The Bush Administration guilty of war crimes? America is spreading war and hatred in Iraq? You need to check your facts. I have personally spoken to many men and women who just returned from Iraq serving in our military (as well as contacts we have in the region) and they paint a much different story than what you paint. Christianity is being openly preached in Iraq for the first time in over 4 decades with the removal of Saddam Hussein. Children in the vast majority of Iraq (outside the Sunni Triangle) can play in the streets without fear of being brutalized, raped, or abducted to serve the whims of a madman. The northern and southern areas of Iraq are enjoying democracy and freedom for the first time in their lives and no longer have to fear open hostility because of their particular faith or belief system. Your statements sound like something I would expect to hear from mainstream media sources like CNN, NBC, ABC, PBS, or CBS.
Saddam’s generals and other service men have documented the weapons of mass destruction we were searching for were there, and were moved to Syria (with the help of Russia) before the war began. Evidence is increasingly clear that Saddam was helping provide support and funding for Al Queda. The hatred you speak of is not being spread by America, it is coming from the Islamic extremists who want nothing more than to have an Islamic-controlled “one world” empire. These extremists, including Iran’s president, believe those who won’t support Islam should be put to death and look forward to a world with Islam as the sole religion – the time of the Mahdi (an interesting character who closely resembles the antichrist).
Iran has called for the destruction of Israel, and as an ally of Israel (one of few) our country stands in the gap with them in the face of those who would seek to destroy the Jewish nation from the map. All of this is leading up to the events portrayed in Revelation. Jesus himself said in the last days there would be wars, and rumors of wars. He did not condone these activities, rather He said these activities would be an indicator that the end was at hand.
War is tragic, but the Bible if full of instances where God himself called for Israel to wage war against its enemies. The God of the OT is the same God we see in the NT, and if Jesus is part of the God-head, and with God from the beginning, then Jesus himself supported the war efforts that God called for. So I guess that makes God a war criminal, as in Jericho it was God who commanded that every living thing (man, woman, child, and livestock) be destroyed? In Revelation, Jesus himself makes war with the antichrist and those who follow him (men, women, and children). In the battle of Armageddon, one of the bloodiest in recorded history (blood flowing bridle deep on horses for miles) Jesus is the general leading the war charge against sinful man. So I guess that means Jesus will be guilty of war crimes, too?
Yes, Jesus taught us to love our enemies and to turn the other cheek. But remember, when He came to earth the first time He came as a lamb to reconcile man to God. When He returns, Jesus will come as a Conquering King, waging war on those who oppose Him and establishing a 1000-year reign of peace on the earth AFTER what will perhaps be the most horrific battle in the history of the earth.
It is through the goodness of God that men and women come to repentance. In Iraq, the vast majority of the people who live in this beautiful country (perhaps the birthplace of man, as the Garden of Eden most likely was located here) see what the US and its allies have done IS a good thing. This has opened their eyes and hearts to the “religion of the West” and softened many hearts in this country to hear the Gospel for the first time.
We in America are often so short-sighted in our view of the Bible and world events – we view everything through our Western-world thought processes, we fail to realize the Bible was written from a Middle-eastern worldview by predominantly Middle eastern authors. To gain a thorough and accurate view of Scripture, you have to consider the text, as well as what was going on socially, economically, spiritually, and physically at the time in which the text was written. For example, the reference to long hair on a man and short hair on a woman being forbidden was written during a period of time when male and female homosexuals would “cross-dress” to advertise publicly regarding their sexual orientation. The writer of that passage wanted the Christians of this era to avoid any appearance of being homosexual. In other parts of the world, this was not the social/moral implications of long hair on men or short hair on women, but in the Western Roman world at this period of time it was the norm. So the writer was addressing a social/moral issue of the day that has been taken out of context due to our Western mindset and not understanding the culture of the time.
Women speaking in the church? Does this mean that women can’t be preachers or teach Sunday School? No. In the first century Christian culture, meetings were held in a public gathering place with the women sitting on one side of the meeting place and men another (as was Jewish custom). Women, often uneducated, would not understand what was going on and interrupt the proceedings to ask for clarification from their husbands on these new teachings. This was not done to silence women or to keep them from teaching, it was done to keep order in the church so the service could continue without undue interruption. The Bible has a number of prominent women prophets/teachers throughout history, yet this scripture has been wrongly used by some denominations to prevent women from taking an active role in teaching or preaching. Again, the Western mindset fails to understand the culture at the time of the writing and has missed the true intent of the teaching.
