A Religiously Based Foreign Policy??

Rick Warren, the best-selling author and minister in California, continues to be a popular fixture on talk shows. Last week, he appeared with Sean Hannity of FOX NEWS. I took this snippet of the interview from a transcript posted on Religious Dispatches.

HANNITY: Can you talk to rogue dictators? Ahmadinejad denies the Holocaust, wants to wipe Israel off the map, is seeking nuclear weapons.
WARREN: Yes.
HANNITY: I think we need to take him out.
WARREN: Yes.
HANNITY: Am I advocating something dark, evil, or something righteous?
WARREN: Well, actually, the Bible says that evil cannot be negotiated with. It has to just be stopped. And I believe…
HANNITY: By force?
WARREN: Well, if necessary. In fact, that is the legitimate role of government. The Bible says that God puts government on earth to punish evildoers. Not good-doers. Evildoers.

While not defining his terms too clearly, Hannity seemingly called for the United States to remove Ahmadinejad from power. The options for our country to do that seem to be limited - we try to stage a coup to remove him from power, we assasinate him (either directly or cause to have it done), or we invade Iran. Then, it seems that Rick Warren agrees with the analysis and says that this would fall under the divinely ordained purpose for government. So, the United States, and, I guess by extension, any other "Christian" nation merely has to identify "evildoers" who are leading nations and remove them in any way we can and God will be pleased with us for doing God's will.

Now, I disagree with the interpretation that God commands "good" governments to engage in murder or invasion to topple "evil" governments. I know that the United States has tried this before - as in Cuba and in Iraq, but I still disagree. One of the sticking points to this approach is basic: who gets to decide what governments are evil enough to be the targets of divine justice as administered by "Christian" nations.

Good readers, do you agree with the approach as suggested by Hannity and Warren? Do you think God calls the USA to engage in such activities? Do you think, depending on the measures you use to judge, that the USA is fit to be the administrator of holy justice?

Satan's Clothes?

News from Iran as posted on the World Wide Religious News site:

Iran arrests 49 for wearing 'satanic' clothing"

By Tim Butcher ("Telegraph", December 4, 2008)

Qaemshahr, Iran - Mahmoud Rahmani, head of police in the northern city of Qaemshahr, where the arrests took place, denounced Iranians who wore western-style clothes and haircuts.

"Police confronted rascals and thugs who appeared in public wearing satanic fashions and unsuitable clothing," he said.

He added that five local barber shops were closed and twenty more warned for "promoting western hairstyles". These are believed to include spiky haircuts.

I understand a little bit about Muslims having negative reactions to things identified with the West. In their mind, Western culture represents the influence of evil. In this way, Muslims are not too far different in their viewpoint from very conservative Western Christians.

One thing that has always bothered me, though, about such reactions is that the religious authorities seem to focus on something minor and, from my perspective, make an over-reaction to it.

I remember reading about the furor in 1950's America over rock and roll as the devil's music. Through the years, religious guardians of all that is pure and holy have condemned things like: the circus, bobbed hair (look it up, if you need a definition), and crossword puzzles as leading otherwise good religious people down the garden path to hell. Of course, from the perspective of the religious guardians, these things, innocent though they may seem, were the first step to ruin, utilizing the infamous "slippery-slope" argument.

So. I wonder, what have you done that was condemned by some self-appointed religious purist? Did it ruin you? Are you now a minion of Satan because of what you wore or how your hair was cut?

Veritable Compendium of Items

There have a number of interesting items related to religion to hit the news over the last few days.

DATELINE PARIS, FRANCE - In an AP story that I saw in the Washington Post, the doctors who verified the miraculous healings at Lourdes will no longer do so. Quoting from the story, written by Jamey Keaten, and contributed to by Nicole Winfield,

"It seems 'miracle' may not be the right word to use anymore," Bishop Jacques Perrier of the Diocese of Tarbes and Lourdes said in a telephone interview Wednesday. "It's no longer a black-and-white question." . . .
But last weekend, the panel, known by its French initials CMIL, decided from now on it will only rule on whether healing cases were "remarkable," leaving it to the church to decide whether they are miracles, panel secretary Dr. Patrick Theillier said.

So, when is a miracle not a miracle? When it might only be remarkable, I guess. I wonder what happens to one's status as a saint if all the miracles attributed to that person gets downgraded to remarkable events?

DATELINE FRANKFORT, KENTUCKY - In an item in the ON FAITH section in the Washington Post is the report that 10 citizens of the Commonwealth of Kentucky are suing Kentucky because of a law enacted in 2006 that requires the commonwealth's office of Homeland Security to acknowledge that the safety and security of Kentucky and its citizens cannot be achieved without reliance upon God.

