The NEWS from 01.Oktober 2001
 

Dear Listeners,

The world is preparing for war. Troops are being assembled, and plans are being worked out. It is only a question of time until weapons speak out in the fight against terrorism.

Especially as Christians we have to ask ourselves: Must this be? Is there really no other solution? Is this a solution at all?

Christ gave us an answer already 2000 years ago: To answer violence with violence does not lead to a solution, but on the contrary, to even more violence. “The one who takes up the sword will perish by the sword,” said the Nazarene. This is a clear statement.

But what can one do against the terrorism that recently killed around 6000 people in New York.

In a recent radio program, the Original Christians in Universal Life pointed out that one must first ask, wWhat are the causes behind the terrorism? Why is there so much hatred and aggression in the Islamic world against the western world?
When we look back in history we find a part of the answer. During the Crusades, for instance, Christians waged war in the name of God against Moslems. They cruelly murdered tens of thousands of people, including civilians.

We Original Christians believe that a person’s soul can incarnate not only once in a human body, but over and over again. The Early Christians also believed in the reincarnation of the soul. If this is true, then the hatred of many Moslems against the so-called Christian world is partially explainable. It is possible that in many souls the memory lives on of the terrible events of that time, which they still attribute to Christ. For no one has explained to them that the Churches have reversed Christ’s teachings into the opposite of what He taught and that the killing of people, no matter out of what motive, violates the will of God.

But we can also find causes for this hatred in recent history and in the present. Western nations have often occupied Arab countries, exploiting them and forcing their lifestyle on them. And most of all: The Christians were not and are not a good example. Neither colonialism nor socialism has been able to solve the economic or social problems in underdeveloped countries. And the capitalism imported from the west cannot do it either. Where are the Christians, who live brotherliness and justice as an example?

And so, the governments and church leaders of the western world all have reason to ask the countries of the Earth for forgiveness for everything that has brought suffering into the world in the name of Christianity. If such a sincere request for forgiveness were to be spoken out, followed by corresponding action, then peace would surely still have a chance in the world. Then the breeding ground for future terrorist strikes would also be eliminated.

“Infinite Justice”

Infinite Justice – This is the name, at least for a few days, of the military action that is starting up these days under American leadership. Then the name was changed to “enduring freedom.” The name was changed because Muslim groups protested against it. For they believe that God alone has the right to decide about justice.

And how is it for Christians? Why did Christians choose such a name? And why wasn’t it Christians instead of Moslems who came up with the idea of publicly protesting against such a name?

It is not just because non-participants also always come to harm in a military action. That alone shows the limitation of a justice that is understood in human terms. It also has to do with the fact that the justice of God is very often different from what we humans understand justice to be. There is often a large gap between the law that is spoken here on the Earth and the justice of God which weighs all things.

God did not create injustice and suffering. However, He allows man to violate the divine laws, because He gave us our free will. We then have to bear the consequences of our actions, in accordance with the law of sowing and reaping, which we humans have given ourselves.

This law registers very precisely what preceded an evil deed and who had what share in it. A great guilt befalls a murderer. But who incited him to murder? And who, through words or actions against the divine law, perhaps gave him reason to hate? We human beings can fathom this only with great difficulty. Can we then presume to act in the name of “infinite justice”? Or should we not much more ask whether we ourselves had a share in the evil deed that has taken place? “Remove first the beam from your own eye, before you remove the splinter from the eye of your brother,” said Jesus of Nazareth.