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CHRIST and the Six Principles of Non-Violence

By Jeremy Myers
16 Comments

CHRIST and the Six Principles of Non-Violence

Jumah prayerIt was Friday afternoon, around 12:30. The Muslim Friday Jumah prayer was supposed to begin, and 107 Muslims had gathered. But as they were washing their feet and faces, and laying out their prayer rugs, the authorities called me on the phone and told me to cancel the Jumah prayer.

I am a white Christian pastor. I work in a prison as a chaplain.

But due to a looming security concern, I had no other choice, and went and informed the gathering Muslims that Jumah had been canceled for that day.

The seething anger directed my way was palpable. All 107 Muslims stood up, glared at me, and started to gather around. I sensed that how I responded in the next few seconds would determine whether I lived or died that day.

“You can’t cancel the Jumah prayer,” said the Imam of the group. “It’s mandatory. It’s required.”

“Yes, I know,” I calmly responded. “But there is a security concern, and until it’s resolved, everybody is required to return to their housing units.” In a prison, security takes precedence even over religion, but even still, nobody likes to have their religious service cancelled.

“So what are we supposed to do, Chaplain?” asked the Imam. “Allah demands that we pray, but you are demanding we not pray. Who do you think we should obey?”

The crowd of Muslims pressed in closer to hear how I would respond. My mind raced, and I knew that the security concern could quickly escalate into a security crisis (and possibly a riot) depending on the next words out of my mouth.

It is very difficult to practice nonviolence in a system that is inherently and purposefully built upon the principles of violence. The central principal of violence is that you get what you want by having a bigger stick. You may not always use the stick; sometimes having it is enough. This idea was immortalized in Teddy Roosevelt’s famous explanation of his foreign policy: “Speak softly, and carry a big stick.” As long as your stick is bigger than your enemy’s, this should be enough to deter him from war.

The prison system, in which I work, is founded on this principal. By their very nature, prisons take people who have engaged in various forms of violence and put them in a situation where they have very few sticks at their disposal, while all the guards and prison staff have much larger sticks. The big stick principal is what keeps the prison relatively safe and secure.

But the big sticks are not what you think. Despite the common perception, most prison staff in the west no longer carry weapons of any kind. Guards do not have guns or even billy clubs. They typically are “armed” only with a radio. Outmanned and overpowered, the modern prison guard is trained to use their minds and their mouths to maintain peace inside a prison.

But it doesn’t always work. And when it doesn’t, riots break out, people are killed, and yes, this is when the guns are brought in. Though even then, only non-lethal munitions are used.

Working in the prison system as I do, I have found a “weapon” that is even more powerful than the radio. And it is the constant “radio connection” I have with God.

So in that moment, as the Muslims angrily waited for my answer, I quickly asked God for wisdom on what to say. And He showed me.

“You should pray,” I said.

There was a collective gasp by the Muslims.

I could sense their thoughts. Was the chaplain mocking them? Or was he actually telling prison inmates to disobey an order?

But I continued. “Nobody is demanding that you not pray. I invite you to pray. I want you to pray. I ask you to pray. I hope that you will pray. But today, because of the security concern, you are going to have to pray down in your housing units. Allah is powerful, is he not? He will hear your prayers there just as well as he will hear them in this place. So pray to Allah that this situation would be resolved quickly and peacefully. Then maybe we can get you back up here to the chapel a little later this afternoon for your communal Jumah prayer.”

They started at me, still trying to decide how to respond.

I waited.

Finally, the Imam turned to the gathered Muslims and said, “The Chaplain is right. Allah can hear our prayers and work to resolve this situation quickly. We will return to our housing units.”

Later that afternoon, I was indeed able to make arrangements for the Muslims to return to the Chapel for their afternoon Jumah prayer. It was late, but at least it was done. The Muslims praised Allah for hearing and answering their prayers, and I praised Jesus for answering mine.

non-violence and peaceDuring my years of working as a prison chaplain, I have found six principles that help me navigate the tricky and treacherous waters of practicing nonviolence in a system built on violence. The six principles form an acrostic for “CHRIST” because they are founded upon the teachings and example of Jesus Christ.

Here are the six principles, with a brief explanation of each.

Creativity.

