The demonic sirocco of violence is fed by the illusion of ultimate “righteous” victory. Any peace achieved by violence is a peace forever threatened by violence, thus ensuring that the bloody game will be perpetuated.
Gregory Boyd, The Myth of a Christian Nation, (Grand Rapids: Zondervan 2005), p. 27.
Posted in quotes | Tags: bible, christian, christianity, Greg Boyd, Gregory Boyd, just war, Love, non-resistance, non-violence, pacifism, peace, religion, Retribution, The Myth of a Christian Nation, violence, war
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“Any peace achieved by violence is a peace forever threatened by violence”
Weren’t most of Israel’s victories brought about by violence? Were these Godly or ungodly victories? Doesn’t the future victory of the Messiah have aspects of violence to it? Are his victories to be considered unrighteous and forever threatened by violence?
My questions are probably side issues to the context of the argument that Boyd was making in his book, but I think it is important to recognize that to think peace comes about by anything but violence is foolish. Christianity is not about “give peace a chance.” It is about people who know that they live in a world populated mostly by people who are ungodly, unrighteous children of wrath; whose god is the Devil. Therefore it is full of violence and wickedness. However, we do not take things into our own hands to rectify this situation. We live according to the commands of our Lord, speaking the Good News to others, and waiting for the day of vengeance of our God.
By: Brian on September 19, 2008
at 8:40 am
I’ve written quite a lot about the moral use of force, the problem of pacifism, etc. on my blog Victory Cross. I wrote a letter to Mr. Boyd on this topic which you can see here. I hope he will reply.
-Thomas K
By: tpkatsa on November 9, 2008
at 9:04 pm