The job description of the Director of Homeland Security begins by stating:
(a) Publicize the findings of the General Assembly stressing the dependence on Almighty God as being vital to the security of the Commonwealth by including the provisions of KRS 39A.285(3) in its agency training and educational materials. The executive director shall also be responsible for prominently displaying a permanent plaque at the entrance to the state's Emergency Operations Center stating the text of KRS 39A.285(3);.

KRS 39A.285 is a legislative finding that asserts:
39A.285 Legislative findings.
The General Assembly hereby finds that:
(1) No government by itself can guarantee perfect security from acts of war or terrorism.
(2) The security and well-being of the public depend not just on government, but rest in large measure upon individual citizens of the Commonwealth and their level of understanding, preparation, and vigilance.
(3) The safety and security of the Commonwealth cannot be achieved apart from reliance upon Almighty God as set forth in the public speeches and proclamations of American Presidents, including Abraham Lincoln's historic March 30, 1863, Presidential Proclamation urging Americans to pray and fast during one of the most dangerous hours in American history, and the text of President John F. Kennedy's November 22, 1963, national security speech which concluded: "For as was written long ago: 'Except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.' "
Effective: March 28, 2002
History: Created 2002 Ky. Acts ch. 82, sec. 2, effective March 28, 2002.

I know many Christians who believe that God is the ultimate guarantor of their health, their safety, and their well-being. But, it is one thing to believe that and another to enact a law that states such and requires it to be publicized. Should those who hold the belief ask for similar language to be posted on hospitals and in doctor affices?

DATELINE AMERICA - Over the last few weeks, I have come across several stories about churches - ones that once were attracting thousands upon thousands in worship just a few years ago - being sold and about large lay-offs within prominent Christian ministry groups and denominations. This says something, I think, about the depth and breadth of the economic downturn in our country.

Is there a religious response that can be made to the current situation? Are churches preparing their members to face what might be further economic declines? Are churches ready - or able - to provide a economic safety net for their own members and for the larger community?

As our nation moved into Thanksgiving weekend and prepared for the onslaught of Christmas shopping, many parts of the world faced inexpressible horrors. The attacks in Mumbai are well-known. There were other tragic situations that garnered limited news coverage, such as the floods and mudslides in Brazil killing scores, the political unrest in Bangkok, the discovery of a killing field in Eastern Congo containing hundreds of bodies, and the religious attaks in Jos, Nigeria, but, at least, there was some coverage of these events so the world could be aware.

Over the last 8 months, I have read a blog written by a young person in Gaza as she has detailed the continuing deterioration of life there. On November 22, she sent her last post. I feel it is noteworthy because the residents of Gaza seem to be a forgotten pawn in the geo-political maneuverings of the world's governments.

Saturday, November 22, 2008

My Final Post
You do not know when you lose a perfectly bad situation until it becomes worse. Any sense whatsoever in this sentence? Actually I do not know what's been holding me back from writing. I had all these ideas buzzing in my ears at night but articulating them was for some reason difficult.

The situation in Gaza, which was absolutely horrible, started to deteriorate day by day until we found ourselves again with no electricity , no clean water, no bread and a huge overwhelming fear of what's coming next.

First the Palestinian dialogue between Hamas and Fateh failed (as had been expected). And then the cease fire became history and a full closure was imposed, limiting fuel and food supplies to the Strip –and all that was accompanied by the Egyptian authorities strictly preventing the tunnel trade.

And what shall I say? I will not speak of my daily misery having to put up in Friday with a 24 hour power cut; nor will I like to mention my father standing in a long queue in front of the bakery at 7 a.m. to buy some bread; nor will I mention the 3 empty gas cylinders awaiting to be filled since a month; nor will I lament the patients living on respiratory support or kidney washing machines and are afraid the hospitals will have no electricity; I find it enough to say that all those I meet, including myself and my family, are psychologically and emotionally tired.

Since I do realize that writing about it is not actually contributing to changing any of it at the decision making level (I am perfectly aware that millions do have interest in our crisis and sympathize with us), I decided -in my blog second birthday- to end this beautiful fulfilling experience. I did consider contemplating as my baby but I can't nurture it anymore. I am no longer convinced that I should. Blogging worked out for me just fine for the last two years. It absolutely filled a void. Many of my posts were popular and well-read. However, I think I need to stop right here. I would like to thank heartily all those who read it and took the initiative to send supportive comments. Pray for Gaza.

May we all remember them and pray for them