I have been following the situations in Gaza (and the West Bank) and in Ukraine pretty closely, and have tried to keep awareness of the much less reported perturbations in Sudan. There is much commentary on the two wars at the forefront of Western media headlines and I acknowledge that one more comment (or set of comments) here won't make any difference to the appalling situations fellow human beings face hour by hour and day by day, not knowing whether they will be alive or dead at the end of any given day.
My reflections in recent weeks have been focused on the power of evil in these situations. For instance, there is the evil of deceit in respect of claims that "this territory is ours because of ...[history]", the deceit not only being that such claims involves controversion of historical facts, but also that such a claim entails justification for war, for killing people, for maiming people, for displacing people, for destroying homes, for taking away livelihoods, for starving people ... there is a long list of the evil of deceit justifying the evil of destruction. Evil multiplies evil.
There is also the evil of leadership viewing human life as expendable. Hamas could surrender, its leadership safe in safe havens outside of Gaza could stop using this war to gain some kind of moral and public relations advantage over Israel. Israel could have a different approach to democracy which would give extreme parties less leverage in government, a leverage which views human life in Gaza and the West Bank as expendable. Russia seems intentionally careless with the lives of its soldiers - each of whom is a human being, not an expendable unit of military prowess - in favour of what, by any count of Russia's great land mass, is a tiny gain to national esteem as a great nation. One could go on.
A further evil of deceit emerges with each attempt at either a ceasefire or an actual peace between foes. No side seems serious about ending the evil multiplying evil. Meetings are held, things are said, proposals are proposed. Shooting and bombing continues.
For Christians, tempted to despair, this is a call to prayer ... Your kingdom come ... Deliver us from evil ... For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against, rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
2 comments:
I was doing housework and thinking about your post, Peter, and a thought sent me diving for my laptop. I frequently think about the problem of evil - although more in terms of its presence in religious settings. But here's the thing...
I think Leonard Cohen was really on to something when he sang how everyone to love must come, but "like a refugee" ("Anthem").
You've said before on ADU Peter, probably many times!, about the need for humility in the church. And I agree on the need for prayer, I agree on the need for humility. How would our churches be transformed if we came to Love, or repented and returned to Love, (capital "L") like a refugee - as a STARTING POINT. And then prayer, and then.. what might happen from there? Not despair! but I'm certain something different, far more Jesus-shaped, would emerge!
Actual lyrics:
Every heart, every heart to love will come
But like a refugee.
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