Our world trains us that when we are faced with violence, the best response is greater violence. We use violence to fight violence. But violence always and only leads to more violence, so those who would practice non-violence must start to find alternative, creative solutions out of violent situations.

This is easier said than done, however, and so our attempts at creative responses must be bathed in prayer for God, the Creator, to guide us into creative non-violent responses as well. There is no “one size fits all” response to violence, for each situation is different and requires a different response. So creativity is required.

Honesty.

non-violent resistanceIt takes two to tango. It also takes two to fight. And have you ever noticed that in nearly every violent engagement, both sides think the other one “started it”? Even in the case of terrorists flying planes into skyscrapers, they thought that they were righteously responding to the unjust treatment of their people by the United States. Even Hitler believed he was responding to the unjust treatment of Germany after their losses in World War I.

So in any sort of violent engagement, we must be brutally honest with how we ourselves contributed to the problem. We must not and cannot place all the blame on the other person, for this will only cause greater problems.

Realism.

Let’s be realistic: non-violence doesn’t always end violence. We live in an evil world, and sometimes, evil wins. So we must not think that non-violence always “works” and is the magic cure-all for everything that ails the world. It isn’t. It doesn’t always work. In fact, maybe we could say that it rarely works.

So why practice non-violence? Because even if non-violence rarely works, this is still better than violence, which never works. Violence always and only creates more violence. But sometimes, non-violence creates peace, and therefore, it has a better success rate. But we must be realistic and recognize that a non-violent response will not always bring an end to violence. It often won’t.

Jesus and non-violence

Incarnation.

If we want to practice non-violence, we must understand that we are incarnating Jesus to the world, just as He incarnated God to us. It is not we who are out there all on our own standing up for love, patience, forgiveness, and peace, but it is Jesus in us who is standing up for these things. Furthermore, a recognition that we are the incarnation of Jesus on earth encourages us to live as He lived and love as He loved.

Strength.

It is very easy to respond to violence with violence. People often talk about the courage and bravery of war, and indeed, it does take courage to charge onto the field of battle, not knowing if you will make it back off.

Similarly, it does indeed take courage and bravery to pull a knife or a gun on an assailant. However, it takes greater strength and courage to stand up against violence without violence. We must not think that non-violence is the weak way out. It is the bravest and strongest way out.

It is much harder to take the blows that fall on your back without retaliating than to lash out and trade blow for blow. Non-violence is not weakness or cowardice, but takes the greatest strength and courage.

Trust.

If God is non-violent, and calls us to practice non-violence as well, then we must trust God to work in us and through us, even though our minds, wills, and bodies scream out in protest at the ways of non-violence.

It is only when we trust in God to bring a solution to a bad situation that God will step in to do exactly that. And related to this, in light of the previous five principles, it important to know that even if we die while practicing non-violence, we can still trust God to use our death to create peace, just as He did in Jesus. A resolute trust in God reminds us that sometimes it is better to die than to kill.

Peace in Jesus Christ

Conclusion

Jesus modeled the way for us to live with non-violence toward others. Yes, we must resist evil wherever it is found, and we must stand up for righteousness and justice, but we must do so in the ways of Jesus, through non-violent resistance.

What methods and practices have you found which help you resist non-violently? Do you think that such forms of resistance can help solve the problems of violence that the world faces today? Why or why not? Which of the six CHRIST principles outlined above will be most challenging for you to practice? Let us know in the comment section below!

[Note: This blog post is part of the 2018 Blogging Carnival for Nonviolence. Go here to see the other posts.]

God is Redeeming Life, Redeeming Theology, z Bible & Theology Topics: creativity, humility, incarnation, islam, Jesus Christ, non-violence, non-violent resistance, peace, violence, war

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It’s not Personal; it’s Just War

By Jeremy Myers
11 Comments

It’s not Personal; it’s Just War

Have you ever heard someone say, “It’s not personal; it’s just business”? This statement is usually said in the context of one person destroying the livelihood of another person through a hostile corporate takeover, or pushing a company out of business, or some sort of other action which ruins that other person’s company or income stream.

Of course, the person who is losing their livelihood, income, or business nearly always takes this attack personally. It is impossible not to. Each person is intimately connected with what they do and how they earn their income and provide for themselves and their family. It is deeply “personal” when someone else tries to take that away.

