Life Heritage Perspectives

I am pleased to post a guest commentary from Brother Jawanza who hosts the Wholistic Global Reparations for the Maafa discussion board on Facebook

People of the USA,

Please realize that you’ve, hmm, we’ve been used by the elite, by the aristocrats (a la France’s Louis XIV & Marie Antoinette) and by the plutocrats. We’ve been played!

These players have directly contributed to the current government bankruptcy. After all, this is the same government that is made up of elites, aristocrats and plutocrats. And guess what, they even reach the White House. How do you think “W” got in? They are swept in on a current of corporate money and when they get into office they represent their corporate interests over the interests of the people, the people’s money, the people’s taxes, the government coffers, the country…your money, our money! They finance and fight wars for corporations with your money for the benefit of the corporation, and then the same corporations tell you that they have to lay you off. You may have even fought or got injured in the war that fattened their coffers to your own detriment.

In general, the elite, the aristocrats, the plutocrats and corporations are able to get your money from the government (you/us) for corporations to give their workers health-care; and then the corporations tell their workers (you/us) that we, the workers, can only work part-time at their company and therefore we would need to apply to the government (you/me/us) for government assistance and health-care.

They are in a race with each other to the bottom! It’s a race to the bottom of–among other things–labor rights, minimum wages and ethics. With low ethics, a corporation, an elite, an aristocrat and a plutocrat can exploit people and nature more aggressively and more easily. They can set up more sweatshops, pollute more of the environment, harm more animals, dump more junk on foreign markets, poison more people with their products and keep a straighter face while doing it.

We are now raising a fuss about outsourcing, since almost nothing is being produced in the West anymore and since there is hardly a manufacturing job to be found here any longer. But where were the voices when this was just an ethical issue? Where were the tears for the child laborers? For those working for two dollars a day? For the abused female workers? Can we only feel it when it hits us? Is that what we are saying? Is that why there is no heart or compassion to address the Maafa and Reparations?

Coming to think of it, there was a big uproar over welfare a few years ago–but not in the way you would think. The flurry had to do with those who were concerned about social welfare, and were totally oblivious to corporate welfare–and this while corporate welfare accounted for 12.5% of the government’s budget while social welfare amounted to a meager 1%. Guess what they decided to “fix”? Social Welfare. Now the corporations have fixed us!

Notes:
For more on the United States being more of an aristocracy than a democracy, please refer to the works of economist Dr. Uwe Reinhardt. Consider these words from the 2009 Health Action Conference: “When you teach economics, you’re going to have to redo all your notes, which is my tragedy. How can I still tell people private markets are self regulating? How can I still tell young people private markets are more efficient than government? How can I still teach them the [pablum] I have been teaching them because I got paid to do that? You can’t. You have to really rewrite all the textbooks in economics.” (Uwe Reinhardt, Ph.D)

Brother Jawanza

This commentary originally appeared on December 9, 2005.

Frustrated by the intolerant attitude exhibited by the extreme right wing of the Likud party he helped to found in 1973, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon recently announced the formation of a new political party with a centrist ideology. Called Kadima, from the Hebrew word “forward,” Sharon has visions of rescuing his beloved nation from the violent quagmire in which the state has been ensnared since it’s inception in 1947. On November 28, Kadima revealed its national agenda which spells out the party’s desire to create an environment for the establishment of two independent states (Arab and “Jewish”) in the land of Israel.

While many may view the manifesto as an important milestone on the road to peace, the assumption of Israeli “right” to the land only served to infuriate those who question the legitimacy of Israel’s existence. Just last week, Iran’s controversial Prime Minister, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, suggested that Israel’s real homeland should be located in the boundaries of the European nations from which the majority originated, and not on the soil of land made available by the displacement of the indigenous people who had inhabited the area for millennia. As far as Ahmadinejad is concerned, there can be no move forward without looking backward.

