2.24.2006
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Tribal trouble
The continuing sectarian violence in Iraq brought to mind the Valley of Achor (Joshua 7:24-26). According to my study Bible, "Achor" means "trouble", although not in modern Hebrew (roughly transliterated, tsarah). Achan the son of Zerah certainly got his share, since he and his family and all that he owned was stoned to death, and then burned. Ouch.
The Valley of Achan is also mentioned as at the boundary between the tribes of Judah and Benjamin (personal note: my family's tradition is that we were of the tribe of Benjamin). Even among the tribes of Israel, there was great strife. It seems that whenever one group identifies itself with itself and forgets the Author, there's going to be some "achor."
Sectarian violence is as old as the hills, and will likely be with us until the end times. What we are seeing now in Iraq might be puzzling to the secular West. For those of us who have read Joshua, and the rest of the story of Israel, it's hardly a surprise. If it seems that God has forsaken Iraq, it's only because its people have done two heinous things.
Firstly, they cursed God's chosen people, the Jews, and expelled them. Secondly, they cling to their religion of hatred and violence, Islam. There are some Christians, of ancient tradition, remaining in Iraq. They, too, have been decimated, and, sorry to be judgmental, but some of the ones we read about are not very Christian (e.g. Tarik Aziz, Hussein's hitman second-in-command, is a "Christian").
The problem is tribalism. Does any thinking person really care, to the point of violence, about which grandson of the prophet Mohammed did some 1300 years ago? And, how can any building crafted by the hand of man be considered more important than the Word of God? As in, worth killing over. Short answer: God makes places holy; men don't.
What's missing today is any sense that God is, somehow, on anyone's side in modern Iraq. My sense is that until Shiites and Sunnis renounce Islam and embrace Jesus Christ as their savior, they will continue to be at each other's throats.
Don't hold your breath. I'm almost to the point of saying we should leave now, before another American loses his life. Almost.
| technorati tag | Christianity|
The Valley of Achan is also mentioned as at the boundary between the tribes of Judah and Benjamin (personal note: my family's tradition is that we were of the tribe of Benjamin). Even among the tribes of Israel, there was great strife. It seems that whenever one group identifies itself with itself and forgets the Author, there's going to be some "achor."
Sectarian violence is as old as the hills, and will likely be with us until the end times. What we are seeing now in Iraq might be puzzling to the secular West. For those of us who have read Joshua, and the rest of the story of Israel, it's hardly a surprise. If it seems that God has forsaken Iraq, it's only because its people have done two heinous things.
Firstly, they cursed God's chosen people, the Jews, and expelled them. Secondly, they cling to their religion of hatred and violence, Islam. There are some Christians, of ancient tradition, remaining in Iraq. They, too, have been decimated, and, sorry to be judgmental, but some of the ones we read about are not very Christian (e.g. Tarik Aziz, Hussein's hitman second-in-command, is a "Christian").
The problem is tribalism. Does any thinking person really care, to the point of violence, about which grandson of the prophet Mohammed did some 1300 years ago? And, how can any building crafted by the hand of man be considered more important than the Word of God? As in, worth killing over. Short answer: God makes places holy; men don't.
What's missing today is any sense that God is, somehow, on anyone's side in modern Iraq. My sense is that until Shiites and Sunnis renounce Islam and embrace Jesus Christ as their savior, they will continue to be at each other's throats.
Don't hold your breath. I'm almost to the point of saying we should leave now, before another American loses his life. Almost.
| technorati tag | Christianity|
posted by John Luke at 3:15 PM
Welcome. My name is John Luke Rich, (very) struggling Christian. The focus here is Christianity in its many varieties,
its fussing and feuding, how it impacts our lives and our society, with detours to consider it with other faiths (or lack thereof).
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