Which brings me to the concept of “Just War.” Just War theory is the idea that some wars are good, right, holy, and just. When such wars are waged, the attacking army often views their actions as good and godly, so that many of those on the receiving end of these attacks should be pleased and happy about the bombs falling out of the sky and the bullets whizzing by their heads because they are being set free and liberated from some form of evil that had enslaved them.

In other words, some proponents of “Just War theory” give the impression that as our armies march off to kill others in God’s name, we can be saying, “It’s not personal; it’s Just War,” and they expect people to say “Thank you!” as bombs fall on their heads.

Yes, this is a caricature of the Just War position, but when you listen to advocates of Just War theory, this caricature is not too far off the mark. They see themselves as liberators and freedom fighters who use war to set others free.

just warLet us look briefly at Just War theory, and how it is defined. Following this, I will suggest an alternative method to accomplishing God’s will in this world.

Rules of Just War

The rules for Just War were first developed by Thomas Aquinas (c1225-74) and Francisco de Vitoria (c1483-1546) and are still referred to by Christians today. They are as follows:

-it must be fought by a legal recognized authority, eg, a government
-the cause of the war must be just
-the war must be fought with the intention to establish good or correct evil
-there must be a reasonable chance of success
-the war must be the last resort (after all diplomatic negotiations have been tried and failed)
-only sufficient force must be used and civilians must not be involved

Stated differently:

  1. A just war can only be waged as a last resort. All non-violent options must be exhausted before the use of force can be justified.
  2. A war is just only if it is waged by a legitimate authority. Even just causes cannot be served by actions taken by individuals or groups who do not constitute an authority sanctioned by whatever the society and outsiders to the society deem legitimate.
  3. A just war can only be fought to redress a wrong suffered. For example, self-defense against an armed attack is always considered to be a just cause (although the justice of the cause is not sufficient–see point #4). Further, a just war can only be fought with “right” intentions: the only permissible objective of a just war is to redress the injury.
  4. A war can only be just if it is fought with a reasonable chance of success. Deaths and injury incurred in a hopeless cause are not morally justifiable.
  5. The ultimate goal of a just war is to re-establish peace. More specifically, the peace established after the war must be preferable to the peace that would have prevailed if the war had not been fought.
  6. The violence used in the war must be proportional to the injury suffered. States are prohibited from using force not necessary to attain the limited objective of addressing the injury suffered.
  7. The weapons used in war must discriminate between combatants and non-combatants. Civilians are never permissible targets of war, and every effort must be taken to avoid killing civilians. The deaths of civilians are justified only if they are unavoidable victims of a deliberate attack on a military target.

The Primary Problem with Just War Theory

Just War theory initially seems like a good approach. After all, how else are we to stop evil and violence in this world?

But the truth is that when you talk to any group or government that is engaging in war, they ALL think that their cause is just and that their actions will right a wrong. I challenge you to find a war in human history where one of the sides in the war thought that their involvement in that war was evil and wrong, or that their cause was unjust.

When people and nations march off to war, everybody thinks their cause is righteous, that they are defending themselves against evil and tyranny, and that God is on their side. Go ask Muslim Jihadist, and he will tell you that the violence they engage in against others is holy, right, and just. Jihad, after all, is “Holy War.” Just War, Holy War, Jihad, they’re all the same thing. I wrote about this here: All War is Holy War.

The truth is that all wars are “Just Wars” … or none of them are.

And since we know that most wars are not “Just Wars,” this means that no war is a Just War. We just deceive ourselves into thinking that our war is just while “their” war is evil.

The only real difference between a “Just War” and an evil war is that the people who engage in “Just War” have come up with some excuses to justify their actions in the war. And since every group and government justifies their own, this means that every war is a “Just War” from that group’s perspective.

To put it another way, we could say that “A Just War is a war I engage in, while an evil war is one you engage in. All my wars are just, while all your wars are evil.” But of course, our opponents in war think the same thing. They think their actions are just while ours are evil.

So you see? There is no such thing as a Just War; there are just wars that we justify in our own minds.

So …. Pacifism is the Answer?

No. Pacifism is not the answer either.

