Honor a Man of Peace with Plowshares or Swords?
Among other things. This is a long one. Football will get its own.
On Monday we celebrated the birthday of a remarkable man and charismatic leader. To commemorate this day, a church service was held at the Ebenezer Baptist Church. The President of the United States provided a guest sermon. As I recall, he is the first American president during my lifetime to routinely campaign for public office from the pulpit of a church. For all the world to see. The other sermon was conducted by the Senior Pastor of that church. He also happens to be a current US Senator.
After hearing Rev. Sen. Warnock declare, “If we kneel before God, anything is possible,” my time and attention went elsewhere. But that quote stuck with me. I hope tis explains why, since it exposes perhaps the biggest Achille’s heel to our constitutional project.
One that allowed a narcissistic fool and total failure of a human being to establish a Truth Social so he could tell his followers everything they needed to know. And they have come to believe loyalty means doing anything for anyone who has Dominion over them. And that becomes the focus of their lives. Blinders becomes a blindfold, and ignorance of anything that might expose the naked emperor becomes a sign of purity.
That church appearance reflects part of the recent winning strategy package for Democrats. The same strategy that adopted Reaganomics to win. And of course, tough on crime. Love the Pentagon. Because winning is everything. Worked for Bill Clinton.
At least Biden is realizing the folly of the second part of the above package if not the first, third, and fourth. May cost him those six-figure pep-talks to Wall Street that were and still are so lucrative to his predecessors in the “New Democrat” movement.
It might be a good time now to give some credit where credit is due: Biden was the first Democratic President to have the decency to publicly pay respect to someone who could have “saved the soul” (you know what I mean) of this Nation after Watergate gave us the best chance. Regardless of one’s world view concerning religion.
Jimmy Carter. The Annapolis Grad, Naval officer, nuclear engineer, environmentalist, outdoorsman, compete partner to Rosalyn, diplomat, author (a real one), Sunday School teacher. And humble. Maybe that last one was what was most unacceptable.
Many “New Democrats” joined the attacks on Carter’s legacy. And even Ted Kennedy, no New Democrat, helped facilitate Carter’s defeat in 1980 by attacking Carter at critical times in his presidency. That hurt. No Ted, Carter was not a simple hayseed peanut farmer.
Who did the Nation choose? And who is still worship today?
No matter what he could do, Carter couldn’t get himself to pick up that terrible swift sword. Not that one. No honor in that. Doesn’t appear it was in his nature.
The other guy grew rich and became a celebrity (most important) by acting in a fantasy world of righteous sword swinging (Often he did it with his mouth. Sound familiar?). And he had the optics. That’s all you really need today, and you can make optics say whatever you want. And he was as good at selling Chesterfields as he was himself. Salesmanship skills. George Santos anyone?
Back to Biden: Worship the military? Check. With Biden it seems almost like a fetish. And sincere. American Exceptionalism hardwired, maybe. Along with some other things that stand out in his long career.
Every year at this time, the airwaves carpet-bomb us with versions of “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.” The most sacred performance for many Americans will be sung Angelically by the Marine Corps Choir in the same full dress uniforms they wear while delivering “Toys for Tots” at Christmas. Are they cold steel warriors or Santa’s elves? Both. Exceptional. Too bad “Hell’s Angels” is already taken. I guess they could call themselves “Heaven’s Angels.” They could deliver Toys-for-Tots on choppers.
Are Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, Hindi, Free Thinkers, Secular Non-Thinkers, others allowed in the Corps? I guess so….but we are a Sacred, proud institution. If you want or need moral support, and don’t want to get harassed, you need to learn to pray, and pray correctly. It doesn’t matter if you believe it or not. We don’t care. We’ve made our point. For everyone to see and remember.
The United States of America has been a Christian Nation since the 1950s (Someone back then figured that out. It would take a ton of money and a campaign “and the moral equivalent of war” to enlighten the masses. Psychological if not physical brain damage may be collateral damage. But that's the point.
And our current national boundaries may be limited right now, but the Americas are all ours. Official policy because of our Manifest Destiny. Another application of the Prosperity Gospel.
Some don’t submit to Dominion so easily, so they need to be suppressed at all costs.
