Blessed Are the Real Peacemakers
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Because of the war that the US has brought to Iraq I, like any good US citizen, have been searching for justification. I know George Bush and the Republican's are still searching for a good, sound reason for the death and destruction we have brought upon Iraq, not to mention the loss of 1,000 US soldiers to date. The answer may very well be that God and "His cause" is the only really viable reason for our "occupation" (Bush's term) of Iraq.
I was reared in a born-again fundamentalist Christian home. I know the tenants of "my religion" fairly well and I have my devoted parents to help me when I get things "wrong". I have been struggling with a dilemma in "my religion" over what part "peace" plays within my religion. After all Jesus said, "Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the sons of God" (Matthew 5:9). If Jesus believed in "peacemaking" so much, why do Christians support "preemptive war"? It's difficult to reconcile one's beliefs to this type of "peacemaking" strategy. The French appear to have been right. Since, there were no WMD's, which was fairly evident in all those months that our troops massed at the Iraqi border free from harm. Why could we not have a longer "parlie". Would not this have been, at least, trying to be a peacemaker?
I will come back to this, but the reader must first understand the rationale of "peace" and how it "fits" in this situation. There is another scripture, from Jeremiah, that is quoted far more often in reference to peace than Jesus' "peacemaker" quote. This Jeremiah scripture, that is referenced, is a key to understanding why peace is the tact for Christians to take. Christian's say that in the end times: "as in the time of Jeremiah the people shall cry ‘peace, peace but there will be no peace'" (Jeremiah 6:14).
Christian's believe that although the Earth is only about 8 to 12 thousand years old, we are in "the end times". So, put yourself in their shoes for a moment. If you know that we are living in the end times and that only idiots will be fruitlessly squawking for peace, would you be crying out "peace"? I don't think so.
Now let me return to Jesus' quote about the peacemakers. Christians point out that the peace-MAKERS are the ones that are blessed. Peace-making involves actively working to bring about peace and harmony between sides that are at odds. Taking part in a march, in a big city, with a bunch of other fruitcake weirdoes, is NOT working to bring about peace. To make peace one must look at the causes of disharmony and find ways to best resolve the conflict. However, there is a catch. One cannot make peace unless one has made peace with God on an individual basis. Once you have made peace with God, then and only then may you begin trying to help others make amends. Bush is the only one running for President that has "made his peace with God", and this is why the Christian right follows Bush and the Republicans. He is the only one who meets this qualification. When George W. Bush became a born again Christian he became the only person qualified to be a peacemaker in the free world.
Those that marched in New York City to protest the RNC and the war, are not really peacemakers and therefore can be labeled as unpatriotic. The reason the Republican's held their convention in New York City was to make a statement. That statement is viewed by "the left" as the middle finger of the "right"; as in, "your view doesn't matter, we are going to do whatever we want and you cannot stop us." The "right" views the statement as "we are the qualified ‘peacemakers'. Step aside and let us show you how it's done." Thus the real "peacemakers" in the US are the Republicans.
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