A Book, Peace at the Last, by Walter Wangerin Jr. and the Face of Evil

 

Quite a few years ago my husband and I read a book we loved, The Dun Cow by Walter Wangerin Jr. The book, published in 1978, won the National Book Award. It was the first of three in a series. The second, The Book of Sorrows, I did not read. The year that was published I had several years of my own sorrows and could not read it. The third book, Peace at last, I just finished. I am not writing a review but I am using that book to write about the times we are experiencing. We, some of us, are living as through it is the fifties, or the nineties, the years after a larger amount of evil had been defeated, and it seemingly placed us in a more peaceful and unconcerned time.

While peace is in that last book’s title it opens with Wangerin’s understanding of the horrors of human evil, but always in the shape of a world of creatures, animals that fit as pictures of a broken humanity. The world in that first book was orderly and with purpose. But to help you understand I will quote an important explanation from the first book, The Dun Cow:

“The earth then had a face: smiling blue and green and gold and gentle. Or frowning in furious gouts of black thunder. But it was a face, and that’s where the animals lived, on the surface of it. But under that surface, in its guts, the earth was a prison. Only one creature lived inside of the earth, then, because God had dammed him there. He was the evil the animals kept. His name was Wyrm.”

In the story Wyrm escapes and the animals battle the evil let loose on their earth. Wyrm is diminished but the fallenness remains. The last book is the story of two groups of creatures. One group is troubled, hurt and unsure but traveling toward safety and peace, the other, not really traveling, but attempting to gather all of their unholy desires to and for themselves, each individually. This begins with a rebel wolf who seeks others to dominate. Before his story is finished there are bloody deaths, rape, torment—a wicked disjointed group which will in the end turn into a horde seeking blood and the death of righteousness.  The chapter, the first in the book, caught my attention immediately because it was a clear picture of evil. I could feel it. Something that is here, today, now, and too many do not see it. But many do see it.

They see it in the families torn apart, the beatings, the killings, the deportations. They see it in those officials fired in their attempts to preserve justice and the officials who lie, seek power and in their seeking are cowards. They worship at the feet of one who has given himself over to the supposed promises of worldly gain. The one who himself worships gold. They, the power seekers and their door to power, egotism cloaked in dementia, will fall as the evil animals do in Peace at the last. Without repentance, in a rather bloody worldly lust, they will begin to fall.

The others, the animals, those who sought an ancient path, traveled by another wolf, who smells the righteousness and hears them calling home, come at last to a great rock and disappear into its safety.  These others are not perfect, but not cowards, sometimes despairing but constant in honesty and integrity.  And when the horde wants to fall on them spilling blood these friends, travelers, fall into the rock. They are hidden in the rock.

My question has to be, why are there those who do not see the evil. Sure, there is no longer Hitler’s Nazi’s or Stalin’s killings or the many other oppressions of the world. But this evil is not different, it's just at the beginning and we seem not to be able to weep until the whole evil plan has opened upon the world. Until Ukrainians are starved to death as in the Holodomor or until the Jews are destroyed as in the Holocaust.  Until all those seeking safety, the Mexicans, the Somalians, the Iranians, the Afghans, etc.  have been sent away to suffer and to die.

In the book Peace at Last there is the community, the journey toward safety and then home. There is peace. It is there in reality, there for us. There for those named above. The rock it is still there.  Again, quite a few years ago I wrote a poem which I didn’t quite finish. But here it is for the end of this.

A cluster, a gathering,

Two people or more, not alone the One is there.

I saw a cluster of violets today,

Against the inside wall

They flowered in abundance in cold February.

Their roots grew deep beneath the wall warmed soil.

A gathering, a cluster,

Where two or three are gathered,

Together, I Am in the midst of them.

The Scab (Pride)

 I do write poetry, although I haven't recently. I was sorting my poems and others the family have written, today when I picked up one I had forgotten about. Its rather ugly but I think it works for this time.