For example, if they are motivated by something like “Liberation Theology.” Like a conservative Salvadorian Archbishop who became sympathetic to the cause of the peasants by witnessing the nonstop persecution they received under the Salvadorian government - Archbishop Oscar Romero. Shot in church. While leading a service. Killed by a paramilitary death squad under the orders of a Salvadorian military officer of the US-backed government. Many other clergy involved in the Liberation Theology movement and their supporters suffered the same fate at the same hands. Many of their bodies were “interned” in the huge garbage dumps at the edges of cities.
As part of the peace process in El Salvador in which elections were held, the US supported the party founded by the same military officer who ordered Romero killed.
Freedom. Freedom fighter. Freedom at all costs. Including the lives of others to protect our freedom. Ollie North would understand. So were the people of Virginia who almost elected him their US Senator. And Betsy de Vos’ brother Eric Prince. The founder of Blackwater. Maybe he’s the Prince of Peace. With an Aryan first name. The return of Charles Lindberg, perhaps. Better than JFK, Jr. except maybe for attracting the young people.
What does “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” mean to you? Many people will tell you, generally in its defense when feeling it necessary, that “it means different things to different people.” I asked my brother. His response was, “We always sang it in church. I guess I never really paid attention to the words.
Often the differences in meaning reflect each person’s way of looking at the world – and the ideas of “Freedom” and “Truth.”
So what has freedom meant throughout the history of American project?
What follows is my narrative on the meaning of freedom, based on words and deeds, during its history.
Our early European colonists to this continent were dedicated to conquering the wilderness and spreading the Christian Project westward. To take Dominion over the land and everything on (including living on) it at the time. And along the way had to stop Spanish Conquistadores who mistakenly claimed a right that was ours alone. Our native Americans came from farther north in Europe. The King most favored by God (ours) win's Prosperity Gospel always works when you win. If you don’t, someone cheated. Sound familiar?
The colonists soon decided they couldn’t successfully expand their empire without slaves; and the “native heathens” weren’t quite up to the task of slaving away in the heat of the fields of “king cotton.” so they needed to import some more appropriate stock from Africa. Then then “native heathens” could be wiped out in an expedited manner. With a clear conscience.
First though, they needed to be able to justify slavery while being Christians. They were able to find what they needed in the Bible. I guess you might need to be “Divinely Inspired” to find it. If winning is everything, anyone could find something in there that would work. With the proper entrepreneurial spirit and marketing strategy.
Note: A Terrible Swift Sword would have been handy, but the US hadn’t yet been created under God’s Divine Guidance, so there wasn’t anyone to put it the hand of Jesus yet. That came along quite a while later, but it came in handy. Maybe somewhere along the way they decided they had too many plowshares and needed to do something to keep the economy going. Someone apparently noticed how effective that strategy was to keep the economy humming along, so well it was the patriotic thing to do. Takes a lot of acres of corn to generate the “value” you get with a weapons system. And the prestige.
Once they confirmed (to their satisfaction) it was righteous to have slaves if you are righteous, they launched a massive campaign throughout their colony to demonize Black people so that by the time the first slave ships arrived, the European colonists were convinced Blacks were sub-human savages incapable of establishing a civilized society. They were so successful that it survives to this day, especially in the land of the Leader of the Free World. I guess that must be how the Ownership Society gets its name. Free to own and control the means of production, maybe. Dominion.
But back to the story. The slaves were to be controlled by preventing them from learning to read and write and learn anything about the world outside the one imposed upon them. Actually, that second part could apply in a much more general sense today. You can read and write about what you are supposed to know. And we want to see it. And we do.
The slaves could practice Christianity and sing of salvation. It gave them something to look forward to so they could remain productive. It might also be worth it to provide them some health care. Actually, that second part could apply in a much more general sense today,
Not that any of the slaveholders worried about running into any of those ex-slaves (or any others of non-European decent) in the One True Heaven.
As Bill Gates proudly likes to proclaim, “Every child deserves the right to a healthy, productive life.” Like a dairy cow. Example of the timeless wisdom that comes with ruthlessly accumulating massive (financial) wealth and power. He also has been using his immense wealth to destroy public education which had been, in school districts that had the resources, a solid, basic liberal arts education. If you’re old enough to remember it. Don’t think he’s claiming to do it in Christ’s name or calling them Communist groomers. At least not the first part.
