Preferring Death over War

"A warlike people who think life is not worth living if one cannot bear arms. They prefer death to peace, others prefer death to war." - Blaise Pascal

Will historians judge America as a nation which "prefers death to peace?" I cannot help but think that they will. It is time we admit that the other nations judge us correctly -- we are a militant people who take delight in fighting our "splendid little wars."

I, for one, prefer death to war. My rationale for such a stance is rooted in the resurrection. When I see my life as a vapor, a mist and look ahead to the day when the lion and the lamb will lay down beside one another, I renounce violence in all of its forms and prefer suffering over inflicting pain on the Other.

America, you ask me to make you a god, to swear my allegiance to you and your violent ways. You demand that I demonize my enemy and desensitize my conscience. You mask the destruction of innocent children as "collateral damage." You insist on another nation's "freedom" at gunpoint. You ask me to deny my Master who taught me that death is preferable to war. You ask me to take the life of one who bears the image of our maker and call it "patriotism." You idolize those who participate in such violence as "heroes."

Well, I will not play your game. I will not allow you to define my values. I serve a different God. I will not pledge allegiance to your flag; I will pledge my allegiance to the Lamb Who Was Slain -- the One who moves the stars in the skies and makes the mountains quake.

I pledge my allegiance to unconditional, eternal shalom which was from the beginning and shall be forevermore -- the love within the Trinity which never coerces, never destroys, and always invites.