I’m definitely a hypocrite

Jesus teaches us to turn the other cheek, and I believe that’s the best way to live… by God’s law, I mean. He lived the perfect life of non-violence. In yoga, we believe that any acts or thoughts of violence only create violence in our mind and in our perception of the world. I honestly believe I could act this way with regard to myself, but it’s difficult to believe it’s best when those I care about are involved. When I consider the possibility of an intruder in my house, I know that I would give the person one chance to leave and then would respond with any weapon available in order to remove the person, and it’s hard to imagine acting any other way without knowing the intent of someone who knowingly invaded my family’s home. Of course, this plays out in many other ways. A few years ago, an off-leash dog attacked my dogs in the local forest with no owner to be seen or heard of. Of course, I defended my dogs and tried not to hurt the other dog in the process (as it’s not the dog’s fault that it’s alone off-leash in the forest) and my dogs were safe but I did get bitten. Honestly, being bitten isn’t a big deal to me. It was an inconvenience to go get rabies shots but, without a conversation with the owner, there’s no way to know they weren’t necessary. Now, years later, I’m still angry when I consider the belligerent owner that didn’t follow their off-leash dog through the forest. I’m was even angry today when my family and I were crossing the street and a driver didn’t stop to allow us. (To add context, we were already in the first lane of a two lane, one-way road and the driver didn’t even slow down in the lane ahead of us.) And I don’t mean a little angry. I was very heated, and even considered that I wish I kicked the person’s car as they drove passed. In retrospect, I’m glad I didn’t but it would’ve felt really good if I had. I don’t take well to people that endanger others but, all things considered with a cooler head, this only makes me an angry person.

The same desire to defend others plays out on other scales. If Ukraine were my home when Russia invaded, I would have been very tempted to join the militia. I may be American, but my home is not America at this point in my life. I’m very happy that I call a NATO country to be my home, as I wouldn’t feel the same necessity. If Russia invades Latvia, there will be an army of professional soldiers defending my home, thank God, which likely means I wouldn’t be needed in that capacity and I would find other ways to help. All of that said, my thoughts certainly don’t go to turning the other cheek. Rather, they definitely create a more violent world in my mind, and not a godly one. The other major worry of this war is, of course, the big red button. My feelings on that subject are much the same as in the personal engagements which drive my anger. As an American, we have plenty of big red buttons ourselves… enough to destroy all life on Earth more than 50 times over, in fact. And Russia has roughly the same. The other half dozen nations with nuclear weapons seem more reasonable but each of them could also end life on our planet several times over, at least, so none of these nations has any moral high ground. We all hold these weapons out of fear. In the USA, we say, “But what if Russia actually uses them.” I’m positive that the Russians think the exact same and, unlike us, they can point to the times we already did. Pakistan and India think the same of each other, and the other nuclear powers also retain these weapons out of fear as well. In fact, many Americans think it a shame that Ukraine gave up their nukes as part of demilitarization. They say, “Russia wouldn’t have dared to invade if Ukraine were a nuclear power.”

A better question seems to be, “What if all of the western democracies actually gave up our nuclear weapons?” It’s true, of course, that we’d be handing all the power to wipe out life on Earth to governments run by evil people. However, if we did, wouldn’t it then be clear who is actually evil? As long as we hold nuclear weapons, it seems to me that the people ruled by what we call evil governments have reason to believe their governments are good and we are the bad guys. Even if we have the best of intentions, why do we want to appear ready for such destruction? Or to bring it home, if I claim to be a follower of Christ, why do I feel my anger is just? If someone cuts off my friend’s ear, I can’t heal it like Jesus did, but my need to defend others shows I don’t trust that God will heal us. Ghandi told us, “An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind,” but it’s up to us to realize that means we have to be ready for others to take our eye, or our neighbor’s, and respond with forgiveness.

In the first days of the war in Ukraine, I prayed fervently for the well being of the citizens of Ukraine as they defend their home. God responded directly to me that, “There are only citizens of heaven.” I know some believe that not all people are saved, but this is not the case. “While we were still sinners Christ died for us,” -Romans 5:8. This is the moment all people were saved, past, present and future. If you have to believe in the salvation of Christ in order to achieve salvation then it is you who have saved yourself. No, Christ died for us and we were saved. Salvation itself has nothing to do with belief, but we can’t feel, act, or live as if we’re saved until we realize that we are. I can’t feel, act, or live as if I’m saved until I realize that I am. Actually, I can’t feel, act or live as if I’m saved until I trust in the Lord that He has saved all of those closest to me. They don’t need my defense. They already live in God’s plan. We are all citizens of heaven.

I pray that I learn this in my heart. It’s so easy to think and act in defense, especially in the moment, but it means that I’m the one carrying the big red button, ready to destroy everyone who threatens my people. It means I’m the bad guy. It is for freedom that Christ set me free, and I shut Him out when I choose my anger. Those of us whose nations have nukes, let us pressure our governments to get rid of them, not because we trust other nations, but because we have no need to fear evil. And let us rid ourselves of the feelings of justice in our hearts. Justice is for God alone, and I trust in His plan.

Note in post script: I do understand that we can’t hand all power to nations with evil governments but I also know that holding nuclear weapons ourselves is not the answer. We shouldn’t have any ties to evil governments. There may be a slippery slope in defining which governments are evil but the ones holding nuclear weapons is a good start. In personal business, I would never go into an agreement with an evil person. If someone has a history of not paying their contractors or collaborators, for instance, then there’s no reason to do business with them. On a national level, we shouldn’t have commerce with these countries, and that shift will hurt, but we used to make our own products in America. Latvia pretty much sources most products from within Latvia. I understand it’s much more difficult when natural resources like oil and water are considered but, if we decide to actually become the good guys, there are brilliant and good people who will make it their passion to see it through. Cutting ties with evil both on a personal level and a national one are possible if we decide it’s important, and if we do, God’s blessing will be on us as citizens of heaven.