Authoritarians don’t need to use God if it’s not the best winning strategy. Until it is the only one. I guess Gates could always fall back on that if he needed. Franklin Graham could be his Shepherd. Like Billy Graham was for George W. Bush. Like father, like son. An American tradition. Back to the story.
Things went along over the years until the winds of abolition started blowing in the British Empire. Now the colonists needed to defend their freedom to own slaves, and with the help of one of the British Empire’s enemies (their fries were still freedom fries back then, I guess), gained independence in time. Freedom preserved.
Things went along over the years until a bunch of real Americans settled in a part of the Americas that was not yet real America and proceeded to build their society based on king cotton and slavery. And rugged individualism. And plenty of churches.
Things went along over the years until the winds of abolition began to blow in Mexico. In response, the settlers founded The Republic of Texas and started a revolution to protect their freedom.
Lost, temporarily. Remember the Alamo! Eventually, Mexico didn’t recognize it but must have found more important things to deal with. So eventually the Texans were able to maintain their freedom to own slaves, thanks to the help of the Leader of the Free World, whom they joined, sort of.
Things went along over the years until the winds of abolition stared blowing in the Land of the Free. The Patriots in the land of king cotton had seen this before. We’re fighting for state’s rights and freedom. And our God-given way of life. They formed the Confederate States of America and launched a revolution against tyranny. Came surprisingly close to winning, and never admitted defeat. To this day. Sound familiar? Still worked for Reagan.
At the beginning of the US Civil War, Julia Ward Howe wrote a powerful war march to market the Union cause against the Confederacy as a literal Crusade. What she did in effect was take “Onward Christian Soldiers” and reword it so that those soldiers were now explicitly Union soldiers. Maybe it helped. Helped keep the British Empire from aiding the Southern cause. The power of marketing. And prayer, maybe. They can be a winning team.
The Southern Crusade became the “Lost Cause.” Maybe not lost. When Charlie Daniels, a future Trumper, sang “The South’s Gonna Do it Again,” maybe someone should have thought to ask what exactly was on his mind. Maybe he’s getting his wish and, up there somewhere, smiling.
Then we got Ku Klux Klan (v,1.0), created to return some form of justice and dignity to the Southern whites. The US Government created the Department of Justice to combat those guys.
And Jim Crow.
Then came the second Crusade of the Klan inspired by the movie, “The Birth of a Nation.” The Leader of the Free World loved it. Even sponsored a showing at the White House.
This second time around, Klan (v.2.1) established its most sacred ceremony. One that has endured the test of time. In this ceremony they gather at night, dressed in what look like dunce caps and night shirts, to burn a cross and pray so that “Christ can guide them through the darkness.” Whether or not they have been getting their signals crossed or not depends upon your world view, but I hope they got their signals crossed “for Christ’s sake.”
Yes. That’s what that cross-burning ceremony is all about.
The Klan and Jim Crow laws caught the attention of the future leader of the newly reconstituted German Empire.
Maybe he was Divinely Inspired to write “Mein Kompf.” Charles Lindberg and his “America First” found it pretty appealing and why not? Lindberg is a lot more “Aryan” than Hitler. Great Optics. And he was a courageous hero. And worshiped order and efficiency. The trains ran on time. And the destination of Hitler’s efficient trains was another model of efficiency. Back to the story,
Time went along for a few years and then we had World War II, where the “Allies” (barely) defeated Hitler and his “Axis.” (barely) And before the war was over the US was saving German war criminals so that they could help win the upcoming Crusade against “Godless Communism.”
Actually, most of the population of the former Soviet Union was probably Orthodox Christian. Their beliefs weren’t easily changed by a secular constitution and bullying any more than Christians in America were changed by our secular Constitution. Authoritarian religions carry a lot of inertia. Like a big, loaded oil tanker,
Who cares about some damn constitution unless we write it ourselves in pursuit of the “Great Commission.“ We may see how that works out, but I hope not,
If you really look at history, authoritarianism, if unchecked, has ended up at one of two destinations:
In Fascism, the Christian God (yes, for the ones who established the term Fascist to describe themselves) functions as its most powerful weapon. (Terrible Swift Sword pretty much covers it. You must maintain a minimum standard of Total Loyalty to the State, Under God.) Because we have Enemies. And they want to destroy your world. Our world.
