. A moral country must welcome people with open arms and show hospitality to those who are suffering. I guess that makes me a liberal.
6) I no longer accept the notion that what America deems to be right and just and the proper way to live is necessarily universally true. For this reason, we must not impose our will upon other sovereign nations simply because it benefits us and advances the “American way of life.” Transplanting democracy into other parts of the world is not our job. I guess that makes me a liberal.
7) I follow a man who did not retaliate when others hurt him and who taught me to do the same. I trust in God for vengeance and do not trust myself with the responsibility of doing violence to another human being. Jesus says that I ought to love my enemies and bless those who curse me. I believe this is a profoundly political statement. For this reason, I oppose the gods of militarism and warfare. I guess that makes me a liberal.
8) I think that the richest nation on earth, the richest nation that has ever existed in the history of humankind can probably afford to provide basic health care to its citizens. I think it is a crime that a nation like ours cannot provide a way for even little children to see a doctor. I think it is a crime that in a nation like ours, many worry about getting sick or injured for fear of bankruptcy. I guess that makes me a liberal.
9) I once thought that the goodness of people’s hearts would provide for the basic needs of their fellow man. But as I study history and contemporary culture, I find that humans are wicked to the core. They pursue their own profit even at the expense of others. For this reason, government policies which curb basic human depravity and greed and instead direct resources to those who have no voice or power seem humane, moral, and reasonable to me. I guess that makes me a liberal.
10) I happen to believe that there are worse evils in the world than being gay. I believe that God loves homosexuals and that he created them the way that they are. While I still believe that homosexuality in practice is a sin, I believe that such inward inclinations are not inherently sinful. I believe that matters like environmental degradation, exploitation of the poor, and military aggression are more serious issues than making sure that gay people have no political rights. I guess that makes me a liberal.
Well, that pretty much sums it up. I could go on at length about any of the above issues. I hope I’m not being unreasonable. But if the conclusions that I have listed above make me a liberal, then sign me up. I still love Jesus, believe it or not.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Progressive Revelation
The following is a post that I created for my Biblical Theology of the Old Testament class which I am currently taking online. I thought I would share as these are questions for all of my blog readers as well.
-----
One of the issues I have been pondering recently is the idea of
progressive revelation. I was reminded of this issue again as I read
Christopher's H. J. Wright's article in which he points out that "some
OT exclusion laws seem to be repealed... within the OT itself (e.g.
the contrast between Isa. 56:1-8 and Deut. 23:1-8)" (286). Wright
goes on to summarize, "The point then is that we cannot fully
interpret any single text with confidence that we have 'heard the mind
of God' on the matter, until it is set in the wider light of canonical
teaching" (286).
I have always accepted the idea of progressive revelation as having
the best explanatory power when dealing with difficult (shall I say,
"offensive"?) laws in the OT. I find particularly disturbing the laws
about how physically deformed and handicapped people were not able to
enter into the temple of God. This completely contradicts my entire
understanding of the ministry of Jesus which celebrates the least and
marginalized of our world. I think the best way to understand such
offensive OT laws is to read them contextually within their culture
and as having been nullified by God's later progressive revelation.
But this is not without problems.
First, if God truly does reveal his will progressively, then why do we
have a closed canon? Do we believe that God spoke to Moses, the
prophets, Jesus, and the authors of the NT, but then after the canon
was formed and solidified that he stopped speaking? I doubt that we
believe this. But if we reject such a notion then why give more
authority to the Bible than say the writings of the Didache or the
patristics or, heck, even C. S. Lewis?
Secondly, does an acceptance of progressive revelation entail
rejecting the notion of absolute, timeless truth? For example, if it
was once declared right by God to exclude the physically handicapped
from his temple, but it is now considered wrong to exclude the
physically handicapped from his sanctuaries and temples throughout the
world, then did God's will change? Is what was once right now wrong
and once wrong now right? If so, is all morality contingent purely
upon historical-cultural location? And if that is true then do we
have any right to declare that the Bible is a more credible source for
ethics than the Quran or Bagavad-Gita or the pop psychology of Oprah?
I eagerly anticipate your responses because I honestly don't know the
answers to these questions and I think they are very important.
Thanks!
-----
One of the issues I have been pondering recently is the idea of
progressive revelation. I was reminded of this issue again as I read
Christopher's H. J. Wright's article in which he points out that "some
OT exclusion laws seem to be repealed... within the OT itself (e.g.
the contrast between Isa. 56:1-8 and Deut. 23:1-8)" (286). Wright
goes on to summarize, "The point then is that we cannot fully
interpret any single text with confidence that we have 'heard the mind
of God' on the matter, until it is set in the wider light of canonical
teaching" (286).
