This response is not biblical. I listened as a mother was weeping saying, "Even though I know my son's actions were deplorable, I still love him, and want to see redemption." We aren't a very forgiving society though.
There are literally countless verses from Romans alone pointing to a non-violent stance, in all circumstances. How many times did Jesus rebuke the notion of violence? Turn the other cheek? I mean, even when involved in a violent situation, Jesus told Peter to put his sword away after cutting off Malchus's ear, the High Priest's slave, and exclaims "No More of this." (Luke 22)
The problem is, what to do with the murderers, rapists, terrorist, aggressors, bullies and all those who bring out the violence in us all.
It is easy to believe that what we need to have happen to them all is to return the favor. An eye for an eye. They murder someone, we murder them back. They rape someone, they get beat. They kill masses, we kill them. Our response is often return the favor. I mean, can we honestly justify putting someone to death? Especially if there is a chance of innocence and or redemption? I mean, if we are realistic, 18 people have been exonerated in the US because evidence proved them innocent. (I know, I can go on and on and on about how I am against the death penalty, but that is a separate post)
Don't get me wrong, what I am about to say may seem like I am for inaction thus leaving you to conclude I condone evil. In fact the opposite is true. While there are many verses that lead us to stances of non-violence, there are more verses that demand our exhaustive action against evil; to be prepared to fight against injustice. I just happen to interpret scripture to point out that our action requires us to be non-violently just.
With that being said, I need to make it clear that I am against war, the death penalty, weapons that can only bring destruction, beating the crap out of someone and genocide. Oppressing our oppressors teach them nothing though. I mean, we are literally teaching our youth with the death penalty that if someone murders another person, we have the right to murder them back. These are christian leaders telling people this is ok, and in some circumstances "God's will!" What a tragedy. What is worse is that we cut short the redemptive story of God in their life. Do we not believe when Peter exclaims that "God is not willing that anyone of us shall perish...." ?
Now, I know many of you may ask what to do about Osama Bin Laden or Hitler. It is difficult for me to celebrate the death of any human, but our action sometimes requires us to do things that aren't the right thing, but sometimes the best thing. For example, Dietrich Bonhoeffer knew that killing Hitler was the best option before him, but knowing full well there was no Good option at all. He knew that the greater problem was the genocide happening right before him. I regretfully would agree with Bonhoeffer.
When I talk about non-violence, these areas are often the focus. We are so focused on righting wrongs in this world that we will do so at any temporary cost. What we don't want to ask is, why are the wicked doing what is wicked? Why are they the way they are?
Listen, there is a deep, dark, oppressive evil in this world. No one is denying that. It hides a lot: 30,000,000 slaves, 5,000,000 child prostitutes, domestic abuse, mass shootings, drug dealing, bullying genocides and so much more. The problem is, we know that this is happening, but we are quicker to anger than action. And often our anger leads us to want violent responses. Those responses are unhealthy and are driven by appropriate emotions but often to false actions. These assume we have the total picture. Listen, if there is one thing I am sure of, we give the evil in our world too much power. I am confident that in the following verses from Job, after many arguments thus far with God, Job asks great questions to which the answers are powerful.
I am safe ending with these sets of verses (PS, I don't think this imagery leads to violence, I think it leads us to recognize that evil and wickedness are powerless.):
Job 24 (NLT)
Job Asks Why the Wicked Are Not Punished
24 “Why doesn’t the Almighty bring the wicked to judgment?
Why must the godly wait for him in vain?
2 Evil people steal land by moving the boundary markers.
They steal livestock and put them in their own pastures.
3 They take the orphan’s donkey
and demand the widow’s ox as security for a loan.
4 The poor are pushed off the path;
the needy must hide together for safety.
5 Like wild donkeys in the wilderness,
the poor must spend all their time looking for food,
searching even in the desert for food for their children.
6 They harvest a field they do not own,
and they glean in the vineyards of the wicked.
7 All night they lie naked in the cold,
without clothing or covering.
8 They are soaked by mountain showers,
and they huddle against the rocks for want of a home.
Why must the godly wait for him in vain?
2 Evil people steal land by moving the boundary markers.
They steal livestock and put them in their own pastures.
3 They take the orphan’s donkey
and demand the widow’s ox as security for a loan.
4 The poor are pushed off the path;
the needy must hide together for safety.
5 Like wild donkeys in the wilderness,
the poor must spend all their time looking for food,
searching even in the desert for food for their children.
6 They harvest a field they do not own,
and they glean in the vineyards of the wicked.
7 All night they lie naked in the cold,
without clothing or covering.
8 They are soaked by mountain showers,
and they huddle against the rocks for want of a home.
9 “The wicked snatch a widow’s child from her breast,
taking the baby as security for a loan.
10 The poor must go about naked, without any clothing.
They harvest food for others while they themselves are starving.
11 They press out olive oil without being allowed to taste it,
and they tread in the winepress as they suffer from thirst.
12 The groans of the dying rise from the city,
and the wounded cry for help,
yet God ignores their moaning.
taking the baby as security for a loan.
10 The poor must go about naked, without any clothing.
They harvest food for others while they themselves are starving.
11 They press out olive oil without being allowed to taste it,
and they tread in the winepress as they suffer from thirst.
12 The groans of the dying rise from the city,
and the wounded cry for help,
yet God ignores their moaning.
13 “Wicked people rebel against the light.
They refuse to acknowledge its ways
or stay in its paths.
14 The murderer rises in the early dawn
to kill the poor and needy;
at night he is a thief.
15 The adulterer waits for the twilight,
saying, ‘No one will see me then.’
He hides his face so no one will know him.
16 Thieves break into houses at night
and sleep in the daytime.
They are not acquainted with the light.
17 The black night is their morning.
They ally themselves with the terrors of the darkness.
They refuse to acknowledge its ways
or stay in its paths.
14 The murderer rises in the early dawn
to kill the poor and needy;
at night he is a thief.
15 The adulterer waits for the twilight,
saying, ‘No one will see me then.’
He hides his face so no one will know him.
16 Thieves break into houses at night
and sleep in the daytime.
They are not acquainted with the light.
17 The black night is their morning.
They ally themselves with the terrors of the darkness.
18 “But they disappear like foam down a river.
Everything they own is cursed,
and they are afraid to enter their own vineyards.
19 The grave[a] consumes sinners
just as drought and heat consume snow.
20 Their own mothers will forget them.
Maggots will find them sweet to eat.
No one will remember them.
Wicked people are broken like a tree in the storm.
21 They cheat the woman who has no son to help her.
They refuse to help the needy widow.
Everything they own is cursed,
and they are afraid to enter their own vineyards.
19 The grave[a] consumes sinners
just as drought and heat consume snow.
20 Their own mothers will forget them.
Maggots will find them sweet to eat.
No one will remember them.
Wicked people are broken like a tree in the storm.
21 They cheat the woman who has no son to help her.
They refuse to help the needy widow.
22 “God, in his power, drags away the rich.
They may rise high, but they have no assurance of life.
23 They may be allowed to live in security,
but God is always watching them.
24 And though they are great now,
in a moment they will be gone like all others,
cut off like heads of grain.
25 Can anyone claim otherwise?
Who can prove me wrong?”
They may rise high, but they have no assurance of life.
23 They may be allowed to live in security,
but God is always watching them.
24 And though they are great now,
in a moment they will be gone like all others,
cut off like heads of grain.
25 Can anyone claim otherwise?
Who can prove me wrong?”
Now, I know I was going to praise the military and police officers in the part, however, I elect to spend a portion of my part 3 on this. Hopefully it will also close some of the holes I am still leaving in my points.
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