Looking Back
It can be argued that Sharon’s claim to the Land of Israel is based upon a backwards look to the promise given to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. His understanding of Israel is formed by historic recollections of the spectacular exodus from Egypt under Moses; the economic and military successes of the united Israelite kingdom under David and Solomon; the successful struggle for liberation under Judas Maccabeus; the promotion of high culture under the Hasmonean dynasty; and the political prowess of the rabbinic Pharisees during the compromising period of the Herods. Whether he is conscious of it or not, Sharon’s understanding of Israel is anchored in his belief that the land is a Divine birthright for all of Abraham’s descendants through Isaac.

It can also be argued that Ahmadinejad’s assumptions about the land can also be validated by history. It is a fact that before the Israelites established claims to the territory, it had been inhabited by the Hamitic Canaanites. Centuries after the Israelite settlement, the land could claim Christian identity after millions of Israel’s sons and daughters–along with their pagan neighbors–had embraced the Messiahship of Jesus of Nazareth. When the newly formed Moslems established the Ummayad dynasty in the seventh century, less than five percent of the population of the region identified with Judaism. By the end of the Crusades, a significant majority in the land of Palestine had forsook Christianity for Islam, and the Jewish presence had diminished even more. Moslem domination continued unchallenged until the late 1800s when Jews escaping persecution in other parts of the Arab world, settled in Palestine and initiated the Zionist movement that called for the establishment on an independent Jewish state. Aided by mandates from the British in 1917 and the United Nations in 1947, the state of Israel became a reality on May 15, 1948.

Present Reality
As far as many Palestinians and other Arab sympathizers are concerned, the state was imposed upon them by imperialist powers and does not have the right to exist. I will always remember the pain on the face of the Arab man I spoke to while visiting East Jerusalem as he pointed out his parents home from which they were forcefully evicted by the Israeli government in 1948–a plight experienced by thousands of Arab families. These images were fresh in his memory, and it was hard for him to let go. Viewing the situation through different lenses, the Israelis point to the “miraculous” victories over the Arab aggressors during the war of 1948 when they successfully repelled simultaneous attacks from six Arab nations, and the Six Day War of 1967 in which they annexed sections of Jordan and Egypt. As far as they are concerned, these victories could only have been attained with Divine intervention.

With so much emotion vested on either side of the conflict, its hard to see the end. Prime Minister Sharon may agree to make concessions with his Palestinian counterpart, Mahmoud Abbas, but hardliners in Hamas, Likud and other intolerant organizations will always see things in black and white. Infused with religious ideologies and fueled by national pride, they will remain entrenched in their positions even if their nations move on without them.

Future Hope
While critics may point to these groups as the obstacle to peace, I believe that the real barrier is much bigger than any human organization. The truth is, the situation in Palestine is just a microcosmic expression of the millennia old struggle between Satan’s penchant for evil and God’s desire for goodness to reign unchallenged. While I encourage the efforts towards peace, deep in my heart I know that the only way the nations of the world can truly move forward is with Jesus. The Messiah, whose coming is anticipated by Jew, Christian, and Moslem is the only one who can bring lasting peace on the earth.

As we enter this advent season and reflect on the birth of the child who came to bring “peace and good will to all humans,” (Lk 2:14) I trust each of us will play a part in becoming agents of peace. As members of the family of God, we don’t preoccupy ourselves with terrible memories of the past, but we look forward to the future with hope (Phil 3:13), always mindful that “a tree is known by its fruit.”

This commentary originally appeared on June 28, 2006

Victims of the Holocaust and their sympathizers continue to herald the warning, “never forget.” They want to be sure that the unspeakable atrocities of Hitler’s Nazi Germany are never experienced again by any future Jewish generation. Unfortunately, as we witness the Israeli Defense Force attacking Palestine from land, air and sea, it appears that they are the ones who have forgotten. In the vindictive spirit of their forebears, the Ehud Olmert led Kadima government have forgotten several significant chapters in history.