The Scab (Pride)

Unplanned it slowly overcame the man.

The cut the wound the sore,

infection penetrating to the core,

and then a brown and dirty slab, the scab.

Not a scab to mark recovery, but disease;

the pus, the pain, the curse;

to remove the scab would reveal the worst.

the heart a solid sore, full up with pride and more.

Useless to tear away the covering.

Useless to open up the wound.

The outer part is by the inner part untuned,

The man his whole exterior covered over,

has built his house with nothing more.

The wound he cut himself with blinders on;

he let the pain engulf his very being,

and became the view that he was seeing.

His pride, his only helmet from the pain,

shut out a world he could no longer claim.

I know sadly, bad rhyming, and no redemption.

Some small thoughts on the correspondents dinner and President Trump

 I watched the Correspondents dinner last night and it left me having great sorrow for President Trump. There was an excellent documentary about the history of and what it means to have freedom of the press. I had hoped that the president really listened and understood the documentary. After that there were awards to reporters; I wondered what Trump was thinking as most of those awards were for articles about some problem with the presidency. He gave funny smiles and in some cases threw up his hands. and then it was time for him to speak. I don't think that he knows what it is to roast people, using satire. His speech was an hour long and filled with awful insults that were simply not funny. I realized that he has no ability to make jokes about others, only insults; and given his now seeming mental problems it was hard for him to stay on subject. I don't know if it is some kind of dementia or something else. But what I saw was a very broken confused man who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I truly felt sorry for him.

You Shall Not Murder: An Unholy Army

 

“You shall not murder.” Exodus 13

An army is roaming about the United States killing, imprisoning, destroying people’s lives. It is called ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement). Its main leaders are the President of the United States, Donald J Trump, the Deputy White House Chief of Staff for Policy and Homeland Security Advisor, Stephen Miller, the Immigration Czar, Tom Homan, and the new head of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin.

There is much in our country that I am troubled by for instance the corruption of the president and the failure of Congress to do anything about it, but it is our mistreatment of so many people by the leaders and organizations I have named that has me deeply depressed. In another time militia who roamed our streets wearing masks, driving unmarked cars, ramming other cars, shooting the drivers, watching them die without helping them would be arrested by the police. In fact, the police would undoubtedly shoot back at them and imprison them until they could go to trial.

In another time there would be no prisons for children. In another time no children as young as three, without parents, family or guardians would be set before a judge to have their fate decided. Yes, it is happening.

We are becoming a nation who cares little for the helpless, the stranger, the children, the orphan, the widow. The very ones that ancient Israel harmed and because of it finally were sent into exile. (of course, they started down this road because, they, while supposedly, existing as worshipers of God worshiped idols—deadly idols that came from self-will and love of power—read Ezekiel chapter 8.)

But to see people, some citizens, some who are not citizens but have lived here making a living, raising families, lying on our streets bleeding out and law enforcement nor city or government officials doing anything about it is unthinkable. It is like a nightmare descending on us. It is as though another country; another government has overpowered our democracy.

Congress needs to standup to it all. To say enough, to pass laws to make it impossible for an army of unknown members who disobey laws that should govern them, is allowed to exist.

Trust in Him at all times, O people. Pour out your hearts before Him; God is a refuse for us.

Men of low degree are only vanity and men of rank are a lie; in the balances they go up; they are all together lighter than breath.

Do not trust in oppression and do not vainly hope in robbery. If riches increase do not set you heart upon them.

Once God has spoken and twice I have heard this:  That power belongs to God; and loving kindness is yours O Lord. For you recompence a man according to his work. (Psalms 62:8-12)

 

(About President Trump) Why not King Saul rather than King David?

 I’ve started reading 1^st Samuel as part of my biblical devotional reading. Its just the beginning so once again I’m going over the story of Israel’s first king, Saul. With the help of some commentary notes from the compiler of the St. James devotional and umpteen rereads I see some information I hadn’t noticed.

