God Takes No Side in War

by Daniel J. Webster

Daniel Webster speaks at a statewide rally for peace on March 20, 2004 in Salt Lake City, Utah.

One year ago religious leaders spoke out against preventive war as unjust. Leaders of most major religions in this country had spoken out against the planned war.

One year ago I spoke out against the perverted interpretation of sacred scriptures to justify violence and death. I was not alone then. I am not alone now.  

Tutu said: "It is a large-hearted and courageous people who are not diminished by saying, 'I made a mistake.' President Bush and Prime Minister Blair would recover considerable credibility and respect if they were able to say, 'Yes, we made a mistake.'"

Some have been asking me and other peace activists, “Where have you been this past year? We haven't heard much from you.”

Many people of faith who are committed to peace have been praying for peace. We have met in churches, synagogues and mosques. We have lifted their voices and their hearts to God sometimes using the words of their Holy Scriptures.

Some have taken comfort in the words of those who have gone before. . . such as St. Seraphim of Sarov, a 18 th century monk in Russia, who said: “Have peace within yourself and thousands around you will find salvation.”

Many have found hope in the words of modern day prophets such as retired Archbishop Desmond Tutu. He lived most of his life under apartheid in a repressive South Africa. He knows what it's like to live in a police state. Desmond Tutu says, “Peace never comes from the barrel of a gun.” He has called the war in Iraq unjust, illegal and immoral. And just last month Archbishop Tutu called on the leaders of Britain and the United States to apologize.

Tutu said: “It is a large-hearted and courageous people who are not diminished by saying: ‘I made a mistake.' President Bush and Prime Minister Blair would recover considerable credibility and respect if they were able to say: ‘Yes, we made a mistake.'”

One year later, thousands of Iraqi men, women and children are dead. Hundreds of American, British, Spanish, Polish and other coalition men and women are dead. And the millions who protested around the world on the anniversary of the invasion of Iraq still say NO to war!

Some religious leaders and peacemakers have been called unpatriotic. Some have even been called, “traitors.” I can't say it more strongly: I love this nation. We are fortunate to have a Constitution that provides for freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom to assemble and freedom of the press.

I've spent my entire professional career, as a journalist and as a priest, working for institutions protected by the First Amendment. For the past ten years I've spent a lot of time studying religion and theology, sacred scriptures and what people believe God does in their lives.

I believe God must be weeping. Tears must be flowing in heaven whenever God hears the words of Holy Scripture used to justify such death and destruction.

I believe God's tears flow when anyone in any war is told what they are doing is God's will and they will be rewarded.

I believe God's tears flow when the president of the United States claims God is on the side of this nation to justify this war. Last April, the president rallied the troops with these words: “The freedom you defend is the right of every person and the future of every nation. The liberty we prize is not America's gift to the world; it is God's gift to humanity.”

And surely God must be weeping, hearing the president conclude last January's State of the Union address with these words:  

“The cause we serve is right. . . and it is not carried forward by our power alone. We can trust in that greater power who guides the unfolding of the years.And in all that is to come, we can know that His purposes are just and true. May God continue to bless America.”

As someone who has studied Holy Scripture, as someone who has studied the shameful history of religious oppression and dominance, as someone who believes in and prays to a God of peace and justice and love, I believe in the very fiber of my being, God has NOT anointed this nation, or any nation on this earth, to forcibly impose a form of government, religion or value system on other nations.

Using God's name to justify war, death, occupation, or destruction should be seen for what it truly is. It is blasphemy. Language that uses God to justify one side of a war will only inflame and energize those who believe their God is on their side. God takes no such side.

Using God's name to justify war, death, occupation, or destruction should be seen for what it truly is. It is blasphemy. Language that uses God to justify one side of a war will only inflame and energize those who believe their God is on their side. God takes no such side. God gives life and sunrises and rainfall to everyone, equally. We are all equal in the eyes of the creator. We are all human beings trying to live together on this gift we call planet earth.

We will not be successful if we continue to pollute it with violence and hatred. We will not be successful if we continue to pollute it with aggression and oppression. We will not be successful until we find ways to use words and not weapons. We will never be able to live together on this planet in peace until we can respect the dignity of every human being, EVERY HUMAN BEING.

In Christian churches around the world, very soon we will once again tell the Easter story of death and resurrection. We will tell the story of Jesus being arrested. And when one of his disciples pulls a sword in his defense, Jesus says: “Put your sword back in its place; for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.”

We will tell the story of Jesus shedding tears in the garden. . . tears not just for what he expected would happen to him, but tears for what we do now in Iraq, Afghanistan, Columbia and too many other war torn places on the planet.

We will tell the story of Jesus whose dying words included:   “Father forgive them.”

And we will tell the story of resurrection, of a Jesus who appears to his frightened disciples in a locked room. And his first words to them? “Peace be with you.” In one gospel account he doesn't say it just once. He says it a second time, “Peace be with you.”

It was a theme in his life and in his teachings. It is a theme in many of the world's religions.  

If we are to invoke God at a time when violence, suspicion, destruction and death are so much a part of our lives maybe we should be saying, “God to bless the whole world, no exceptions.”

The Rev. Daniel J. Webster is an Episcopal priest in Salt Lake City, Utah. A media veteran and peace activist in the church, he writes a regular column for “A Globe of Witnesses.” Dan may be reached by email at dwebster@episcopal-ut.org ..