Both Pacifism and Just War are inherently self-defeating and impossible to practice.

pacfismThere is no such thing as a true pacifist. Pacifists want to do no harm, to engage in no violence, to kill nothing and hurt nothing. Many pacifists are vegetarians, or even vegans, because they do not want to participate in the killing of animals. And yet few pacifists have difficulty with taking antibiotic medicine or spraying their counter with Lysol to ward off germs and bacteria. But germs and bacteria are living microorganisms. So it is okay to kill them, but not larger organisms? At what point does killing become wrong?

How about bugs and insects? Almost all pacifists drive cars. When you drive a car, you will kill insects every single time. Your tires will run over ants and beetles, bees and butterflies will be crushed against your windshield. I once spent a few hours in the woods with a pacifist, and he was swatting mosquitos right along with the rest of us.

People say that Jesus was a pacifist, but it appears to me from Scripture that He ate lamb at the Passover, and fish on the shore of Galilee. People point out that the text doesn’t actually say he ate meat. Fine. But He certainly caught it, killed it, cooked it, and served it. Several times in the Gospels, for example, He gives His disciples a miraculous catch of fish. So many, the boat threatened to sink. And He knew that these fish would be killed and eaten. And in John 21:9, after one of these miraculous catches, when the disciples reach shore, Jesus already has a fire going with fish cooking on the fire.

The point is that true and complete pacifism is inherently impossible to perfectly practice in this world.

So how do we stop evil?

In order to discover how best to respond to evil, let us look at the foundational motivation of both Just War Theory and Pacifism.

Proponents of Just War theory believe that we must stand up for what is right. We must stand up against evil. They are absolutely correct in this belief.

Proponents of Pacifism believe that violence is wrong; especially the violence that takes human life. They are absolutely correct in this belief.

But if we hold to Just War, then (as we have seen), there is no end to violence. Violence always and only begets more violence. Everybody thinks their war is just, and so a “Just War” only leads to a retaliatory “Just War.” There is no end to this cycle.

Similarly, if we hold to Pacifism, then we will often let evil win because we fail to properly stand up to violence and evil, thereby allowing ourselves or others to get steamrolled by violence. People who are pacifists sometimes no nothing but sit there (or shout at) evil while it is occurring, when they should be taking an active stand against it.

just war vs pacifism

The Third Way

Thankfully, Just War and Pacifism are not the only two options. There is a third way, which is the way of Jesus, Martin Luther King Jr., Ghandi, and numerous others.

This third way approach to evil and violence takes the strengths of both Just War and Pacifism while avoiding the weaknesses and drawbacks. This “Third Way” is called Non-Violent Resistance.

It stands up to evil wherever it is found, but with a commitment to doing so non-violently.

The difficulty with this approach is that since we live in a world that is bathed in violence, we have trouble seeing how a non-violent approach can stop the flood of violence. It is difficult to imagine how non-violent resistance can be effective in stopping the spread of evil and violence.

How, for example, would non-violent resistance have stopped Hitler? The truth is that I do not know. (Although part of the answer involves never waging World War I. Hitler was a product of Germany’s loss in World War I. So if World War I had never happened, then World War II would not have happened either. And when you look at the events which started World War I, it was a war that never should have been waged.)

The greatest difficulty with non-violent resistance, however, is that there are no formulas to follow or steps to carry out. The rules to violence are easy: If you are going to engage in violence, make sure your weapons and army are bigger than those of your enemy. There are no such rules with non-violent resistance. Each situation is unique, and requires a unique response.

Responding to Hitler non-violently requires a whole different set of actions than responding to a man on the street who wants to rob you and gunpoint.

Nevertheless, there are six principles I would like to suggest for all non-violent resistance.

The Six Principles of Non-Violent Resistance

Jesus Christ Roman soldierThe six principles of non-violent resistance form an acrostic which spells CHRIST. Jesus Christ was the perfect example of how to respond non-violently to evil, and so it is appropriate that His title, Christ, helps guide us into our own way of non-violence.

