Reading notes

This diary is quite the reminder that the violence inflicted on every body [and life] shattered by war, to every child of God “done unto,” as Jesus puts it, is “done unto me.” Hence, I think being anti-war, and especially a Christian being anti-war, needs neither apology nor qualification: being anti-war is a necessary condition for being in healthy relationship with Him.

Being pro-war is, in effect, killing Jesus over and over, and I see no honest way to call oneself Christian while doing that.

Being pro-peace (the next step beyond anti-war) is, I contend, a primary outcome Jesus desires from us for spending time modeling the godly life among us (then and now). Why else be heralded as Prince of Peace?

I notice the scriptural emphasis for faith is almost entirely on change now, in this life for this life, for our lives together. “Salvation insurance for future benefit,” which is often touted in the modern world as the entire point of faith, actually comes in a distant second in scripture. The fruits of our lives is what we’re measured by, the transformation of our hearts from stone, not whether we did or didn’t utter some magical salvation incantation.