They have forgotten that the creation of the State of Israel was the result of a non-democratic mandate issued by British imperialists and a Western influenced United Nations. They have forgotten that many of their citizens are living in homes that were forcefully stolen from helpless Palestinians. They have forgotten the pain of being treated like second class citizens in a land their ancestors called home. They have forgotten that the forefathers and foremothers of the so called Palestinians probably adhered to the religion of Israel long before Islam even came on the scene. They have forgotten the pain of living under a terrorist regime where you were never sure if family members that left home in the morning would return at night. They have forgotten the humility of being confined in concentration camps as they construct a thick barrier around the borders of Palestine in order to contain their prisoners.

As an agent of justice, I cannot sit on the bench of political correctness and remain silent as Israeli fascists mimic their American mentors with their “overwhelming force” version of terrorism. I cannot join the dispensationalist theologians who feel that modern Jews have a Divine right to occupy the historical land of Hamitic Canaan. My prophetic mandate demands that I echo the call for peace–a peace that can only be brought about when pride is pulverized in the pit of prejudice. I hope all who are led by the Spirit of God will resonate with this call for peace, as we continue to keep in mind that “a tree is known by its fruit.”

This commentary was originally written on September 26, 2006

During his visit to the United Nations, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad had an opportunity to bare his soul when being interviewed on CNN. Probably for the first time ever, many in the west learned of Theodor Herzl’s Zionist movement that was the catalyst behind the modern state of Israel. Millions are under the mistaken impression that the country known today as Israel is the historical successor of the ancient Kingdom of Israel. What they don’t realize, is that before the creation of the state of Israel in the twentieth century, Jews had not had autonomy in the region since the sixth decade of the first century.

After the Roman generals Titus and Vespasian utterly sacked the city of Jerusalem in 70CE, the Jews no longer had self governing territory on a national scale. In fact, the whole face of Judaism began to change in the region. At least tens, but probably hundreds of thousands had accepted Jesus as Messiah, and the distinctive Jewish identity now merged with the growing number of gentiles who embraced Christianity. With the coming of Islam in the seventh century, hundreds and thousands more converted to the faith of Muhammad.

European Antisemitism
As the population of Jews in Palestine shrank, Jewish centers in other parts of the world appear to have remained stable. There were sizeable populations in Egypt and other parts of North Africa, as well as influential communities in Iran and Iraq. In fact, from as early as New Testament times, Jews had already established bases in European countries as far west as Italy and Spain. Although there was sporadic persecution, for the most part the Jews in Muslim lands lived in relative peace. The situation was different in Europe, where they were often despised and persecuted.

The plight of the Jews in Europe intensified during the crusades. It seemed as if there was no sanctuary for the dispersed remnant of Israel’s seed. In the name of Christianity, Europe’s Monarchs turned their lives into a living hell. In 1290, King Edward I of England expelled all Jews from his land. He was followed by Philip the Fair of France in 1306. As the frantic sons of Jacob sought refuge with their settled peers in southern Europe, they too were disrupted in 1492 when they were expelled from Spain and later Portugal and made subject to horrendous persecution during the inquisitions. Finding no peace in Europe, most found refuge in Muslim countries.

Jews in other parts of Europe continued to suffer as the brainwashed population beguiled by the racist rhetoric of such icons as Martin Luther directed their fury towards these Sabbath keepers. Russia would soon initiate a systemized pogrom, and Poland would slaughter half-a-million during the 17th century. There was a temporary respite, and the resilient people of promise were able to make great contributions to European culture. In fact, many were able to prosper in the area of commerce. However, this only served to infuriate their temperamental European hosts who watched silently as Adolf Hitler organized the systematic persecution of millions of Jews at the height of European civilization.

Zionist Extremism
It was the systemic racism in the west that drove modern Jews to find refuge in Palestine. From as early as the nineteenth century, Jews fleeing Europe were being aided by the open policies of the Ottoman Empire. However, by the turn of the twentieth century the situation was somewhat different. The Ottaman Empire had been defeated by the British, and the immigrant Jews were now becoming a strong political force. Emboldened by their growing numbers, many Jews were attracted to the Zionist ideology of Theodor Herzl who believed that the displaced people needed their own homeland.

