David W. Swanson

Pastor and Author

wendell berry on gulf war 1

Wendell Berry, writing in 1991 about the Gulf War in Sex, Economy, Freedom and Community:

For our leaders and much of our public, the appalling statistics of death and suffering in Iraq merely prove the efficiency of our military technology. Ignoring the Gospel’s command to be merciful, forgiving, loving, and peaceable, our leaders have prayed only for the success of their arms and policies and have thus made themselves a state religion- exactly what they claim to fear in “fundamentalist” Islam. But why God might particularly favor a nation whose economy is founded foursquare on the seven deadly sins is a mystery that has not been explained.

Too harsh? On the money? If you’re interested, this entire chapter can be found online. This quote comes from section XXXVI.

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2 responses to “wendell berry on gulf war 1”

  1. Brian C Avatar
    Brian C

    I guess my tendency (no one will be surprised here) is to agree with Berry in this short quote. Although we benefit in a number of ways from an economic system that can be exploitive and sometimes blatantly based on the marketing and consumer purchase of sin, most Christians (myself included) seem to turn a blind eye to such things. As long as we are not personally involved in the sex, liquor, gambling, or small arms industry then we feel like our hands are clean. But are they? As long as we don’t personally employ 1000s of workers for wages that don’t enable them to live in the community where they work or purposefully keep them under 32 hours of work per week so we don’t have to pay for their health insurance then we feel like our hands are clean. But are they?

    I guess we can’t feel personal guilt over decisions made by Corporations that we’ll never have any say about. And we can’t feel any guilt over industries whose products we never endorse or purchase. However, I think we can feel a sense of shame. And I think this sense of shame should spur Christians (myself included) to some sort of action. As I contemplate going to WalMart later today to make a purchase I am not sure what actionable change I am talking about. But I am worried that shame has lost its place in our culture and that we are worse off for it.

    On another note- in a recent virtual conversation with a friend the issue of the applicability of Jesus’ teaching on mercy, forgiveness, peace, and love to the state was brought up. It seems to me that Jesus’ words to Love your neighbor as yourself and love your enemies must apply to governments as well. Or at least to the people who make up governments. True, loving your neighbor should look different on the macro-level, but can we say that carte-blanche that these principles just don’t apply to International relations? Any thoughts?

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  2. David Avatar
    David

    Brian- I’ve not thought much about the idea of cultural shame. I tend to think about this more in terms of “lament”. We lament over a culture that normalizes the types of behaviors you have described, while not ignoring our own complicity in those actions.

    Regarding your 3rd paragraph, I’m not sure whether Jesus’ words apply to governments. Don’t you think that Jesus is describing life within the Kingdom of God for those who have submitted to the reign of God? While our American government may co-opt such Kingdom language, I am skeptical that any government can exist that doesn’t place it’s own needs above everything else. This would seem to be opposed to the teachings of Jesus. Having said that, it seems appropriate for the church to use it’s unique perspective to call the state to just and merciful behavior towards its neighbors. This prophetic stance will often (always?) be ignored, but as citizens of an alternative Kingdom it seems we must embody the ethics of our citizenship, including the call for justice and mercy.

    Am I getting off-course from your original thought?

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