Nonviolence
Rob Bell quoted Mark Kurlanski’s book, Nonviolence: Twenty-Five Lessons from the History of a Dangerous Idea,
in a recent sermon.
“If someone were to come along who would not compromise, a rebel, who insisted on taking the only moral path, rejecting violence in all it’s forms. Such a person, would seem too menacing, that he would be killed, and after his death, he would be canonized or deified because a saint is less dangerous than a rebel.”
This book is a secular, historical overview of nonviolence. Wow. Is a saint less dangerous than a rebel? Mark Kurlanski was not referring to any one person, he was simply making a general observation. I just simply can not get past the truth of this statement. Have we lost the “rebel” nature of Jesus? Have we deified and sanitized Jesus until He is simply a really nice guy(God)? Or have we taken His rebel nature and twisted it so that we can justify our own violent natures? Or both?
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Definitely both….were you just blown away by Rob’s teaching on ‘turning the other cheek’, ‘giving your tunic also’. and ‘walking the second mile’ scriptures? I had paradigms bursting all over the friggin’ place! What a difference contex makes, eh?
Wishing I could go hear the Keesmaats at Mars Hill. Their book (Colossians Remixed) is also a fabulous read dealing with ’subverting the empire’ using non-violence, lifestyle choices and the like.
I was blown away. Rob has the unique ability to tear down those paradigms, doesn’t he? I’m not familar with the keesmaats, but see that they are speaking there. I just am so happy that we are going to the conference, and will get to attend a Mars Hill service. I’ll have to let you know if it was as awesome as I expect it to be
Hard question with an answer that, if believed not just accepted, means a whole world view change.
Chase,
It really is something to struggle with and ponder. If you get a chance, listen to Rob Bell’s whole series…. The sermons are free to download.
Jamie