Here are the six principles. Non-Violent resistance requires:

  • Creativity (bathed in prayer) in the face of evil.
  • Honesty about yourself, and how you contributed to the problem.
  • Realism about the world situation and the reality of evil. Violence will often “win.”
  • Incarnation of the love, patience, and forgiveness of God as seen in Jesus.
  • Strength and courage to stand while not retaliating.
  • Trust in God to work, and to recognize that sometimes it is better to die than kill.

Note that as we carry out these principles in our live, we are not seeking revolution, but revelation. The key to non-violent resistance is to reveal the character and nature of God as revealed in Jesus Christ.

the way to peaceWe change the world by showing it a different and better way to peace than the way it knows, which is the way of war and bloodshed.

The world has never imagined that there can be another way, but Jesus has revealed it, and now our task is to reveal it as well. We cannot force change upon the world, but we can change how we ourselves live in response to others, and when they see this, they might be inspired to live differently as well. As such, our lives are prophetic. Through our words and actions, we reveal who God is and how God wants us to live.

So do you see some evil situations in the world that need to be fixed? Do you see some violent actions that need to be stopped? Follow the way of Jesus in seeking to stand up to these situations and actions with truth, love, forgiveness, courage, and strength, and then see how God works to bring about peace through you.


This post was part of the July 2018 Synchroblog on the topic of Just War and Pacifism. Here are links to others who contributed this month. Go read them all!

  • K. W. Leslie – Just War: Vengeance Disguised as Righteousness 
  • What God May Really Be Like – Is God a Warmonger or a Pacifist?
  • Layman Seeker – Disarmed and Harmonious
  • Tim Nichols – If you Love Sheep …
  • Scott Sloan – Holy War and Manifest Destiny in Light of the Cross
  • Done With Religion – For God and Country
  • Justin Steckbauer – Should Christians Fight in a War?

God is Redeeming Life, Redeeming Theology, z Bible & Theology Topics: just war, non-violence, non-violent resistance, pacifism, peace, synchroblog

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Go Buy a Sword! (Luke 22:36)

By Jeremy Myers
55 Comments

Go Buy a Sword! (Luke 22:36)

I was recently listening to a radio talk show host talk about the right of American’s to own guns and he made the statement that even Jesus wants people to own guns.

He said that true Christianity is a Christianity that bears arms. He then went on to quote Jesus’ statement in Luke 22:36 where He instructs His disciples to sell their cloak so that they can go buy a sword. “See?” the talk show host said, “Any Christian who says we should not buy and own weapons is not a true Christian because they are contradicting Jesus Himself!”

I laughed at this sort of argument, but sadly, the radio host was deadly serious, and far too many Christians agree with him.

go buy a sword

Far too many Christian see Jesus’ instructions to His disciples to go buy a sword as an endorsement by Jesus of gun ownership, and in some cases, an endorsement of violence. I am not of this persuasion.

For the record, I support the constitutional right of United States citizens to buy and own guns. But I don’t do so on the basis of Scripture. I support gun ownership for political, historical, and rational reasons. But none of that matters for this post.

The real issue I want to address is why Jesus told His disciples to go buy a sword in Luke 22:36. There are a couple things to note about this instruction from Jesus which shows us that the instructions of Jesus to His disciples to buy a sword cannot in any way be viewed as an endorsement from Jesus of gun ownership.

1. These Swords Were Not For Violence

First of all, we must recognize that whatever reasons Jesus had for telling His disciples to buy swords, the swords were not to be used for violence.

Peter, put away your swordAfter all, when Peter actually used the sword that he was carrying, Jesus not only rebuked him and told him to put the sword away, but He also healed the damage that had been done by Peter’s sword (Luke 22:47-51).

Furthermore, when Jesus was put on trial, Jesus told Pilate that since His kingdom was not of this world, His followers would not fight (John 18:36). Obviously, if Jesus had wanted His disciples to use the swords they had purchased, Jesus could not have said this.

Jesus clearly knew, and His disciples seemed to understand (especially after learning from the rebuke of Peter), that Jesus did not want them to use their swords for violence.

So why then did Jesus have His disciples buy swords?

2. The Swords Were For the Fulfillment of Prophecy

Immediately after telling His disciples to buy a sword, Jesus gave them the reason why: “For I say to you that this which is written must still be accomplished in me: ‘And He was numbered with the transgressors’” (Luke 22:37).

