Trying to follow

I just read through Terrorism and War by Howard Zinn, and I’d recommend it to anyone who wants to hear a brilliant mind on the current issues of war and terror. The whole book is just over one hundred pages and it’s in an interview format, as it basically is a compilation of a series of interviews Zinn gave around 2002, just after 9/11 and the Afghanistan war and just before the Iraq war. Zinn is a truly brilliant mind and I feel makes a decent case that war is simply not a useful tool anymore, period.

Some Quotes…

“I think there is a simple test of what concerns bin Laden, whether it is our democracy and internal freedom or whether it’s our foreign policy. And that simple test is: What side was Osama bin Laden on before 1990? That is, before the United States stationed troops in Saudi Arabia, made war against Iraq, and began its sanctions against Iraq. We were just as democratic and libertarian internally before 1990 as we are today. But Osama bin Laden was not offended by that. He was on our side — and we were on his side — in the fight to take control of the government in Afghanistan. The turning point for Osama bin Laden is very clear. It has nothing to do with democracy and liberty. It has to do with U.S. foreign policy. And that turning point came in 1990 and 1991.” p. 13

Speaking of alternatives to war…

The question always comes up about World War II: “What would you have done?” The answer is not an easy one, but it has to start off by saying, “I would not accept a solution that involves mass killing. I would try to find some other way.” The other way is not passivity; the other way is not acceptance; the other way is resistance without war. The other way is underground movements, strikes, general strikes, noncompliance. Even Hitler, in World War II, was at times successfully resisted in Denmark, in Norway, in Germany itself, by wives protesting the deportation of their Jewish husbands. Those methods of resistance don’t ensure a peaceful resolution, because the repressive forces are always strong. But they are means that are more proportional to the end, especially since they are means that are engaged in not by governments but by people, which is a very important consideration. With popular resistance, you have a greater assurance that your end will be attained than if governments are in charge. p. 23-24

On why he doesn’t call himself a pacifist…

I have never used the word “pacifist” to describe myself, because it suggests something absolute, and I am suspicious of absolutes. I want to leave openings for unpredictable possibilities. There might be situations (and even such strong pacifists as Gandhi and Martin Luther King believed this) when a small, focused act of violence against a monstrous, immediate evil would be justified. p. 25

A tidbit that was noted in the book:

According to an article in the Boston Review, “up to 35 million people-90 percent civilians-have been killed in 170 wars since the end of World War II. (Boston Review 24, no. 1, Gabriel Kolko, Century of War: Politics, Conflict, and Society Since 1914)

And I’ll finish with a final quote from the book, of Dwight Eisenhower, our 34th President:

Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired, represents, in the final analysis, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, who are cold and are not clothed. This world in arms is not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children.

If I could figure out a way to smash random (or some other word) and Thursday together I’d make this a regular weekly posting just like YouTubesdays… Bonus points for someone who thinks of something creative.

Anyways, I do want to share a collection of things I’ve been posting over at On The Journey. Maybe this is just another lame attempt to convince you to subscribe. If you do subscribe you can expect a collection like the one below in your inbox daily, or your RSS reader…

The Kingdom Jesus established is anarchistic in that it recognizes God alone as the arche (supreme power). It thus lives free from all other powers (an-arche [anarchy] means without authority). Governments are part of the fallen, oppressed world system that has been done away with in Christ.  -Greg Boyd

What if we took all our money and possessions and gave them all to God & had to ask to use them. Would we spend money the same way? -Keane

Before you contradict an old man, my fair friend, you should endeavor to understand him.
-George Santayana (via megaphonic)

But there will be a few renegades and other out-of-step people who will be given eyes to perceive the kingdom. They will listen to the homeless leader who owned one change of clothes, didn’t budget to pay his taxes, and was an affront to self-respecting, responsible believers. -Robert Lupton

• Ben’s BB’s a visual Representation of our Nuclear Arsenal

Somethings different. (via mudpuppy and www.patrickmoberg.com)

I don’t know the key to success but the key to failure is trying to please everybody.  -Bill Cosby

So, have you subscribed yet?