I want to lay this biblical understanding beside some MAGA people who have suggested that Trump is a called leader like Cyrus who allowed the captive Israelites to return to Judea. But mainly many see Trump as God’s David. I have several times written of Julie Green a supposed MAGA prophet who has God speaking through her calling Trump his beloved David.[1] And of course, that cannot be because Jesus is the one the prophets of the Old Testament prophesized would be the descendent of David, the redeemer and King of the nations.

But I see in king Saul a picture of Trump. In Saul’s son Jonathan I see the faithful follower of the Lord. Saul was an impulsive, controlling man, seeking his own glory. Jonathan with a companion, with trust in the Lord, fights alone, against the Philistines and kills many. During that venture Jonathan sees honey flowing on the ground and eats some. Because of a religious command of Saul, which had nothing to do with faithfulness, but with his own need for being in command of  ritual, commands his soldiers going into battle to fast. They become so hungry that after winning they kill the captured cattle on the ground eating them with the blood which according to God’s law for the Hebrews was forbidden.

But it is Jonathan who is in trouble because he has eaten honey. When that is discovered, he is to be killed, but the soldiers plead for his life and he is saved. Here is some important points about authority, in the story. Jonathan, when hearing that his father has commanded the army going into battle to fast tells the men the truth.
“Then one of the people said, ‘Your father strictly put the people under oath, saying, ‘cursed be the man who eats food today.’ And the people were weary.

“Then Jonathan said, ‘My father has troubled the land. See now how my eyes have brightened because I tasted a little of this honey. How much more if only the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies which they found! (1 Samuel 14:28-30a)

Jonathan often fought enemies beside his father Saul, in fact they died together in their last battle. But he was truthful and told his father the truth about his father’s sin.

Saul began his kingship with some humbleness, hiding when Samuel was seeking to announce his kingly anointing to Israel and forgiving some who refused to accept his kingship. But as he grew in power, he became arrogant seeking his own glory. He performed the sacrifice that Samuel, the priest and prophet of God was to perform. At one point when Samuel was seeking Saul he was told, “Saul came to Carmel, and behold he sat up a monument for himself …” (15:12)

Saul became brutal, desiring to kill David who fought beside him and Jonathan and the army of Israel. Saul believed a lie, that David was his enemy who intended to kill him. To that end Saul killed most of the priest of the Lord because they had helped David and prayed for him. In fact, using an enemy of Israel, an Edomite, he killed the people of the city of the priest including women and children. He covers so much of his sin with lies and half-truths. Finally in the end Saul turned to witchcraft seeking answers that he could not find from God.

So, the listing of Saul’s troubling characteristics includes performing religious acts he was not allowed, seeking his own glory including giving out commands (playing religious) that harm his soldiers and building a monument to himself, imagining a conspiracy against himself, making David his enemy, anger over his knowledge that he would eventually be replaced, murdering the faithful and as God turns away from him seeking the future through witchcraft.

Jonathan on the other hand becomes a friend of David acknowledging David, not Jonathan, will be the next king of Israel. He constantly protects David, warning him of Saul’s attempts to kill him. Jonathan several times decries his father’s murderous plans against David. He to Saul’s face insists on the innocence of David. “But Jonathan answered Saul his father and said, ‘Why should he be put to death? What has he done?’” (20:32) At this point Saul who has first insulted his son throws his spear at him and Jonathan leaves angry and grieved. This is truly righteous anger and grief. And Jonathan will at times bring comfort and encouragement to David.

So, Jonathan’s characteristics: faithfulness in friendship, acceptance of God’s will, speaking truth about and to evil, and encouragement to the persecuted.

