"As a Catholic chaplain I watched as the Bockscar, piloted by a good Irish Catholic pilot, dropped the bomb on the Urakami Cathedral in Nagasaki, the center of Catholicism in Japan.
I never preached a single sermon against killing civilians to the men who were doing it... It never entered my mind to protest publicly the consequences of these massive air raids. I was told it was necessary--told openly by the military and told implicitly by my Church's leadership.
I struggled. I argued. But yes, there it was in the Sermon on the Mount, very clear: "Love your enemies. Return good for evil." I went through a crisis of faith. Either accept what Christ said, as unpassable and silly as it may seem, or deny Him completely.
For the last 1700 years the Church has not only been making war respectable: it has been inducing people to believe it is an honorable profession, an honorable Christian profession. This is a lie."
- Father George Zabelka, Catholic Air Force chaplain who blessed the crews of the Bockscar and Enola Gay before dropping the atomic bombs.
this is not me subscribing to any one side. besides the Jesus side. i usually don't like to argue with anyone about this stuff, because it's not worth it. but i'll argue what that quote says until the day i die. it's simply written, but plain as day.
the sermon on the mount is pretty damn convicting. shows me that i/we are not doing a whole lot right. we aren't necessarily following Jesus, although we may claim that we are. i encourage you to read that today.
4 comments:
War is just two toddlers fighting over a toy magnified by about seven million. But what are we to do? Americans, hell people of any nationality, are dying. Christ would have us return good for evil. "Dear terrorists, we love you. Here, have some food and money." They would most likely return our efforts at love with more violence and death. Do we continue to love until there is nobody left? Until their goal is reached? How do we do this? In the same sense, if someone threatened my life, i would fight for it! I started rambling, sorry.
I have no crap to give. In fact, I believe that the answer to Dan's question is, yes. Love until there's nobody left. Christ preaches faithfulness not "successfulness" or "effectiveness." After all, our goal is already reached. Tetelestai.
i didnt read your post yet, but i wanted to comment anyway. that okay? mmmkay.
True application of the Sermon on the mount is the scariest thing ever, I keep wondering if I don't do it will I the one of the people denied even though I cried 'Lord Lord'? (7:22)
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