Yesterday, Congressman Andy Ogles (TN) posted to social media an AI generated image with ominous music featuring himself as the lead Knights Templar Crusader flanked by the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of State with the caption, "This is a battle of good vs evil. We must reaffirm that our nation was built on Christian principles." Perhaps the Congressman was trolling online, perhaps he was seeking to raise his own profile (in one day it has generated a million views on FB), or maybe he is wholly earnest. Whatever the exact motivation, the end result is clear enough: Glorifying violence done by the United States of America, at home or abroad, as violence done in the name of God. Rep. Ogles is claiming that he and those on his team represent good, and whomever it is that he is crusading against represents evil.
The sad truth is, hundreds of similar examples in word, iconography, and deed can be found portraying American politics as a battle between good and evil, the worst of them invoking the name of Jesus, the Cross, or God in general in behalf of their side and/or against their enemies.
As the Knights Templar imagery demonstrates, this thought process is not new. That Christians, or at least self-professed Christians, have justified their violence and/or hatred in the name of God in past generations doesn't make it any less blasphemous now, nor any less harmless to the true Gospel message of salvation and redemption for all, regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, or any other label, by grace (alone) through faith (alone) in Christ (alone).
God is not an American, and neither is Jesus. America is not ancient Israel, we have no covenant with God as a nation. God is not on our side, for his kingdom is not of this world. Whoever wishes to be great in the kingdom of God must be the servant of all. The true triumph of the Gospel is self-sacrifice, not destroying one's enemies.
We've been down this road before, it has never ended without tragedy and without reputational harm to the Church and the Gospel. The further we continue down this path in this generation, sowing the same seeds, the more bitter the harvest will be.
No comments:
Post a Comment