Love the Oppressor?

I read a great article today on Relevant Magazine's Facebook page. Of course, I found it interesting because it is about peacebuilding. But it is also particularly timely, given the current state of affairs in Ukraine and a conversation I had with a friend about this yesterday. She lived in Ukraine for awhile and visited Crimea often. So she is horrified by the events unfolding there. She admitted she is having a very hard time loving Putin, and even noted that he is behaving similarly to Hitler. I agree that his actions of late have been very unfortunate, some would even say evil. The same could be said about Assad in Syria. I disagree with the way they are treating people. But I am still supposed to love them because God loves them. How can I do this, when it is so counter-intuitive? I have to pray for grace, and I have to pray that their hearts would be changed. 

Loving The Oppressed—and the Oppressor

'Love your enemies' can be even more challenging than we think.

BY AARON ROSS 

MARCH 4, 2014




When we watch movies, TV or even read a good book, there is one thing we love to do: hate the villain. It is engrained in us, even from a very early age. We want the hero to succeed and we want the villain to fail. It grows worse as time passes. No longer do we not just want the hero to win, we want the villain destroyed. We cheer and hope for their great demise. 

The movie Taken serves as a good example of this. The film exposed the huge issue and evil of sex trafficking, hitting us in the face with the reality that it happens in the world we live in today.

So what do we do throughout the entire movie? We cheer and hope beyond all hope that not only will Liam Neeson save his child, but also that he will kill the people involved with this disgusting, horrible, dehumanizing industry. 

While a desire for justice is a good thing, what does our desire to see people destroyed really show about us?

Simply put, it brings to light how much more like Christ we really need to be. God loves the oppressor just as much as He loves the oppressed, no matter how terrible that oppression is. 

While God hates the injustice of human trafficking, He loves the person who is forcing men, women and children into sex trafficking.

And that should give us hope. 

To say all sin is the same can warp our understanding of morality. However, all sin, no matter what it is, can hurt, strain or even break our relationship with God. We all, no matter what we have done, deserve the punishment our sins require. 

But no matter how far, how bad, how destructive within the creation of God we have been, we can never do anything so bad as to lose or even lessen God's love for us.

How we think, how we speak, how we act must reflect that. God has called us to love the person who is perpetrating oppression just as much as we love and fight for those who are being oppressed. This is no easy task. We are trained to loathe them, even to hate them for what they do. But when we hate them, we hate someone who is loved by Christ. 

As Jesus says in Matthew 5:43-48 (from The Message version):

"You’re familiar with the old written law, 'Love your friend,' and its unwritten companion, 'Hate your enemy.' I'm challenging that. I'm telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives His best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that.

"In a word, what I’m saying is, grow up. You’re Kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you."

With that in mind, here are a few ways we can start to change how we think about the oppressor:

Stop thinking the oppressors are beyond hope

Stop categorizing people as good and evil, as those who need saving and those who need to be punished. When we stop thinking of people as if they are the pure embodiment of evil, we might begin to open our hearts toward those who God is desperate to bring unto Him.

Paul tells us in 1 Timothy 2 that "[God] wants not only us but everyone saved, everyone to get to know the truth we've learned: that there's one God and only one, and one Priest-Mediator between God and us—Jesus, who offered Himself in exchange for everyone held captive by sin, to set them all free."

Pray to see the oppressors as God sees them

Even though "they" deserve retribution, "they" deserve to be thrown in jail with the key thrown into the deepest darkest abyss; we have to stop desiring that for anyone. We should desire what God desires; that they would come to a saving relationship with God. They are people who need God to change their minds and hearts.

Does that mean they should be allowed to do whatever they want? Of course not. Isaiah 61:8 tells us, "For I, the LORD, love justice. I hate robbery and wrongdoing."

There is a tension between grace and justice that walks a thin line. Grace teaches us to forgive, yet justice is needed. Fight for those who can't fight for themselves. Let us do our best to stop the evil in this world. After all, as Edmund Burke so often reminds us, "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."

But let us also fight for everyone who needs God. After all, we all deserve the same punishment for our sins, from the worst of us, to the best.

Again, Paul reveals to us in Romans 3 that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" and "the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord."

Pray for the grace to forgive

As Christians and as people who strive to be like Christ, let's actually be like Christ and work for the reconciliation of ALL people to God.