As I’ve mused in previous years, this is often a difficult time of year for me. As Thanksgiving comes and goes and the holidays roll upon us, I find my values confronted in all sorts of awkward ways. While most of our country spends the last month or so of the year merrily spending and giving all with good cheer, I grumpily mumble to myself about my inability to live out my convictions amidst this mass of Santas. This year though, I’m gonna start earlier. I had some regrets in past years and I’m hoping to try and begin addressing those by being more active this year regarding my convictions. And it starts with this brief post on some of the ways I intend to do that.

• Mention Buy Nothing Day and Encourage Others To Participate - The day after Thanksgiving begins this insane buying frenzy. Buy Nothing Day is simply an opportunity to refuse to join the consumerism train and creatively oppose it. Last year my brother and I thought about doing something but we passed, maybe this year will actually try it…
• Make a List - As much as I try and avoid it, there are people who will buy me things and there are actually things I would like to have. Making a list, a modest one, will give the opportunity to fulfill both their need to give and a few of my wants. Look I just started one (don’t you go and get me everything now).
• Speak up Politely and Informatively about Consumerism - With a little prep work (remembering statistics, avoiding harsh criticism) I think I could carry on a good casual conversation about the issues of consumerism and Christianity that impact my views about the holiday season. There’s even a cool video about it (cool videos convey so much more then my incessant rambling).
• Start Thinking about Gifts to Give Others and Make Some - In my Scroogish attitude I tend to overlook even the opportunity to be creative in my giving to others. I’ve done a cool thing or two in the past, but this is really an opportunity to show others you care, so I’ll take some time and be creative.

I think that’s a decent start for now. I’d really like to figure out how to begin to teach my daughter that this season is about giving to others, just like every day and month and year of our lives. For now, it’s all about baby steps.

So, even with the economy the way it is, consumer season is just around the corner. I’m always late at addressing this, and then tend to be hesitant to rain on people’s parade. Therefore, I’m trying to get an early start on addressing the consumerism’s bit. Here’s to great videos to start us off.

Advent Conspiracy is a great initiative to encourage churches to spend the holiday seasoning give rather then buying. This is a great promo.

The Story of Stuff has been around a little while, but now is a good time to watch it a fresh. Go check out the whole video and website at The Story of Stuff, or watch the video (Chapter by Chapter) below.

I attended a rally downtown speaking out against Prop 8 that passed in California on Nov. 4th. I carried a sign that said “I’m a Christian Against Christians Hating and Oppressing Others” It has been my experience, that regardless of the motivation or intent of Christians who take strong stances against same-sex marriage, the perception (and I’m afraid it is often an accurate one) is that Christians hate and want to oppress people who practice homosexuality. And so I went, if only to let those at the event know, that not all Christians feel that way. I was glad to be there.

In dialogging with others about the event, I fleshed out some thoughts that I thought I’d share here. I already posted my views on prop 8 and other same-sex marriage bans here. These are additional thoughts, I’d like to hear your thoughts as well regarding this issue and topic.

Regarding why I protested a bill that was voted in by a state majority:

As you well know, just because the majority of people believe something, doesn’t make it right.
And while I agree it might be a decent way to choose nation’s leaders, I don’t believe Christians voting against allowing a secular government to grant legal rights to committed same-sex couples is an appropriate Christian response.
Voting means the …  Read Moremajority of the people who voted agree or disagree with what’s voted on, it is not necessarily a moral compass. I encourage you to stand up as a voice in opposition to injustices when you see them. I encourage you to come along side people who have been oppressed and hated (and this in the name of Christ) and show the what true Christ-like sacrificial love looks like.

Regarding whether I think Christians who voted for Prop 8 are hateful and oppressive:

I believe there are Christians that with no hate or ill intent voted against same-sex marriage, I’m not out to judge the motives of those individuals.
Rather, I’d challenge you to ask every homosexual person you know, who will answer you honestly, if they have ever felt themselves at the receiving end of hate from Christians. I have yet to meet a person who does not have multiple stories that one can only describe as hatred (but don’t take my word for it, ask individuals yourself).
As to the oppression, I think my answer would be similar to above.

What are your thoughts on this issue?