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Thermal Thursday: Progressive Christianity and the US Military [1]

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Date: 2023-03-16

Today’s Topic: Mikey Weinstein had another excellent diary yesterday on the latest outrage from the Jesus pushers at the Air Force Academy. Of course this is a problem because of the obvious discrimination and potential for discrimination in leadership showing an overt preference for followers of their right-wing brand of Christianity. Anyone with half a brain should be able to realise that this will make non-Christians feel marginalised and unwanted. It is not good for military cohesion, brotherhood, and all those positive group qualities that the military wants to encourage in their troops. It could potentially thwart the ambitions of talented leaders of other faiths or no faith who may have just the qualities we really need in a military leader. The Air Force Academy continues to push, however, giving Mikey unending opportunities to fight them again and again, taking them to court when necessary. Clearly they have a problem with diversity and tolerance.

But I want to point out another big problem I have with this from a progressive Christian perspective: I do not worship a God who cheers for one side in a war! Yes, I recognise that there are dictator wannabes (Putin, looking at you) and legitimate fights in defense of homes and lives (Ukraine, looking at you). But I don’t want to cheer for death and destruction and I won’t worship an image of God who does so either. War is tragedy — perhaps only second to submission to oppression. I cheer for it to be over soon with the best possible outcome for all concerned. When I am in a savage “beat them all” mood, I’m not feeling very godlike. I do not think Warrior God is our highest ideal.

Ukraine Hospital: Should we be OK with this if it’s a Russian hospital?

Given the number of times that militaries in general, and the US military in particular, have been aggressors rather than defenders, my image of God informed by my reading of the Bible has no place at any military academy. We have no idea what their next orders will be. I think it is OK for you to think that God is on your side. But not that She is on your side more than on the other side. It is often impossible to know if you are on the side of justice or war crimes until after military action, sometimes long after. The Bible provides many passages about loving one’s enemies.

In addition, too often wars for Christianity have become wars fought by many with unquestioning enthusiasm, and drag on with the intention to oppress people with other beliefs and/or “the wrong kinds of beliefs,” such as Catholic versus Protestant. We need to move beyond that and embrace diversity. For a deep dive into whether religions promote war or peace and under what conditions, see this paper by J. William Frost for the Friends Association. I want my religion to stand for peace and not be corrupted to justify war. I certainly am not the only one, as point 6 of a formal statement of progressive Christianity is peace and justice.

War should be the last resort and its goals limited to fighting oppression. Fight for freedom. Fight for the right to self determination. Do NOT fight for Christianity — there are other religions, and none, that have just as much validity and deserve equal respect.

I strongly believe that war, like government, functions best with secular structures and purposes. And religion does best keeping its focus on spirituality.

War and sanctuaries should not mix! (h/t psychusa)

Finally as always, let’s elevate our Community Cred and repost The Needs List! From Aashirs nani (with permission) on Helping Humpday — with congratulations for getting a diary up on Wednesday!:

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COMMUNITY NEEDS LIST AS OF 3/15/23:

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[1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/3/16/2158547/-Thermal-Thursday-Progressive-Christianity-and-the-US-Military

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