When we read of stories about those who forgive and befriend the person who killed a family member, we see people who are truly living like Christ. Those stories wreck us, because it is so outside of what we understand. We often think in those times "I could never do that," and I pray no one ever has to, but shouldn't we strive to be just like this? Let's ask God to give us the grace to forgive, regardless of what someone has done, to us, or to those who cannot help themselves. 

It is time that we, as Christians, love the oppressor just as much as we love the oppressed. Still fight for justice, but it is time that we strive to help the oppressor find Christ and to be reconciled unto Him.

Pray that we can all learn to love just like Christ does. Let us work together to bring both justice and grace to all who are in need of Christ (and that is all of us).

Motivation for Peace Workers and the Intersection of Peace and Justice

When I started this project I was interested in focusing on peacebuilding, specifically what worked well, what didn't, how lessons from one context could be applied in other contexts. But as I have been interviewing people who do the difficult and important work of peacebuilding, my interest has shifted slightly. Of course I still believe lessons can and should be applied across contexts, but I have realized that even more important is the motivation and support of peace workers themselves. For without those to do the work there is no one to learn these lessons from or teach these lessons to. I need to do some more research and thinking in this area, but I think I would now like to focus my work on what motivates people to get involved in peace work and how to help people stay motivated to continue this work despite the challenges that they inevitably face. Perhaps learning from one another can even be part of that continued motivation?

Another theme I have been thinking about a lot is the intersection of peace and justice. Although I cannot and would not claim to be an expert on either of these topics, they are both very important to me and I have spent a great deal of time over the past eight years thinking, reading, and learning about peace and justice. What I have come to realize is that they are inextricably tied to one another. Without peace there cannot be justice, and without justice there cannot be peace. The challenge for me, then, is work for both. To put is simply, I will quote a bumper sticker I saw several years ago: "If you want peace, work for justice." These words by Pope Paul VI sum up my vocation.

As I mentioned previously, I started on the journey of peace work in 2005, but I never thought about working for justice until I saw that bumper sticker. I didn't know what it meant at first, but I have slowly realized that when unjust systems are in place and any group is being oppressed there cannot be peace. Conflict or war may not be manifested, but that does not mean that there is peace. This is another concept I have learned over the years: absence of war is not the same as peace. In my understanding, true peace exists when people have no reason to be in conflict. And this, in my understanding, is also justice.

I will need to do some more thinking, reading, and learning about both of these ideas, but I feel like I am gaining deeper understanding and that my thesis topic is coming together.

The power of forgiveness

Ray Norman recently spoke at a World Vision conference about the assassination attempt he and his daughter faced while living in Mauritania just after September 11, 2001. Their story is an amazing testament to the power of and the need for true forgiveness.

How long is too long?

I had a great interview this weekend with Shadia Qubti, who works with Musalaha. Musalaha is a non-profit organization that seeks to promote reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians. Since the interview I have been thinking about the effects of time on a conflict. If a conflict has been going on for a certain number of years/decades/centuries does that make it harder to end? How long is too long? 


When I was in the former Yugoslavia, several people told me that there would always be conflict between the people/countries in the region: that's the way it had always been, and that's the way it would always be. Similarly, Shadia told me that in her work it is hard to get buy-in from people because they believe the conflict is so deeply rooted that nothing will change. But she also said that she has personally seen change in herself and in the participants of Musalaha programs. And she noted that in other conflicts, such as those in South Africa or Ireland/Northern Ireland, there came a point at which people simply decided to try to change things. Of course these conflicts have not completely gone away, but certainly the situation in both of these places has become more peaceful over the past two decades. 


So I hope the same for Israelis and Palestinians. Although time may make a conflict stronger, I don't think that means that it is impossible to make peace. It may just take greater commitment. 

Practicum: Slow but steady

This blog is supposed to be a place for me to discuss my practicum research, but I haven't talked much about my own research yet. This is because my research has been going very slowly. I knew that this would be the case because many of the people I hope to interview do their main projects over the summer. For that reason, I haven't gotten to do as many interviews as I would have liked, and I don't want to post about any interviews until I have signed consent forms back from participants. Much of my effort so far this summer has focused on identifying potential participants and contacting these people to request interviews. Some have responded and some haven't. Those who have responded have been open to participating, but arranging a mutually agreeable time has been difficult. Additionally, some of the people I will interview live in other time zones, which has complicated matters. However, I do have several interviews scheduled in the next few weeks.

