06 August 2011

Camouflaged Sacralism

While it may sound strange to some, we attend an annual event near our home. It's a World War II re-enactment. I'm not into re-enactors too much. I have no desire to do it, but sometimes it can be interesting. I like to get my children out and have them experience things. I'm not afraid to push them a bit as long as I'm there holding their hand. We talk about it. I don't believe in a libertine go with the flow mentality, but I also don't agree with the shelter and hide approach.

We've been to others in the area. There's some French and Indian War (Seven Years War) history near here and since my own family was involved in that conflict it is of interest and we went this spring and watched a re-enacted battle and visited the encampment.

I'm not going to glorify or venerate...but I do acknowledge it's part of the story of history. And like it or not, war is a big part of history.

This World War II battle is trying to re-create the American advance into Germany with a local bridge pretending to span the Rhine. Anyway, we live in a rural area, there's not much to do, and so we go.

I'm fascinated by World War II and talk to my kids about it quite a bit. Again, I don't glorify it, but I'm in awe of its scope and the superlative grandiosity of what was happening. The key players are more than a little intriguing. The World Wars shaped the modern world.

There is something obscene about watching a bunch of obese Americans follow the battle with big smiles on their faces. It's also rather shocking to hear so many people talk who know nothing of what the war was about or the players involved...or the years for that matter.

What's particularly striking is the volume and the chaos. I'm sure it's almost nothing like what it really was to be there, but it's a little more stark (just a little) than a Hollywood film. All the old equipment is pretty interesting too, and there some impressive pyrotechnics as they pretend to blow up the bridge. They fail of course as they did in the real battle. The Americans did get across.

Agree or not, we go. Today as we were waiting for the American advance, standing just behind the Nazi lines, a local Charismatic guy was passing out camouflage Bibles, New Testaments to remember the veterans he said...and, there's a salvation message in the back in case you haven't received Christ as Saviour. It's just the Romans Road with a prayer. Many of you know what I'm talking about.

I have several of these and you probably do as well. The Gideon organization has disseminated these and they're easy to find. I've got one old beat up one that I've been carrying around for about fifteen years and has been a lot of places with me.

Aside from the Cheap Grace/Easy Believism, just sign your name and repeat the mantra to get saved message, I was just appalled at what was happening.

Camouflage Bibles. I don't even know what to say. What do you say to someone like that? I think he figured we weren't interested and moved on, but sometimes...I just don't even know where to begin. I guess my scowl was enough for him.

War is historical, but wow...it's shocking to see people glorify it in the name of Christ. Can you even imagine in the 2nd century Christians passing out Roman Legion Bibles...to honour the veterans? It's inconceivable.

The fact that this poor man doesn't see what he's doing is no different...well, that's one of the primary themes of Church History isn't it?

Is it Christianity?

Cheap Grace with Civil Religion...Pull yourself up by your own bootstraps and be a great American...that seems to be their gospel.

What will they do when this Babel collapses? In desperation and despair will they take up guns and start shooting the traitors...those who reject their Monism...the Manichaeans of today? The operative derogatory term today is Liberal. In their circles, nothing can be more insulting and judgmental. Because if you're Liberal, it means you don't accept the Monism, the sacral unified society. You're as bad as a Muslim, but if you profess to be a Christian you're even worse...you're a Liberal, a traitor, a Plural-ist instead of a Monist.

Of course I make a distinction between Theological Pluralism which is to be rejected and Social Pluralism which is to be encouraged and is absolutely Biblical.

They can't make the distinction. It's all the same thing.

I won't run and hide, but thanks anyway, I don't want the camouflage Bible.