US War Against Iraq: What Makes Us Free?

Declaration Of A Christian

“Military Zone” Christian Web Site (In Russian)

There is a very suitable quotation concerning the subject, which I'd like to cite:

“The Bible Societies of Jordania and Lebanon want to share Gospel in this land. What future shall we bring to Iraq: Bibles or Bombs?”

I'm not fond of Iraq, nor Saddam Hussein, but, even if he is a most cruel dictator and the source of all evil in the Middle East, killing this man and submitting his nation to the USA, I think, will hardly bring freedom (about which the USA officials speak so much) to Iraq, the Middle East and the whole world.

I think that the government of the USA and those who back them up commit a serious mistake. The USA is not the Savior of the world. As a Christian, I think that only God, only Jesus Christ has the ability to bring freedom to the world.

The USA take too much upon themselves when they think that they are able to emancipate people, who themselves support Hussein's regime voluntarily - either by acting or not.

As a friend of mine has put it, “everybody learns history, but it failed to teach anyone”.

After fascist Germany's defeat, fascism didn't disappear, though some people say it did.

Open fascism has just disappeared from the streets into the people's hearts. Neither the USA nor Russia has the power to knock it out from there. The reason is people's mentality. It's almost impossible to change it.

It is something that makes Christianity different from other doctrines, political movements and systems - that Christianity relies on God, not on it's own power. Prayers, personal example of righteous life, using arguments, not weapons, when trying to persuade people, strength not to give up personal convictions even when being tortured - all this led to the mentality changes in the ancient world. Neither the crusades that followed that period nor the wars for re-division of the world could exert such influence on people's minds. It was Early Christianity that showed the whole world the way of life, which could captivate people, and change their mentality.

In fact, crusades are one of the reasons why the Islamic world doesn't want to accept Christ today. So the whole idea of “the USA bringing freedom to Iraq” is just demagogy.

I feel very much disappointed, when the Christians let themselves be deceived so easily, when they accept non-evangelical ideas of violence and assassinating in the name of future freedom. Pro-war fuss and noise must prevent from thinking over a simple fact: patriotism is not among the first Christian virtues.

We must also remember that even Jesus Christ was falsely accused of lacking patriotism and of acting for Rome. Now the American Christians who oppose the war in Iraq are also accused of lacking patriotism.

Here and there people make an occasional claim that there is a must to sacrifice thousands of people in order to save millions. But Jesus Christ taught us to love our neighbor (and who is closer to us than our contemporaries?) Not to mention the precept to love enemies. Finally, there is the commandment “You shall not murder”, which hasn't been cancelled.

I hope among the readers of all this there will be at least one citizen of the USA who will think over the question: “What will set the world free?” after reading.

1 First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men,

2 for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.

4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

5 For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,

7 For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying) as a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.