I don’t want to say that Trump has chased so far as to reach into witchcraft but he has gathered some heretical teachers and leaders to himself—not all, but the leader—yes, Paula White, a prosperity teacher and one who has connections to the “we are gods” teachers and preachers. I don’t want to write that Trump seeks to kill whoever might be the next president, but he is willing to put innocent people in prison while rewarding criminals in order to avenge himself against those he believes to be his enemies. He is willing to rend America apart in order to stay in his position. And yes, he does have an obsession with memorials to himself. He is not following in David’s footsteps; he is following in Saul’s which ended in disaster.

The follower of Christ cannot be in rebellion but must speak truth; must be concerned with God’s true beloved David, the Messiah, the incarnate One, Jesus.

Jonathan made a covenant of faithfulness with David and David with him. God has through His Son Jesus made a covenant with His Church—it doesn’t rule out the cross—the suffering, but it does hold the promises of redemption and eternal life. No darknesses in a witch’s cave, no blackened egos breaking other’s hearts, but the throne of God founded on love, justice and truth.  

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; lovingkindness and truth go before You. (Psalm 89: 14)

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[1] Is Donald Trump God's David? The false prophecies of Julie Green, Naming His Grace: Is Donald Trump God's David? The false prophecies of Julie Green

 

The Controversy About the Pentagon's New Listing of Religions for the Chaplains Ministry

 

I put a small blurb on a Facebook posting I shared from the internet about the Pentagon’s new listing of religions for the military chaplain’s service. As I’ve thought about it I decided I should do a larger information essay with, of course, some of my opinions.

At the moment the big controversy is that while many Christian denominations were listed under the designation Christian, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints did not have that designation.

So first of all, as a Christian, a Presbyterian for many years and now a Lutheran (LCMS) I don’t see the LDS as truly Christian from a faith position. For instance, they don’t believe in the Trinity, nor the eternality of God. But that really isn’t the point, they see themselves as Christian and that is part of our freedom as Americans. The Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth has probably had a hand in forming or guiding the list but I don’t know that for certain. What I do know is this list has many problems. Whoever made the list did not have a good understanding of religions in general.

If the LDS was left off because the persons forming the list thought they were not truly Christian then what about the listing of Christian Scientist and Jehovah Witnesses as Christians since they are on this list. The JWs do not believe Jesus is God nor do they believe in the bodily resurrection of Jesus. The Christian Scientist do not believe evil is real and see all biblical language as metaphor. Matter is unreal and the blood of Jesus has no meaning. But as I have written that really isn’t the point, in America we have religious liberty and all who call themselves Christians are allowed to do so. And while we as faith people are called to dialogue, to hopefully kindly point out our differences, government officials must respect the titles each religion give themselves.

So here is what I see as the real problem: Christianity has been over emphasized by listing so many different groups under the heading of Christian while all other religions are simply listed under what I would call generic names such as Islam or Buddhism. And yet all of these other religions have separate groups within them. For instance, one of the larger groups within Buddhism in America is Pure Land Buddhism, but there are others such as  Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism. So why not simply for denominations have a listing of just Christianity with service people deciding for themselves.

Then there is one more problem I want to address. One of the fastest growing groups in the United States and elsewhere is paganism which includes Wicca. They have been left off of this list and I don’t feel they should have been. I have written in several places about Wicca and I don’t endorse it but I care about the needs of these many women. I am familiar with the pastor who not too many years ago was Chaplain over all of the prison system in California. A godly Assembly of God pastor. I still remember seeing a list of some of the needs he had. One was wood for the wiccan prison members to hold sage ceremonies. And I laughed! But compassion reaches troubled people faster than condemnation. The point is when people and their faiths are ignored, they feel left out, dismissed as unimportant. We are being troubled by Christian Nationalism whose adherents tend to discriminate against women and those they consider outsiders. Just recently I listened to part of a video where several extreme pastors who are Christian Nationalist were discussing how if they could come to power in the United States, it might be possible to get the government officials to takeover all churches that are gay centered and/or had women pastors. While I truly believe that biblically marriage is between one man and one woman, no church in American should ever be in danger of having a government takeover.

