War is always horrible and many are wrongly hurt and killed. Is this to protest deaths from Coalition strikes or the HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of people Saddam Hussein's regime killed, the children he imprisoned, the terrorists he harboured, the Kurdish people he used as guinea pigs for chemical and biological weapons, the millions of supplies he robbed from UN and other humanitarian relief supplies (intended for his people)?. While the protestors were seemingly protesting for human rights, they were somehow missing the whole point of Saddam's HORRIBLE VIOLATION OF RIGHTS FOR MILLIONS OF HIS PEOPLE AND OTHERS..
I support the right for free speech. Yet, I also felt very offended. In general, it seems that if a person holds to any type of conservative, orthodox world view (politics, theology, philosophy) the inference from postmodern liberalism would have you believe that such conservatives are nazi-esque, idiots. Thank goodness some still stand on principle against postmodern syncretism and its plurality ideology. Some of us haven't forgot that A does not equal B. That morality and justice are not relative ideas.
During this time, I received a tremendous amount of comfort from Scripture regarding how God executes justice against rulers who abuse the poor and oppressed.
Psalm 9:5 "You have rebuked the nations and destroyed the wicked..."
Psalm 9:9 "The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble..."
Psalm 9:11 "For he who avenges blood remembers; he does not ignore the cry of the afflicted." The Hebrew word for "avenges" here can also be translated as seeks the blood. That is, God seeks the blood (justice) for those who afflict and oppress others.
Psalm 10:14, 15 "But you, O God, do see trouble and grief; you consider it to take it in hand. The victim commits himself to you; you are the helper of the fatherless. Break the arm of the wicked and evil man; call him to account for his wickedness that would not be found out."
This Scripture taught me a couple of things here which I think are very relevant to the events in Iraq: God, while a God of love, is also a God of Justice. He deals with sin and does not ignore it. His justice demands he deal fully with wickedness/sin and holds such people accountable. In my opinion, Saddam Hussein has been dealt justice for his decades of oppression of others. I am NOT suggesting that somehow Coalition forces have also dealt justly with the Iraqi people 100% of the time. God will also hold Coalition forces accountable for their treatment of the poor and oppressed. I think God is really there and really deals justly. I am so glad that God's justice (for me and my sin) was satisfied by Christ's death for me. And that only through Christ, I know His
forgiveness and grace. His grace overwhelms me...as much as His Justice... |
