I don't care if it works

Again more strong feelings aroused by 42: Great stuff at untiedmethodist.com and 42: The opposite of anti. As I read these I realise that part of what I feel about war many others don't share.

The thing is that I don't care if war works. Now I still don't think it does work, but that is not why I am against war as a solution.

In other words, even if war is the best solution to the worlds problems (again I emphasise that history shows us it almost never is) I do not and will not support it.

So I don't care about any supposed successes of war, they are irrelevant. Strangely in other spheres this type of thinking is generally accepted but not when it comes to war. Stealing may be the most successful way to feed my family in the short term, but we don't judge whether stealing is the proper thing to do based on that success.

In the same way as a Christian I do not measure success by results but by obedience to Christ. When Christ said "Love you enemy" we need to be obedient even (especially?) when that does not lead to success.

When Christ says "do not judge", "you cannot serve God and wealth", "do not resist an evildoer, But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also". Then this is not saying do these things if you think they will be successful. He is saying be obedient.

So I don't care if anyone says that war works. What I care about is obedience to Christ. That obedience does not support war.

Of course this does not apply just to the issue if war. In all things obedience is the call not success.

Comments

[John]

The thing is that I don't care if war works. Now I still don't think it does work, but that is not why I am against war as a solution.

In other words, even if war is the best solution to the worlds problems (again I emphasise that history shows us it almost never is) I do not and will not support it.

So I don't care about any supposed successes of war, they are irrelevant. Strangely in other spheres this type of thinking is generally accepted but not when it comes to war. Stealing may be the most successful way to feed my family in the short term, but we don't judge whether stealing is the proper thing to do based on that success.

I can follow this line of reasoning. It's actually rather libertarian. It's fine -- so as long as you never again say that your primary concern is the Iraqi people. Because it's not. Your focus is now on your own personal morality.

[DaveW]

John,

Our government did not take the UK to war because the primary concern was the Iraqi people. Due to the way that money, power and influence work in the US I am not convinced it was the primary concern of the administration there either.

Anyway you are right. I believe that as a Christian my primary concern is Jesus, my Lord and Saviour. Beyond that it is for all people everywhere.

We part company when you think I cannot believe that being against this war means that I do not have a concern for the Iraqi people. They are not living at peace now, they are not safe now, many died in the war (and we killed a lot of them). These seem good arguments that the war was not good for them.

Sure I agree that any morality I espouse should start with me. Where else could it begin. That is one reason why I am not a complete pacifist because I am aware of the anger and violence within me.

[John]

But Dave, you yourself are saying that you don't care if war works -- that maintaining your sense of self-righteousness is more important than whatever good results may be found in war.

The Iraqi people are breathing free for the first time in their lives. They are voting for the first time in their history. There are no government death squads 'disappearing' people. The mass graves are emptying rather than filling. What's your response? "I don't care if it works."