In Communist Totalitarianism, it is the most dangerous competitor. (The State is you and you are a part of the State. If you maintain a minimal standard of Total Loyalty to the State, period.) Because we have Enemies. And they want to destroy your world. Our world,
Again, depends upon your world view and, most importantly, where it came from.
Putin showed how easy it is to make the transition, including to crony capitalism. And many Evangelicals now love him. Didn’t like Gorbachev, though. He wanted a democracy with a mixed economy, like Sweden. We made sure he didn’t get it, and now Sweden is losing theirs. As are we.
Reminds me of a big turning point in our history I have referenced before. Jimmy Carter: Naval Academy grad, commissioned Naval officer who left a promising, high-ranking career to keep the family business going after his father died. His Brother Billy was not the man for the job at the time.
He was open about his Christian faith in his life, and he was sincere. He did not market it for personal or political advantage. He did not think his sincere beliefs mandate he make war on others whose sincerely held beliefs do not match his. Who under different circumstances might have ended up holding the very beliefs they now condemn. Kind of like loyalty to your favorite Football team. Carter transcended all this. And is clearly not alone, He was just an outstanding example of it.
Back to the story. During the “Age of Faith, Loyalty, and Fear” known as the Cold War, the powers that be in the US did what the Union did against the Confederacy. Under the leadership of Billy Graham (Minister of Presidents), the “Battle Hymn of the Republic” was brought back and marketed with a righteous fervor as never before. The United States was now the Leader of the Free World, by God!
And what is freedom?
Freedom is Jesus Christ.
Is it wrong to enslave other people? How is that freedom?
Freedom is Jesus Christ.
And what is the truth?
The Truth is Jesus Christ.
Are our leaders telling the truth?
The Truth is Jesus Christ.
Is the earth flat?
The truth is Jesus Christ.
It’s like trying to communicate with Kari Lake. As opposed to, say, a sentient being?
Oh, and what is Love?
Love is Jesus Christ, but it’s also a Subaru. Or anything else you are trying to sell. Like the Truth. And Freedom.
Moving along in history to the Viet Nam project. A friend of mine is a Marine and combat veteran from that ‘police action” – also known as war of aggression. But Americans are incapable of accepting that because their actions are “Divinely Inspired.” And you can’t make them uncomfortable or hurt their feelings – especially their children. That would be mean,
One of the soldiers in my friend’s unit had painted on his helmet, “Killing Commies for Christ.” Actually, they were killing poor Buddhist peasants. But they are Godless, and will spend eternity in hell, so let’s help them get used to it.
My Marine friend also overheard some soldiers joking about making “crispy critters.’ It turns out they were a flight crew that had just returned from making napalm bombing runs. Our Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient Rush Limbaugh would have found it hilarious, but maybe not as enthusiastically as Tucker Carlson, the guy with reportedly the most popular TV show in the nation. Does he even beat “Friday Night Smackdown,” or is that under another category? I guess they complement and reinforce each other,
You would think the other Abrahamic religions would get a break, but they are the greatest competition. Need to pray to our version of God to defeat all the “other” guys.
The Jews were God’s Chosen People (blasphemy for some Patriots, I realize). But that was “BC.” After that the title was Divinely re-assigned to Christians, and by extension of course, Americans (God had a dream, maybe). Only the Real Americans, of course. Not the ones we wiped out to establish a European colony of civilized “native” Americans.
As far as Jews go, they are on GCP v 1.0. Support for it will end and if you don’t upgrade to our system, you can (and will) go to hell. And you are running out of time. I guess Hitler jumped the gun on that, but Charles Lindberg probably would have understood better. Henry Ford too. Both pretty bright guys. And know how to sell.