Jesus told His disciples to buy swords so that He can fulfill this prophecy from Isaiah 53:12. Jesus wanted His disciples to buy swords so that it will appear to the authorities that He and His band of followers were transgressors!

That this is what Jesus meant is confirmed by the statement of Jesus in Luke 22:38 when the disciples show Jesus the two swords they had obtained. Jesus said, “It is enough.” In other words, “That will do.”

If Jesus was seriously condoning violence, two swords were not “enough” to accomplish anything, especially in the hands of a ragtag bunch of fishermen and tax-collectors who had no military training.

Jesus out of contextJesus told His disciples to buy swords, not so that they would use them, but as a fulfillment of prophecy so that they would have the appearance of being transgressors.

To fulfill prophecy, Jesus had to be viewed as a transgressor. He had to at least appear to be a political revolutionary to the Jewish authorities for them to feel justified in arresting him. His cleansing of the temple a few days earlier was probably calculated for the same effect. So, to fulfill the prophecy and to provoke the Jewish authorities, he had to have enough weaponry to justify being viewed as a law breaking revolutionary (Greg Boyd, Go Buy a Sword )

So Go Buy a Gun if You Want To…

So if you live in a country that allows gun ownership, and if you are a law-abiding citizen, go buy a gun if you want to.

But don’t ever suppose that Jesus endorses gun ownership because He told His disciples to “go buy a sword.” That is a terrible misreading of Luke 22:36.

God is Redeeming Scripture Bible & Theology Topics: Guns, Luke 22:36, non-violent resistance, pacifism, violence

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Would Jesus be a Ferguson Protester?

By Jeremy Myers
27 Comments

Would Jesus be a Ferguson Protester?

Jesus in Ferguson Protests

Would Jesus be a Ferguson protester?

I suppose it depends on what you mean by “Ferguson Protester.”

In case you do not live in the United States (or even if you do and have been living under a rock), let me summarize what happened. On August 9, 2014, a Ferguson police officer named Darren Wilson shot and killed a young man named Michael Brown. Since Michael was black and unarmed, and the police officer was white, many are saying that this killing was racially motivated and that officer Darren Wilson should be condemned for murder. Darren Wilson contends that he was being attacked by Michael Brown and shot him in self-defense.

Protests in Ferguson have been occurring nonstop since August, most of which have been non-violent. On Monday, November 24, however, the Grand Jury announced that Officer Darren Wilson would not be indicted for the shooting of Michael Brown. In response to this verdict, many in Ferguson, MO turned to further violence.

In the following post, I have tried to imagine what Jesus would say and do if He lived in Ferguson, Missouri.

My thoughts are below. Feel free to agree or disagree in the comment section.

1. Jesus is deeply saddened by the death of Michael Brown.

This is the beginning place. God does not desire the death of anyone, whether they are innocent or guilty, young or old, male or female, black or white. God does not have a favorite race, a favorite age, a favorite gender, a favorite political party, or even a favorite class of people. He loves sinners as much as He saints.

It makes no real difference to Jesus whether Michael Brown was guilty or not. Jesus loves Him and is terribly saddened by His death.

For this reason, Jesus would be found among the mourners of Ferguson, Missouri.

Jesus would be deeply saddened by everything that has happened in Ferguson. He would mourn with the friends and family of Michael Brown.

2. Jesus is opposed to brutality wherever it exists.

Many are decrying officer Wilson’s actions as another example of police brutality and the over-militarization of our domestic law enforcement. Jesus is opposed to brutality and violence wherever it is found, especially among those who exist to “serve and protect.”

And yet…

Regardless of the decision reached by the Grand Jury, Jesus is deeply saddened that violence resulted in the death of a young man, and Jesus is deeply saddened by the violence and brutality that has been carried about by those who do not like the decision of the Grand Jury. Jesus would not call upon the people of Ferguson to riot or engage in any sort of violence toward the police or toward other people in town.

One thing Jesus definitely would not do is to offer a $5000 reward for anyone who kills Officer Wilson and his family members. This sort of blatant criminal activity only pours gasoline on an already raging inferno, and Jesus would condemn such calls to brutal violence.