As I have not been conducting many interviews this summer, I have instead taken time to consider the conflicts behind the peacebuilding work I am researching. This is reflected in my blog posts to date. I have tried to post this summer about some of the issues I feel are important when considering why peacebuilding is necessary and the best ways to approach it. There are so many ways that we humans have found to divide ourselves, from race to religion to the people we choose to associate with. I have been interested in peacebuilding since I first worked with ROM in Croatia in 2005. Over the past 8 years I have read numerous books, media articles, and blog posts, attended lectures, watched films, talked to people who have experienced conflict and those who work to prevent it or encourage reconciliation, and visited historic sites and museums. Given my past experience, I can't say that my ideas about peacebuilding have evolved a great deal over this particular summer. But this summer has given me an opportunity to consider my personal involvement in peacebuilding work, and what I hope to contribute through my research.

It is my great hope that my research will identify some best practices or things that can be changed in order to make peacebuilding work more effective and efficient, ultimately helping to prevent conflicts from happening in the first place and/or helping peace to be restored more quickly when conflict does arise.

Love one another

The NPR piece, Anti-Gay Riot In Tblisi Tests Balance Between Church, State, details an incident in Tbilisi, Georgia, in which Orthodox clergy not only participated in attacks against gay rights activists, but encouraged their congregations to do likewise. 

The former Soviet republic of Georgia is contending with the aftermath of an episode of mass violence that took place in May. In Georgia's capital city, Tblisi, a mob of thousands attacked a small group of people who were staging a protest against homophobia.The leaders of the attack? Georgian Orthodox priests. … The incident began when members of Georgia's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and their supporters obtained a permit to hold a vigil on the steps of parliament. They planned to mark the International Day Against Homophobia on May 17. … When some leaders of the Georgian Orthodox Church heard about it, they urged their congregations to come to a counterdemonstration, which was promoted as a peaceful and family-oriented event. When the day came, it was anything but peaceful. Led by Orthodox priests, the crowd overwhelmed the police barrier around the small group of anti-homophobia demonstrators. Video from the clash shows a priest brandishing a stool as a weapon; other priests are heard to curse and yell "Kill them! Kill them!"

I heard this story on the radio while driving home from work recently, and I could not believe my ears. I have spent quite a bit of time in Eastern Europe and just visited Tbilisi in April, so I understand that there is little support for gay rights in this part of the world. However, although I have heard of many such incidents, I have not heard of one promoted by and participated in by the very leaders who are supposed to teach their congregations to love their neighbors as themselves (Mark 12:31, Matthew 22:39). 


The Bible I read teaches that we are all equal in the sight of God, and specifically calls believers to love others: 


"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another" (John 13:34-35).


It also commands that murder is a crime (Exodus 20:13). 


It is understandable that different people will have different beliefs or opinions, but that does not give any of us the right to enact violence on others, particularly if we ever hope to win them over to our way of thinking. Who would want to become just like their persecutors? Stockholm syndrome is classified as a mental illness for a reason. 


In any case, whether or not another person ever agrees with our way of thinking, we each have a responsibility to see others as worthy of respect. Violence is never an acceptable solution, and inevitably leads to more violence. We owe ourselves and those who come after us something better. Certainly it is more difficult and more time consuming to resolve differences through dialogue, but I truly believe this is the only way to achieve lasting and sustainable peace. 

Do you dream of peace?

Video: Resentment towards Syrian refugees grows
- by CNN's Mohammed Jamjoom

This story brings to life the reality for children whose lives are disrupted by wars fought by the adults around them. It reminds me of the lyrics from Judy Collins' "Song for Sarajevo":

Can't you stop the war, bring it to a close
You are tall and strong and I am just a child
Can't we live in peace, stop the flowing blood
Make a blessed world where I can be a child
When you close your eyes
Do you dream of peace?

As adults, we have a responsibility to protect children; to ensure that they have the chance to grow up safe, and to teach them how to make our world more peaceful. We need to set a good example for the children around us, but we also need to listen to them. Children have a depth of perception of right and wrong that I think fades as we experience the harshness life can throw at us.

Let's pay close attention to the children in our lives. We just may learn something about what it means to love our neighbors.