As far as Muslims go, they don’t inherit the Kingdom of God. Everything goes to the first-born male. Too bad, Ishmael. Isaac came first. Not only that, but he survived the torture when God tested Abraham’s faith. You know, when God ordered Abraham to offer his only begotten son as a human sacrifice to him. Maybe God reassured Abraham by telling him, “I wouldn’t tell you to do anything that I wouldn’t do myself.” I guess God was able to stop Abraham at the last minute.
This is the God who damned the crowning achievements of creation. Why, because they didn’t follow God’s first order (the woman’s fault, of course); and unquestioning loyalty is the highest form of righteousness. And what was the order? Don’t eat fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Right and Wrong. And how did they know it was wrong to not follow orders before eating the fruit? Wouldn’t you think that a father would give his kids a chance to learn from their mistakes? Especially when it seems as though he kind of set them up?
No. God is a jealous God. God is a vengeful God. What he has to be jealous about is a good question. Or a God who is into revenge? I realize this is BC stuff, but still a bad role model for someone like……
And post-C. it’s still the only thing that matters for many. Jesus can still be bait for recruitment and as cover for others. Of course, if you put a Terrible Swift Sword in his hand and make him a Superhero, he can now get top billing. Nobody likes to sit through something that makes you think.
That’s all it took for God to trash his great project, and because of it, every little baby born into the world is by nature sinful and unclean. From conception. I guess because it involved sex. Only one guy was spared, because his conception didn’t involve sex. It was immaculate. Maybe Joseph could have verified that, but we’ll probably never know.
In response to this original sin, God created the Terrible Swift Woodshed, and that has been his MO ever since. Spare the rod, spoil the child. No one told him about the problem with doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Maybe they were afraid to. I guess we can’t understand God’s plan when it’s not understandable, and it’s our fault. Always. Sound familiar?
Curiosity killed the poor cat, they say. But in humans it can lead to eternal damnation. I’m happy for my cats, since I know their curiosity a big part of why they are successful. Nine lives wouldn’t have done that,
Cats are rugged individualists and generally don’t take orders well. But real men deserve to be the master of an enthusiastic slave. Loyalty and obedience from wherever you can get it. That’s what Dominion is all about. Not bad being under the Dominion of God when he has given you the chance at Number 2 in the pecking order. If your faith is strong enough.
And yes, I like dogs. Especially a little one who pulled back a curtain.
Once you kneel to God and claim to submit to God’s Dominion, there are no rules in the eternal battle for Number 2 and Dominion over everyone and everything, except God. Competition. Like Valhalla on earth.
The Apocalypse may come when someone like Donald Trump, Jeff Bezos, or Elon Musk won’t accept that Number 2 slot. And God is not pleased,
Might want to think about that, Rev. Sen. Warnock. The oath you took as Senator is the only one the Constitution recognizes when you are on the taxpayer’s dime. Taking that oath over the Bible is very effective marketing for a Crusade. You take it officially over the document you are swearing allegiance to. If you cannot, you are not fit or qualified for public service.
Ronald Reagan’s Interior Secretary James Watt stated that there was no reason to conserve resources because it won’t matter when Christ returns.
Project Blitz. Check out the history of that enterprise.
Betsy de Vos stated when appointed Trump’s Secretary of Education she hoped she could use that agency to help bring about the Second Coming of Christ.
“One Nation, Indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for All.” That’s the way it appeared in a book commemorating my hometown’s war veterans. My Dad had a copy because he served in the Army Air Corps in the Pacific in WWII. The book was published in 1947.
To create the Christian Nation myth in response to the growing threat of human compassion and reason, “Under God” was inserted between “One Nation” and “Indivisible.” Divide and conquer your fellow citizens. In God’s name. Because they aren’t Real Americans.
And it keeps the economy cranking. Love and understanding, and especially empirical truth, don’t even come close to doing the job.
An unchallengeable formula featuring an economic model based on a cancer cell, moral code of a sociopath, and an authoritarian religious doctrine of Full Spectrum Dominance.
I suggest if Jesus came here to save us from anything, he was trying to save us from that authoritarian, hypocritical cruelty. Showing a better way to treat each other. Something like “Love One Another.” Not done well with a Blitz or an AR-15.