England appears to have been the first European nation to endorse the concept of a Jewish homeland when the Balfour Declaration of 1917 mandated that a portion of Palestine should be ceded to the Jews (at this time, the British administered Palestine). In 1947, the western influenced United Nations placed their weight behind the concept of a Palestine divided by Jewish/Muslim lines. Shortly after, war erupted and the Zionists seized the lion’s share, and the modern state of Israel was born.

The new political dynamics in Palestine evoked the anger of Arabs around the region. As far as they were concerned, the creation of the Israeli state was just another chapter in Europe’s imperial quest. They did not associate the European exiles with bonafide people of the region. Given the religious reasoning behind the Zionist claim on the land, Muslims in Arab nations began to despise the Jews who had lived for centuries within their borders. It did not take long for the hundreds and thousands of Jews living in Muslim lands to seek refuge in the newly created state, further infuriating the indigenous inhabitants. Hence the foundation of the problem that exists to this very day.

Christian Culpability
Those unaware of the history are quick to blame Islamic fundamentalists and terrorists for the regional instability, but the record is indisputably clear that the fault lies with the nations of Europe whose twisted understanding of Christianity led them to persecute the Jews. A knowledge of the history helps to put regional issues into perspective, and provides some understanding for the existence of groups like Hezbollah, Hamas, and Fatah. Ironically, while Euro-American powers are pointing the finger at extremist Islamic groups, and blaming them for global instability, the other three fingers are directed at the real culprits. The true perpetrators are those who sought to purge Europe–yea the world–of the “race” accused of murdering Jesus. The bigger tragedy, is that they did all this in the name of Christianity–a movement originally dedicated to propagating the gospel of peace.

As Pope Benedict conjures words that–in previous centuries–inspired many ordinary church folk to pick up arms against Muslims and Jews, one wonders if the Christian church has learned its lesson. My only hope is that the faithful remnant who understand the real essence of the gospel will continue to allow God’s light of peace to shine through their actions. As you do your best to be a witness to our Jewish and Muslim siblings, always remember that “a tree is known by its fruit.”

This commentary was originally written on April 24, 2007.

It is no secret that Jan Smuts patterned South African Apartheid after American segregationist policies. Smuts benchmarked an American system that was legalized by Plessey vs. Ferguson, and took it to a new level. His version of Apartheid did not just involve a division between Whites and the “rest,” but further subdivided the “rest” into multiple tribal and ethnic groups. After years of division, millions rejoiced when the end of Apartheid was symbolically indicated by the elevation of Nelson Mandela to the South African presidency.

Apartheid America
As South Africa makes the painful transition to a society with some semblance of equality, it is forced to come to terms with the reality that it is not societal laws that cause Apartheid, it’s people. Racist laws have no power if people don’t obey them. As it relates to the United States of America, its been almost fifty years since Brown vs. the Board of Education mandated integration in schools. And it’s been more than forty years since the passing of the Civil Rights Act. However, even with these judicial and legislative announcements, Apartheid ideology is still woven into the fabric of America.

American Apartheid is so entrenched that government attempts to enforce integration have failed miserably. Bussing Black kids to White schools has done nothing to enhance race relations. In fact, they have only exacerbated them. In many–not all–instances, Black students are forced to sit in classes where teachers have no concern about their education. To make matters worse, the unreasonable distances from home to school make it difficult for their parents to participate in the academic process.

Voluntary attempts to integrate neighborhoods have also been horrendous. There were unwritten rules that prohibited Blacks from obtaining real estate in certain areas. And when someone broke the code and sold to a Negro, the result was predictable–White flight. The demographics of entire neighborhoods have been drastically altered by racist resentment.

