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HomeCommentaryThe moral challenge of training killers

The moral challenge of training killers

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Taliban vow revenge for Afghan civilian murders

The circle of violence ever spins, the sword is a poor tool of peace. It often ends up stealing the peace of the one wielding it.
 
What mystifies me is how the death of civilians is mostly overlooked as 'collateral damage' when it's in a military campaign context. But when a solider kills civilians on his own, in the same place, in similar manner, it's all of a sudden an emotional and political Armageddon. I lay the insanity of this moral inconsistency and its degenerative effects on the soul and psyche of soldiersat the feet of the military and Congress and the American public, for not holding politicians accountable.
 
How many tours will President Obama keep sending soldiers like this one on until he fulfills his campaign promises? A little too late for all these victims and soldiers like this one. We pay taxes to train and equip the world's most powerful killers and send them to kill people. Let's not forget the herculean challenge of wedding moral discernment and perpetual clarity to such an endeavor. I pray for peace, but not the peace of Babylon, Persia, Rome or America, but the peace of God in the soul.
 
Father…Your Kingdom Come, Your will be done, on Earth, as it is in Heaven,” – Jesus
Eric Blauer
Eric Blauerhttp://fcb4.tumblr.com/
I am Frederick Christian Blauer IV, but I go by Eric, it sounds less like a megalomaniac but still hints at my Scandinavian destiny of coastal conquest and ultimate rule. I have accumulated a fair number of titles: son, brother, husband, father, pastor, writer, artist and a few other more colorful titles by my fanged fans. I am a lover of story be it heard, read or watched in all beauty, gory or glory. I write and speak as an exorcist or poltergeist, splashing holy water, spilling wine and breaking bread between the apocalypse and a sleeping baby. I am possessed by too many words and they get driven out like wild pigs and into the waters of my blog at www.fcb4.tumblr.com. I work as a pastor at Jacob's Well Church (www.jacobswellspokane.com) across the tracks on 'that' side of town. I follow Christ in East Central Spokane among saints, sinners, angels, demons, crime, condoms, chaos, beauty, goodness and powerful weakness. I have more questions than answers, grey hairs than brown, fat than muscle, fire than fireplace and experience more love from my wife, family and friends than a man should be blessed with in one lifetime.

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Eric Blauer
12 years ago

I mean thank you. Doh.

Eric Blauer
12 years ago

Thank Sam.

‘Less violence’ but at what cost, I guess would be my wrestle in that fight. If we add up the overall economic impact on these regions and our nation, the relational destruction in the wake of war both for soldiers and families and our enemies and those caught up in the middle, all the death…both those who have been killed and those still killing themselves at record breaking suicide levels, and the nature of unleashing and supporting a genie of perpetual war making as economic revitalization….I would fear that violence is only beginning.

Sam Fletcher
Sam Fletcher
12 years ago

Well said! I think that research shows an overall trend towards less violence (hopefully, anyway; there is still too little time and too little predictability to say for sure whether this new relative peacefulness will last). But trends and statistics are a poor consolation for the mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, and communities torn apart by these tragedies.

hananeneffloutf
hananeneffloutf
12 years ago

Thanks for this post Eric,
It is dangerous to dehumanize people, and sadly this is exactly what politicians do to motivate soldiers, you have to hate your enemy to the point that they look less human just like Germans used to say about others being untermensch. Not only soldiers adjust to that belief but also their supporters… Many Americans will not be affected by an abused, raped, and pissed on dead body of an Afghani; after all they belong to a backward culture… these people seem to focus on the negative aspects about their enemies and leave no room for what can be good about them. This psychology is also nourished by films industry, where lots of Americans always find themselves as saviors of the world, just like Superman or Ironman, you got to save the world and everything becomes legitimate.
Besides ending propaganda for war, I believe that our moral issue is to stop the armament trading, the courtiers where violence seems to be outrageous are not making weapons while the UN which is supposed to keep “peace” five of its members are the biggest sellers of weapons in the WORLD.
Speaking of Obama’s agenda… what’s with Guantanamo?!
Anyway, I feel that the severity of the matter is huge and my words are meaningless :(.

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