Consider his words and actions. You know – the Good Samaritan (We’re not always the good guys.), Sermon on the Mount, the “Eye-of the Needle” thing, humility, selflessness. Someone pulls out a sword to defend you and strikes a soldier arresting you – you heal the soldier’s wound. (personally, not so sure I’d go that far)
That is what I think inspired King’s great words and deeds. And Jimmy Carter. And Fred Rogers (No, not the football hero warrior everyone knows about. I’m talking about the guy who wore his sweater and sneakers in his PBS Neighborhood.)
I guess I would ask Christians of good will to follow the universal teachings of humility, love, and tolerance that Jesus spelled out so eloquently. In other words, take the terrible swift sword from the hand of the Prince of Peace and make it into a plowshare so the nation can begin to heal.
And feed itself. In a broad sense. That’s was I suspect Jesus would have done. Any fool who gave him a sword in the first place was either not listening or just can’t accept a Christ that is not a violent, sword-wielding superhero.
And put your Bible back in its holster.
And celebrate the birth of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Watching footage of how he coolly and masterfully neutralized the baited questions he was constantly confronted with, including from the mainstream press, political and religious figures, and during official proceedings. He would have quite a challenge now, considering the people who would be attacking him have achieved a level of cruelty and lunacy generally associated with the time of the Spanish Inquisition. A dream come true for some, perhaps. Not me.
King did some truly historical things with what he had to work with and the “shock and awe” he was up against. Truly worthy of the Nobel Peace Prize. Henry Kissinger received one too. So who was the true man of peace? Many will choose the latter, despite his still being a member of God’s Chosen People v. 1,0.
Before you start to sing, actually look at and think about the words and ask yourself, “What would King’s role model, Gandhi, say?
Remember who the Southern Christian Leadership Council, not to mention the “Freedom Riders,” were risking their lives to defeat. The Southern Christian leadership at the time.
And not just in the South. The government of Mike Pence’s state was at one time largely under the control of the Klan.
Mike Pence has stated publicly he finds nothing in the US Constitution preventing Christians imposing their will on the nation’s nonbelievers. He will keep repeating that lie until it becomes true in people’s minds and makes it into law. And he’s preaching to a really big choir. Sound familiar,
For some Gandhi is irrelevant or worse. If you think Gandhi is burning in Hell right now along with the members of the LGBT community murdered in a club last year and anyone else who doesn’t submit to their Dominion.
But for those of us who do not want to live behind that Iron Curtain of Ignorance – we all need to help “tear down that wall.” Before it becomes impossible to remove. Even by a little dog.
And, in the big picture, the lights go out. Maybe when the last cross burns out.
Fred
Note: One of my next posts will focus on the concept of “frames,” or “the frames we live in.” It is what our minds use at the deepest level to determine what is real. Those familiar with the writings of the linguist George Lakoff already understand what I’m talking about. In the meantime, check it out,
If you understand this concept, you will have a great tool to understand the official language of the US: Bullshit. I’d even consider agreeing to let them declare English the official language if everyone learned it and how to use it to communicate - not market at someone. Might take generations.
If all you know (or are allowed to know) is a freak show, a freak show is all you know. And if it is all you want to know or dare know: Mission accomplished.
That’s the power of advertising, marketing, sales, and PR. Karl Rove publicly and proudly stated, essentially, “We’re an empire now, and we manufacture reality. And as you try to catch up, we change it again.”
I recall a comment made by a reporter; I think during the Reagan years:
“I’d hate to be a spokesman. Having to get up every morning and go to work, knowing that I lie for a living.” Unfortunate many thrive on it. Wouldn’t have it any other way.
It works especially well in a society whose world view declares their Nation’s superiority as a fact and makes children swear loyalty oaths every morning to God and Country as one.
And views the Age of Enlightenment the work of the Devil.
And in need of an American Inquisition to set things right.
Exceptional.
Fred
Fred - lots to unpack in your latest BE post. I did follow up on your suggestion to check out Lakoff. The advice he offers about how to counteract politicians' lies and his "truth sandwich" seems particularly relevant to daily media coverage of current 'breaking news' events. IE: George Santos
"1. Start with the truth. The first frame gets the advantage.
2. Indicate the lie. Avoid amplifying the specific language if possible.
3. Return to the truth. Always repeat truths more than lies."