Instead, Jesus would invite the people of Ferguson to love and forgive, and maybe even to do the most shocking thing of all — to give that $5000 to Officer Wilson and his family. Can you imagine the worldwide news stir that this would create? Instead, all we get is news about escalating violence.

Even when reporters try to allow the looters to provide their perspective, they receive only violence in return. Here are two examples:

This looks nothing like Jesus.

Whether or not Officer Wilson truly is guilty of brutal violence, more brutality from the people of Ferguson is not what Jesus would support. He would call for love and forgiveness, as these are the only things that can heal this broken community.

3. Jesus hates racism in all its forms.

Related to violence is the issue of racism. Was the killing of Michael Brown racially motivated? Nobody really knows, except for Darren Wilson.

ferguson police officersAnd again, maybe the Grand Jury will uncover some evidence which proves that Darren Wilson was racist, and if so, such actions and behavior can be rightly condemned by those who follow Jesus.

But again, just as Jesus would never call His followers to engage in brutal violence as a response to violence, so also, Jesus would never engage in any sort of racism as a response to real (or perceived) racism toward Him.

Jesus would not condone racist chants against white people (Warning: there is lots of profanity on that page). Racism is evil, whether it is white people hating black people, or black people hating white people.

Again, Jesus would call for forgiveness and love, not hatred and violence.

4. Jesus would point to the root of the problem.

Ultimately, if Jesus lived in Ferguson, Missouri and was taking part in the protests, He would point the root of the problem.

The root problem is not violence. The root problem is not even racism. It is definitely not the over-militarization of law enforcement in response to the militarization of gangs.

The real problem is scapegoating.

Scapegoating is done when we blame other people for our own problems. Scapegoating is when we believe that yet another death will atone for the evils of the past. Scapegoating is when we refuse to admit our own failures and sins, and instead blame others for the way our lives turn out or our actions unfold. Scapegoating is when we refuse to take responsibility for our decisions, and instead blame others for our behavior.

What Response in Ferguson Looks Like Jesus?

Jesus would invite the police to revisit their recruitment process and training procedures so that people of all backgrounds and races are treated fairly and justly.

Jesus would invite the people of Ferguson to forgive Officer Wilson, knowing that although the death of Michael Brown was wrong, nothing will bring Michael Brown back, and seeking the death of another person only amplifies the problem and perpetuates the violence.

Jesus would remind the people of Ferguson that death does not do away with injustice. Only forgiveness does that. That the proper response to racism is not hatred, but love.

Jesus in ferguson

Jesus would invite all the people in Ferguson, whether they are black or white, rich or poor, in power or without, that “other people” are not the problem. “We” are the problem. Each of us is responsible for our own actions. And while we cannot, should not, and must not force others to relinquish power, to be generous with their money, or to love and forgive in return, we can love as we want to be loved; we can forgive as we want to be forgiven; we can serve as we want to be served.

So would Jesus be a Ferguson protester? Yes, but He would also be protesting the protests. He would be a friend to the Brown family in their loss, and He would also be a friend to the Wilson family in their fear. He would call for racial reconciliation, for peace, for love, and for forgiveness.

This is the response that brings hope and healing. This is the response that looks most like Jesus.

Concluding Thoughts

In the end, I agree completely with what Alan Cross wrote yesterday about the Ferguson Protests:

I have seen quite a bit of vitriol, mocking, and derision directed their way today from white Christians in social media who have reposted racial jokes and memes and have condemned them heartily. I do abhor violence and destruction of property and am praying for peace and for those whose businesses were destroyed. It is wrong and it should not be happening and those breaking the law should be arrested and brought to justice. There is really no discussion on that point. But, not all who disagree with what was decided are violent or want to do destroy things. And, even worse, what has affected me today is the energy that some people have exhibited in making fun of the crowds and mocking them and saying that they would never be them.

Then, I saw a tweet from David Fitch, professor/writer, that referenced Mark 6:34 and it got me thinking. I turned to the parallel passage in Matthew and it says this:

“And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.'” (Matthew 9:35-38)

Christmas is the season that we celebrate the coming of Jesus, born as a baby in Bethlehem to Mary and Joseph. We call his birth the Incarnation because the Son of God came and put on flesh and made his dwelling among us. He came and lived among US. He taught and healed and told us about the Kingdom of God. His Kingdom invaded our own little kingdoms and he told us a better story – a True Story. He gave us life. He did not stand afar off from us in our sin or misery or destructive ways. He did not mock us or make fun of us or declare how stupid we were. He didn’t reject us. He became one of us and in so doing, saved us all – all who will come to Him.