Dividing Walls
The legacy of Apartheid is so much a part of America, that the current administration has no problem promoting it around the world. Former President Jimmy Carter was blasted when he recently raised his prophetic voice to lambast the demonic system that drives the state of Israel. So blinded are some to the evils of oppressive segregation, that they equate the aggressive arrogance of the Israeli government with the will of God.

With its enthusiastic support of Israeli Apartheid, noone should be surprised with the recent attempts to construct dividing walls in Iraq. They are being built under the guise of security, but it doesn’t take a genius to recognize that walls don’t unite–they separate. This is not a strategy for unity. Walls don’t solve anybody’s problem. They didn’t work in Germany, they are not working in Israel, and they won’t work in Iraq.

President Bush and his misguided strategists have already been successful in sowing separationist seeds among Sunni, Shia and Kurds. His divisive rhetoric has torn apart communities where Sunni and Shia lived harmoniously for decades. And now he wants to build walls instead of bridges? When is this administration going to admit its failings and allow the Iraqis to follow their own plan for unity? When will the neo-imperialists acknowledge that “divide and conquer” schemes can never lead to harmony?

The Demolition Man
The solution to the current problems in Iraq will never be attained by the construction of walls by occupying forces. In fact, no military strategy will bring peace to the region. History has long taught us that violence only begets violence. The law of the harvest is as true today as it was at creation, “You reap what you sow.”

The people of Iraq have been through enough. They have seen their society damaged by imperialist ideologues who want to control their wealth and their minds. And now their sovereignty is being further threatened by walls? Walls will only contribute to the problem. The fine citizens of Iraq don’t need the US government to dictate their destiny. What they need is a word from the Lord. They need to hear from the Prince of Peace who specializes in demolishing walls. In him, there is no Sunni or Shia, Catholic or Protestant, Theravada or Mahayana, Hasidic or Reform. He has abolished the “isms” that divide, and invites us to unite under the umbrella of love.

All who profess to follow Christ are called to participate with him in the demolishing of walls. Driven by the principle of love, we view all men and women as brothers and sisters. We are moved to respond when we see sickness and pain. We are not satisfied with giant inequities between the wealthy and the impoverished. We don’t support violent wars that indiscriminately take innocent lives. We live our lives always mindful that “a tree is known by its fruit.”

Dear Friends,

lifeHERITAGE Perspectives will be back in 2009!

Always remember, “a tree is known by its fruit!”

KAB

After ten days of deliberation, the jury in the Irve Lewis “Scooter” Libby trial decided that the former chief of staff for the Vice President of the United States was guilty of four of the five charges levied against him. Some are hailing this as a victory for the justice system, as they point to this as proof of a democracy that works. A democracy where nobody is above the law. A democracy where not even high ranking officials can escape the scorn of a tenacious judicial system.

Wishful Thinking
These sentiments may make good sound bites, but they only amount to wishful thinking. Who in their right mind would rejoice over swatting a gnat when the room is full of hornets? True–in the scheme of things, Libby is much larger than a gnat. He is one of the chief architects behind the Project for a New American Century. He is one of the so called “Vulcans” whose imperialist ideology is the driving force behind the President’s foreign policy. He shares the blame for the tens and thousands of innocent lives that have been slaughtered in the genocidal war on terror. However, this proven purveyor of falsehood is only one among many.

Most of us have forgotten the CIA’s original request to Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald. He was specifically charged with discovering and prosecuting the people responsible for “outing” the identity of Valerie Plame, a clandestine agent. It is now known that the decision to “out” Plame was a systemic plot involving many members of the Bush administration. However, not a single person will pay the price. Even Libby has escaped condemnation for his obvious involvement in an act akin to treason. And even in his case, experts are already predicting that whatever sentence he may garner will be nullified by a pardon from the president for whom he played patsy.

Sacrificial Lamb
This is just another reminder that there is no justice in our nation. Justice can only be administered when all citizens are subject to the rule of law–irrespective of his or her position in life. Lewis “Scooter” Libby may appear to be disgraced, but his co-conspirators are still free to implement their imperial plans. He served as the guilt ridden goat for a fraternity that sacrificed him freely in order to preserve their “sacred” charter.

