Papal Bull

Well, it's been awhile since I've done a post in prose, so I fear I might bore the poop out of anyone who might read this. But I've a soapbox to mount, and this is my Speaker's Corner...

I've been in Italy for the last two weeks, and I've had many, many amazing experiences here. However, much thought provocation has occurred in the area of religion & politics, and I feel I have something to confess--I'm not a Republican.

Granted, I'm not a Democrat, either. But I need to make the specific statement regarding the Republicans because I did, at one time, regard myself among their ranks. This is relevant to my Italian meanderings, and I will tell you how. I toured the Vatican this morning in Rome (well, technically in the Vatican City--thank you Mussolini), and saw a number of tremendous and beautiful things. However, the summary concern I have developed on this trip is for the state of Protestant faith in the world.

The Catholic Church has been unapologetic in the past about their perception of absolute monopoly of truth, and Benedict XVI is making no diversion from that course, as his direct successor John Paul II was ready to do. We, as Protestant Americans, however, are not quite so bold in our military enforcement of our similar but contradictory views. We utilize our economic, military, and cultural prestige to bully our way into foreign economies in order to either create a borgeoisie that we can market to, or to break the economy down into a society of proletariat paupers who can create our goods.

But we do so much of this "good labor" in the name of "protecting the American way of life." I am a fan of freedom. I utilize it even now as I write this blog. But I wonder if the motives of those protecting these freedoms aren't a little skewed by the exterior forces. And if that's the case, when we preemptively strike a land in order to "protect our way of life", i.e., Protestant-based consumerism, it just reminds me a little bit too much of what I've seen in the errors of the Popes these last two weeks.

My final point is thus--whereas Christ came leading no war, we should follow suit. It wasn't until 300 years after Christ's death that someone started really killing folk in his Name. That was time enough for everyone whose grandparents even knew anyone who had ever met Him. Let us not distance ourself in this way from the Savior Who promised to reveal Himself anew to every generation that sought Him in earnest. Let us seek the heart of Christ in all our doings--from the pew, to the ballot box, to the foxhole.