Does God want war? A good question. Apparently so, as there are instances throughout the Bible where God feels that war is justified. Does this make God a warmonger, as men, women, and children (not just “soldiers”) were often killed in these battles? Is war God’s preferred method of dealing with sinful man? NO, absolutely not. God sent Jesus to restore right relationship between mankind and Himself. But did God change? NO, the Bible says that God changes not. Therefore, there must still be instances were God would feel that war was justified, even in the age of grace.
If it was wrong in the Old Testament, it was wrong in the New Testament. If it was right in the Old Testament, it remains right in the New Testament. Jesus himself said He did not come to do away with the Law, but to fulfill it. Therefore, if God felt there were instances where war was right in the OT, then there must be instances in the NT where God sees war as necessary as well.
As far as fighting the war on global warming? Garbage. I can’t believe that evangelical Christians would be so duped as to fall for something as stupid as global warming. The world has gone through cycles of warming and cooling for centuries. We are currently in a cycle of warming, caused primarily due to the fact that the earth is a unique alignment with the sun that puts us in the direct path of a regular pattern of solar flares, and this is causing major shifts in our temperatures, global weather patterns, and the like. If you’ll study weather history, you’ll find this event has occurred on and off throughout our recorded history – and is expected to continue for the next 10-12 years until the earth/sun alignment shifts and we begin another cycle of temperature change.
As far as greed and power, events around the world are moving at an alarming pace to bring about the events Scripture predicted would happen. Those include a system to “buy and sell” using some means of personal identification (mark) through a global economic system. The Iranian Oil Bourse is an economic weapon that may be used in an attempt to cripple the US and world economy – again another attempt by the Islamic radicals to bring about the coming of the Mahdi and the creation of an Islamic world order. If the US economy is brought down, the economic ripples throughout the world would bring financial chaos – as the US dollar is the dominant means of exchange on a global scale. One of my degrees is in Economics, and I well understand the financial implications of what this could entail.
To sum it up, you’re not seeing the forest for the trees. I know President Bush to be a man who is a Christian and is very open about his faith. He reads his Bible and prays daily, asking God for guidance. Does President Bush make mistakes? Sure he does. Do I agree with every decision President Bush makes? No. We are all imperfect people attempting to do our best with what God has given us. I also understand there is a LOT we don’t see behind the scenes that the President must weigh and consider before making a decision. Were we privy to the intelligence and insights the President has, we might find ourselves thinking differently. We must also remember President Bush has an obligation to protect and serve the interest of the US and its people both at home and abroad and this is a weight that most men and women could not (or would not) bear due to the significant consequences of every decision. I pray and support my president, even when I may disagree with him.
Do I believe he made a mistake in the War on Terror and the War in Iraq? No I do not. Do I believe the reasons for going to war were justified? Personally and professionally, I do. Radical Islam is perhaps the greatest threat national and international security and Saddam Hussein was one of these radical terrorists who had to be stopped before he used WMD’s on those who opposed him, including Israel. The spirit that dominated and drove Saddam Hussein is the same demonic spirit that is guiding Iran’s leadership to wipe Israel from the earth. It is the same spirit that drove Hitler to engage in the holocaust, and the same spirit that will completely dominate the coming antichrist predicted in Daniel and Revelation.
Events you are seeing are leading us ever closer to the return of Christ. Jesus said we would see these things, and these things were to be expected. So I see them as what they are – evidence the coming of the Lord is sooner rather than later. You may disagree with the war in Iraq and the war on terror. Isn’t it great to live in a country where you are free to do that? For the people in Iraq, many of them can now do this for the first time.
I support my President and my country. I support and stand with Israel, as they are special in the eyes of God. I pray for those in leadership to make right decisions…and most importantly, I pray even so, come Lord Jesus. And until He does return, I spend my time sharing Jesus with those who are in need of hearing the Truth and being the hands of God extended to those who are in need.