Saviors for hire

The Bells Student Newspaper (of which I was a former editor of), had an “interesting” opinion piece posted recently.

In it, the Opinions Editor argues that excessive force is the answer when talking seems to fail. He cites an example from the civil war in Sierra Leone from 1991 to 1995.

When genocide, civil war, or limb-chopping happens, the solution is not to negotiate, hold conferences or sell T-shirts. The best, most effective response is overwhelming military force. Because the president of Sierra Leone knew that, 300 mercenaries did in a month what the UN, the “international community,” and every advocacy group on the planet could not. Had Executive Outcomes been allowed to stay, a lot of lives—and limbs—might have been saved.

My response follows ::

John,

Your editorial raises some interesting points. It seems as if you’re saying that when the UN or other negotiations fail, real power, might, and shock and awe will reign supreme (of course I don’t forget the money aspect of the mercenaries). So, perhaps we should say, “when the UN or other negotiations fail, he with the most toys/money/guns win.”

Nevermind that those with the most toys/money/guns may be fighting for the “wrong side” or even using the name of God to help fight their battles (see Joseph Kony and the Lord’s Resistance Army – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lords_Resistance_Army).

Yet as I read your article, two other stories come to mind.

As you may be aware, there were numerous assassination attempts against Adolf Hitler during World War II. Of those would be assassins, one seems to stand out to me.

Lt. Colonel Count Claus Schenk von Stauffenberg attempted to assassinate Hitler on three different occasions. However, it was his third attempt that seemed to be the closest to success yet could also be deemed the greatest of failures.

On July 20, 1944, Von Stauffenberg placed a briefcase with a bomb inside Hitler’s “Wolf’s Lair” — his command post for the Eastern Front in Rastenburg, Prussia. During a meeting with Hitler, Von Stauffenberg placed the bomb under the conference table and left. The bomb later exploded but the large conference table ultimately protected Hitler from the blast. The assassination did not go as plan and less than 24 hours later, Von Stauffenberg was captured and killed before a firing squad along with his co-conspirators.

Hitler was not dead and with the assassination attempt foiled, Hitler believed God had spared him to avenge Germany and to continue the extermination of the Jewish race.

Hitler also used the July 20 plot as an excuse to destroy anyone in the army, including Erwin Rommel, whom Hitler feared would oppose him. For Rommel’s failure to inform Hitler of the plot to assassinate him, he was given a choice: take poison and get a state funeral, or refuse and see your family executed as well. Rommel took the poison.

By most historical standards, the failure of the July 20 plot also foiled any possibility of Germany negotiating a peace treaty with the Allies. Hitler made it his full intention to fight to the death in a struggle that would either see the end of National Socialism or the end of Germany’s enemies.

The second story that comes to mind took place roughly 2,000 years ago in a small village far removed from the religious center of Israel, in a town known as Bethlehem.

A young woman and her fiance travel to Bethlehem to register for a census and there the mother gives birth to a promised savior. A savior born in the muck and the mire among the animals and a crowd of sheep herders.

Not a savior that could be purchased (even though many tried). Not a savior that came with tanks and artillery and sword (even though his followers thought that would be the case).

But instead, a savior who brought about an “upside down kingdom.”

A savior who said, “blessed are the peace makers.”

A savior who said, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

A savior told his followers to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind” and “love your neighbor as yourself.”

A savior who later told his followers, “The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.”

A savior who when beaten and oppressed said, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

A savior who still says to me and you and the world, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

A Savior, which is Christ the Lord.

May we seek to love like this Savior did. May we seek to live like this Savior did. May we seek to bring about His kingdom on earth — just as it is in Heaven. May we seek to bring about true Heaven on earth.

Love wins!

…And real love can’t be bought.

Jonathan Blundell
UMHB Class of 2003
Editor of The Bells 2000-2001