The list should be done over, simplified and fair.

Tearing Down Buildings to Build Greater Buildings to Self:

 

Good Friday evening I watched a movie I hadn’t watched in a while, Que Vadis. I wrote in a different posting several months ago that I watched the original movie when I was 10. There is a later one but not so good. The 1951 movie was one of the stepping stones to my becoming a Christian. It is about the Christians of Rome during the time of Nero. And yes there are important scenes of the Christian suffering in the arena as well as the burning of Rome. But for those interested it does include a romance.

Something, different struck me as I watched the movie, something I hadn’t noticed before and the reason I noticed was because of President Trump. It was Nero and his character, played extremely well by actor, Peter Ustinov. As the movie jacket puts it “He is Caesar, madman, murderer an imperial ruler of the spectacularly doomed, of the glory that was Rome.” No, Trump isn’t that bad, not yet anyway, but I saw some traits portraited in Nero’s character that reminded me of Trump, the something I hadn’t thought about before.

Of course, there was the egotism, the desire to be seen by all and to be lauded by everyone. That was something I had already observed as most have. And there was the many who catered to those desires including the man who had some nobility yet learned to turn and twist Nero’s desire for praise and adulation into usefulness, preventing him from further evil. The movie portrayed that character as Petronius. He was historically an attendant to Nero concerning fashion and he did kill himself when he realized Nero was going to kill him. Also true to history he sends a letter to Nero defaming him and telling Nero how awful his music and poetry was. [i] However, the movie took some liberties since Seneca also was a role and his historical suicide commanded by Nero was portrayed more as Petronius’. Seneca did not commit suicide in the movie.

That trait that I discovered in Nero’s character and saw some of Trump’s in Nero was Nero’s desire to be a great builder and to tear down everything he saw as useless, buildings and organizations that failed to acknowledge the greatness or importance of Nero. He wanted to rebuild them with his own impotent image. The scenes of Nero showing his associates his newly planned Rome and the horrific scenes of the fire Nero set to destroy the old Rome were, yes, horrific but enlightening. Nero was a coward; he blamed the fire on the Christians. He was also a madman he enjoyed the reality of their deaths. When buildings and organizations were sacrificed to bring Nero glory and attributes of divinity he smiled and sang. He wrote poetry, awful poetry.

Part of my devotional reading for the last several months, have included the history of Israel and the prophets Daniel and Jeremiah; an interesting combination since Jeremiah prophesizes the defeat, the exile, and the return of Israel, while the exiled Daniel, the godly Hebrew wiseman of Babylon, prays in repentance for that time of return to come. One cannot miss the fact that Jeremiah constantly proclaims God’s coming judgement on sinning Israel, that sin which includes the burning of children to the pagan god moloch. There were many idols in Israel. But Babylon had their own idols and one an idol created by Nebuchadnezzar. That one was intended for worship or death. This is not off the subject of Nero or Trump or building memorials to self. Recently Trump posted a video of what would be, he said, was his library only he had decided it would be a hotel. It was extensive and full of aircraft. But in one large room seemingly for speakers was a large golden statue of Trump and that is not the first time that golden statue (idol) has shown up.

What do we as Christians hang onto in the midst of idolatry? First notice that this idolatry is about self. Grasping for human desires and exulting the self; refusing the hard parts of life. And this sin belongs to all of us, to myself greatly. Oh, this isn’t about refusing the goodness that God gives, the joys as Lewis or Tolkien might think of it, good meals, friendships, okay, pipes for some, good books, restful nights, gardens, etc. But it is turning away from glorifying the self. It is seeking and holding onto God’s will in our lives. It is caring about the needy, the broken, the frightened, (there are a lot of frightened people in our world today.) It is remembering that it is the presence of Jesus, it is His word, His strength, His forgiveness—it is all His, cling to that, hold on, not to self but to Him.

 

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[i] Petronius - Wikipedia