Jesus, Moses, and (the) Bush

Jesus, Moses, and (the) Bush

A Drama on the Right to Bear Arms

George Bush supporter comes marching in carrying either a rifle, or a large poster with photos of tanks and missiles on parade.

Supporter: Hear O Israel!  These are the gods that brought you out from slavery to King George and chased out the British redcoats, destroyed Hitler’s ambitions, and defeated communism.

Pacifist: That’s idolatry. Liberty is a gift from God. It’s not something you can achieve by yourself with force of arms.

Supporter: I follow the law of Moses and the Bush. Do it to others before they do it to you. We Americans know that liberty is something you have to FIGHT for. Nobody is going to GIVE it to you.

Pacifist I doubt that Jesus would buy that line. He said, “Peace I give to you.” He really does bring peace.

Supporter: I am a born again Christian and I have peace in my heart. That’s what’s important. But so long as sinners run the world, we still need to defend ourselves.

Pacifist: Then you don’t believe Jesus can bring peace between nations, just personal peace in people’s hearts. Right?

Supporter: God gave us the brains and the skill to take care of ourselves. You can’t just stand still and expect God to do what you can do for yourself.

Pacifist. That’s what Moses did. At the Red Sea he said, “Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord.

Supporter: That’s because they were helpless slaves. Dependency is for children and slaves. Free adults can take care of themselves.

Pacifist: Jesus said we are God’s children and we should trust him. This is the truth that sets us free. In Deuteronomy 17 Moses forbid Israel to buy weapons and create an army. The King was supposed to study God’s law, not build up his military power, and then God would protect him.

Supporter: Yes, God did fight for Israel, but they were his chosen people.

You can’t expect him to do that for everyone.

Pacifist: Aren’t God promises to Israel for everyone now? Don’t you think he would do it for us. Faith in God isn’t just for individuals, it’s for the nations. God’s plan is for the nations to exchange their weapons into tools for economic production. Isaiah and Micah both promised this for God’s people.

Supporter: So what are you saying? Disarm our own forces? Are you crazy?

Pacifist: Jesus didn’t need an army. He kicked the merchants out of the temple and ruled the temple for all of Passover week without weapons. A real follower of Jesus never does evil to stop evil.

Supporter: I disagree with you. God established government to punish evil. But just for the sake of argument, let’s suppose all Christians laid down their arms expecting God to do a miracle and keep all enemies away. Then suppose we run a candidate for president on a platform to disband the army, because as you say, “Jesus didn’t need an army- and therefore we don’t need one either.” What happens to your freedom of religion without people like me to defend it?

Pacifist: Jesus didn’t come to give us the bill of rights. He gave us something better, which is freedom from sin. Jesus also asked us to pray that his kingdom would rule on earth as it now does in heaven. If we pray for God’s kingdom to come on earth and then fight according to the principles of the world, then our prayer won’t be answered, and we will still be the slaves of sin.

Supporter: I think you are talking about the end of the world. God’s peace for the world won’t come until then. That’s when we will be free from sin.

Pacifist: I am not talking about the end of the world.

Supporter: I think you really are.

Supporter: (Turns away, raises his rifle or poster for everyone to see) Hear O Americans! This is the technology of American genius that achieved your liberty. Make sure you always have the technology and will to defend it.