WE were the crowd. Harassed and helpless. Sheep without a shepherd, not knowing where to turn, where to go, or what to do. So, we followed the loudest voices we could hear – the voices of our culture or our past or of temptations or seducing spirits or ourselves. We went after them looking for life and answers and we became harassed on every side. Helpless to do anything to save ourselves or change our situations. Some turning to violence. Some to pride. Some to greed and anger and some to judgment and condescension so they could establish themselves as better than others. But, Jesus came for us all. The privileged and the powerful, the poor and the angry. All of us, even those whose sins look more respectable than others.

Agree? Disagree? Share this post with others and weigh in with your own comments below!

God is Uncategorized Bible & Theology Topics: Discipleship, looks like Jesus, non-violent resistance, racist, scapegoat, violence

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6 Principles of Non-Violent Resistance

By Jeremy Myers
16 Comments

6 Principles of Non-Violent Resistance

When faced with the question of how to deal with violence, most people think there are only two options: either be violent in return, OR lay down and die as a pacifist. There is, however, a third way, which is called “Non-Violent Resistance.” It is what was practiced by Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr., and so many other people throughout history. It is also the way of Jesus.

non violent resistance

I have been doing a lot of reading and thinking about this over the past six years or so, and some of what I have learned will find its way into my upcoming book about giving up our rights, but here is a post about non-violent resistance, and some of the principles involved for living this way.

Though I do not have the time or space in the conclusion to this chapter to fully explain non-violent resistance, let me present a few of the guiding principles of this practice, and also suggest a few books so you can do further reading and research on your own.

1. Non-Violent Resistance Takes Courage

The first principle of non-violence is that it is only for courageous people who are willing to embrace it 100%. As long as there is the possibility in your heart of engaging in violence toward others, non-violence is not recommended. It takes great spiritual, mental, and emotional strength to engage in non-violent resistance, and must not be entered into lightly.

2. Non-Violent Resistance Seeks Friendship with Enemies

This leads to the second principle of non-violent resistance: Non-violence seeks to win friendship and understanding from enemies. It does not seek to shame or humiliate enemies, but to redeem and reconcile them to us, and to each other.

3. Non-Violent Resistance is about Defeating Injustice

non violent resistance gandhiThis is important because of the third principle of non-violent resistance, which is that we are not seeking to defeat people but to defeat injustice. Non-violence recognizes that those who perpetrate violence are victims of violence as well.

4. Non-Violent Resistance believes that Suffering Can Educate

Fourth, non-violence holds that suffering can educate and transform individuals and societies if those who engage in non-violent resistance accept violence toward them without retaliating violently toward others. Countless examples throughout history reveal that unearned suffering is redemptive and has tremendous educational and transformative possibilities.

5. Non-Violent Resistance Chooses Love over Hate

Fifth, non-violent resistance always chooses love instead of hate. Since love is unmotivated, unselfish, creative, and always seeks the good of others, those who practice non-violence will return good for evil and forgiveness for hate.

6. Non-Violent Resistance Recognizes that God is on the Side of All

Finally, those who practice non-violent resistance recognize that despite the rhetoric of war, God is on the side of justice, not just for one party or another, but for all. Though it may take time, justice will always win.

If you want to learn more about non-violent resistance, what it is, and how to practice it as a follower of Jesus, I recommend these books:

  • “The Powers Trilogy” by Walter Wink
  • Fight by Justin Sprinkle
  • A Faith Not Worth Fighting For edited by York Tripp and Justin Barringer
  • Stride Toward Freedom Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

What are your thoughts on non-violent resistance? Have you heard of it? Does it “work”? Does it even matter if it “works”? Do you think you have the courage to resist evil and violence in this way (I do not think I do)?

God is Uncategorized Bible & Theology Topics: Books I'm Reading, Discipleship, evil, Gandhi, Jesus, Martin Luther King, non-violent resistance, pacifism, violence

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