Libby may be on the hot seat, but other members of the Project for a New American Century are still in the right positions to implement their plan for world domination. Paul Wolfowitz still sits comfortably at the head of the World Bank. Zalmay Khalilzad will soon move from his role as “governor” of Iraq to continue John Bolton’s inflexible tenure in the United Nations. Although pushed aside in the name of political expedience, Donald Rumsfeld still has an office in the Pentagon. Paula Dobriansky still influences policy as Under Secretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs. Aaron Friedberg still has the ear of those who served under him during his time as Cheney’s Deputy Assistant for National-security Affairs and Director of Policy Planning. Dick Cheney is still the rambunctious Vice-President of the United States of America. Do I need to mention more names?
Libby may have been sacrificed, but the plan that led him to “out” Valerie Plame is alive and kicking.

Ultimate Justice
It’s at times like these when I am comforted by the fact that there is more to reality than we see. Members of the Project for the New American Century may believe that they have managed to escape the judiciary radar, but there is a bigger court in session. It’s a court presided over by one who knows the very secrets discussed in the most secure boardrooms at the Pentagon. It’s a court where the prosecutor knows the real identity of every perpetrator who uses the guise of democracy and liberation to build personal power and wealth. It’s a court that cannot be corrupted by political processes or crafty lawyers spewing cunning lies.

Soon and very soon, Lewis “Scooter” Libby, George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Zalmay Khalilzad, Paul Wolfowitz and Keith Augustus Burton will all have to stand before the perfect Judge of the universe. At that time, every deed and secret thing will be brought to judgement, and an eternal verdict will be announced that is not subject to presidential pardon. As you think of your impending appointment with justice, I trust that you will always remember that “a tree is known by its fruit.”

No empire in history has matched the grandeur of Britain in its heyday. With its superior navy and steady supply of adventurous colonizers, Britannia did indeed rule the waves. Her empire included scores of nations in Africa, Asia, the Americas, and Australia.

In these conquered territories, the brown skinned aboriginals were lorded over by lighter skinned transplants. These British settlers were many and varied. Some were criminals serving out their prison sentences. Some were religious minorities who sought opportunities to be the exclusive majority. Some were representatives of wealthy landowners who sought to increase their estate with pilfered land. Whatever there reason for relocating to these new lands, all were symbols of Empire.

Imperial Coalition
Among the colonized territories, the ones that appealed most to the folk in the motherland were North America and Australia. Hundreds-of-thousands braved the turbulent seas in search of new opportunities on swindled shores. Although separated from its satellite states by vast oceans, the British crown maintained control of its far flung citizens. To this day the British monarch is still the head of state in Canada and Australia, and even in “independent” America the majority of those who have occupied the “White” House are firmly rooted in British soil.

With the strong tie that binds these colonies together, one should not be surprised that the leaders of Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom did not think twice about going against the desire of their people and contributed troops to America’s misnamed “Coalition of the Willing.” After all, this war is just another attempt to reestablish the “Empire,” and everyone knows that empires are run by emperors. Everyone knows that emperors have no regard for democracy. Everyone knows that those who have no regard for democracy become a law to themselves. Everyone knows that those who become a law to themselves inherit a false sense of power and impregnability.

The Real United Kingdom
Buoyed by this notion of invincibility, the Prime Ministers of Canada and Australia have recently garnered the courage to involve themselves in the affairs of others. Australian Prime Minister John Howard is unapologetic about his transparently racist remarks directed at presidential contender, Barack Obama. He will do everything in his power to thwart the Illinois Senator’s quest to become the nation’s first President of obvious African descent. The thought of a dark skinned person running the Empire has made him forget that other candidates have also proposed exit strategies. And just this week, Prime Minister Stephen Harper of sparsely populated Canada, had the nerve to reprimand Pakistan for its perceived lethargy in fighting the Taliban.