I have always accepted the idea of progressive revelation as having
the best explanatory power when dealing with difficult (shall I say,
"offensive"?) laws in the OT. I find particularly disturbing the laws
about how physically deformed and handicapped people were not able to
enter into the temple of God. This completely contradicts my entire
understanding of the ministry of Jesus which celebrates the least and
marginalized of our world. I think the best way to understand such
offensive OT laws is to read them contextually within their culture
and as having been nullified by God's later progressive revelation.
But this is not without problems.
First, if God truly does reveal his will progressively, then why do we
have a closed canon? Do we believe that God spoke to Moses, the
prophets, Jesus, and the authors of the NT, but then after the canon
was formed and solidified that he stopped speaking? I doubt that we
believe this. But if we reject such a notion then why give more
authority to the Bible than say the writings of the Didache or the
patristics or, heck, even C. S. Lewis?
Secondly, does an acceptance of progressive revelation entail
rejecting the notion of absolute, timeless truth? For example, if it
was once declared right by God to exclude the physically handicapped
from his temple, but it is now considered wrong to exclude the
physically handicapped from his sanctuaries and temples throughout the
world, then did God's will change? Is what was once right now wrong
and once wrong now right? If so, is all morality contingent purely
upon historical-cultural location? And if that is true then do we
have any right to declare that the Bible is a more credible source for
ethics than the Quran or Bagavad-Gita or the pop psychology of Oprah?
I eagerly anticipate your responses because I honestly don't know the
answers to these questions and I think they are very important.
Thanks!
Sunday, August 3, 2008
How Appropriate
I was intrigued by the following story published recently in the Wall Street Journal:
-----
Army uses giant video game as recruiting toolEven the U.S. Army finds it needs innovative recruiting tactics. So it has developed a traveling exhibit, the Virtual Army Experience, that lets the audience climb into Humvees and Black Hawks and shoot at "genocidal indigenous forces" on a big screen.
The video game is based on one created by the Army several years ago and is considered a recruiting tool and it also gives the Army a new way to relate to the public.
Before the players can start, they need to give their contact information to an Army representative, who enters it into a database -- and they're asked if they're interested in enlisting.
-----
I would like to thank the army for proving a point that peace activists have been trying to make for years. The very first objective of any war machine is to convince the general public that our enemy is not human. We take away their faces, their voices, and their God-given imago Dei and instead label them as "genocidal indigenous forces" -- something akin to the man-eating aliens from the movie Independence Day. We conveniently neglect to mention the fact that our enemies have families and loved ones, have hobbies and interests, have favorite flavors of ice cream and favorite TV programs. Instead we make the enemy into a video game. We dehumanize and demonize them so that we don't feel so bad about killing them.
I would propose another video game. A game where you sit down with someone of another culture and learn about his family and what makes him laugh. And after a few hours of learning about this human being, seeing pictures of his kids, and sharing a drink with him, you are asked to blow his head off.
It might not be a very effective recruiting tool, but at least these young men and women who play it would know what they are signing up for.
-----
Army uses giant video game as recruiting tool
Even the U.S. Army finds it needs innovative recruiting tactics. So it has developed a traveling exhibit, the Virtual Army Experience, that lets the audience climb into Humvees and Black Hawks and shoot at "genocidal indigenous forces" on a big screen.
The video game is based on one created by the Army several years ago and is considered a recruiting tool and it also gives the Army a new way to relate to the public. Before the players can start, they need to give their contact information to an Army representative, who enters it into a database -- and they're asked if they're interested in enlisting.
-----
I would like to thank the army for proving a point that peace activists have been trying to make for years. The very first objective of any war machine is to convince the general public that our enemy is not human. We take away their faces, their voices, and their God-given imago Dei and instead label them as "genocidal indigenous forces" -- something akin to the man-eating aliens from the movie Independence Day. We conveniently neglect to mention the fact that our enemies have families and loved ones, have hobbies and interests, have favorite flavors of ice cream and favorite TV programs. Instead we make the enemy into a video game. We dehumanize and demonize them so that we don't feel so bad about killing them.
I would propose another video game. A game where you sit down with someone of another culture and learn about his family and what makes him laugh. And after a few hours of learning about this human being, seeing pictures of his kids, and sharing a drink with him, you are asked to blow his head off.
It might not be a very effective recruiting tool, but at least these young men and women who play it would know what they are signing up for.
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