Odyssey Dawn

I'll admit it.
This is my place of struggle.
Preaching about the Prince of Peace...
And saying far too little
About our penchant for war.
Afghanistan. Iraq.
And now, Libya.
Where does it end?

Do we even want it to end?
Or is it just simply
A power game?
With the members of our military
Playing roles assigned
By people in power suits?
Some would say,
"Now wait a minute, preacher!
Church is no place for politics!"

But Jesus was up to his eyeballs in politics.
If this statement offends you,
Consider this...
He didn't wind up on
the Cross simply because
He was nice to people.

Preaching the Good News of Love
Unsettles the Powers,
Who work to manipulate and control
For their own benefit and gain.

Feeding.
Healing.
Raising the Dead.
These are political acts,
In the face of Empire which longs to play God
(even while invoking a version of "God").
Empire wills to make the decisions --
Who gets fed;
Who gets well;
Who lives and who dies...
Under the rubric of public policy,
But primarily for
Empire's benefit and glory.
(And re-election too!)

The idolatry of Empire is
A bipartisan religion.
Democrats and Republicans
All bow down and worship, craving
The power Empire drizzles on them.

Go ahead.
Wave the Flag.
Sing "God Bless America";
Fire the missiles.
Drop the bombs.
Claim the high ground and
Crucify Jesus again.