It seems to me that these foolhardy confrontations betray an air of superiority that is directly linked to Australia and Canada’s association with the latent Empire. Britain may have deferred leadership of the Empire to the United States, but ideologically the four independent nations are still a United Kingdom.

The Eternal Empire
Even as Canada and Australia test their newly defined strength, I’m reminded of the scripture that warns against placing confidence in secular institutions. They may think that their security is guaranteed by those with whom they share common genes, however history has shown us that no earthly power is indestructible. Further, prophecy has shown us that every earthly empire will eventually crumble under the eternal weight of the Kingdom of God. Friends, if you desire true security, don’t be beguiled by those seeking to reinstate a bankrupt empire, look to the Messiah who has promised to establish an Eternal Empire of peace. Until then, always remember that ‘a tree is known by its fruit.”

On Tuesday January, 23, President Bush is scheduled to deliver his annual State of the Union Address to Congress. Along with addressing other issues, this obstinate President is expected to use his speech to garner public support for the war in Iraq. He may pay lip service to the three-thousand plus members of the United States military who have died in Iraq.

He probably won’t mention the thirty to fifty thousand who have been seriously maimed for life, and the hundreds of thousands who have been psychologically damaged. And don’t hold your breath if you expect him to mention the tens and thousands of Iraqi civilians who have been murdered, and the millions more whose lives have been forever altered as a result of his imperial ideology.

Possessed?
Interestingly, the same President who appears to be in competition with the Angel of Death, addressed another audience on Monday morning. This audience comprised tens and thousands of pro-life advocates who embarked on the capital to protest the 34th anniversary of Roe vs. Wade. When Bush rallied the faithful, he didn’t sound like a man who has saturated the soil of distant lands with the blood of God’s children. He didn’t sound like a man whose chess board is so big that it can accommodate over one-million pawns. He didn’t sound like a man who stood in the sidelines cheering as Israel devastated Lebanon.

When Bush opened his mouth, it was as if some other soul had possessed his body. Here was a man heralding life as a universal right of humanity. Here was a man who was so committed to preserving life, that he even opposed the use of fetal tissue for medical research. Here was a man who passionately spoke about promoting “the culture of life.” Could this really be the President?

Schizophrenic Rhetoric
I’m sure others are confused by this apparently schizophrenic rhetoric. Maybe the President and his supporters have a different understanding of “life.” Does their understanding of life apply to the children of Chicago, but not the kids of Kirkuk? Does their understanding of life include the sons of Senators, but not the members of the military? Does their understanding of life embrace the women of Wyoming, but not the men of Mogadishu? Who is included in the President’s culture of life, and what is the basis for inclusion?

Ironically, if we accept the stereotypes, many of those who marched under the “pro-life” banner on Monday, also supported the President’s unprovoked invasion of Iraq. They probably affirm his view on capital punishment, and would have been among those who celebrated the news of President Hussein’s hanging. When you consider their diametrically opposed positions, it causes one to wonder if they have fully considered what it means to promote a “culture of life.”

Promoting Life
Those who truly promote a “culture of life” will understand that an unborn American fetus is just as valuable in God’s sight as a fully grown Iraqi father and husband. Logic demands that one who is truly “pro-life” will also be “anti-war.” The missiles showered on Mosul are just as lethal as the instruments used to perform abortions. Promoting a “culture of life” necessitates critiquing the culture of death, and Christians should be at the forefront of this campaign. After all, didn’t God send Jesus to inject new life into a dying world? Didn’t Jesus declare that he came to make an abundant life accessible to all? If life is indeed a gift from God, then Christians have a responsibility to champion the right of all to live.

I’m not sure how successful the President will be in changing opinions in his State of the Union Address. Some Congressmen from his own party have already broke rank and have chosen to listen to the voice of the Spirit in their denouncement of the war. I only hope that professed people of God will listen to the same Spirit and make the decision to support life as they oppose the escalation of confrontation. As you wrestle with your own political positions, always remember that “a tree is known by its fruit.”