As a spiritual discipline during the military campaign that began a week ago, I have decided to pray along with the many soldiers who are reading, “Strength for Service to God and Country.” This pocket-sized book has been provided by the United Methodist Men across the nation (including Salem Church’s UMM) to all individuals in our US Armed Forces.

In addition, I have been privileged to read emails from “Jeff,” Ina Pewitt’s grandson, who is stationed in the Middle East. I’d like to begin my thoughts to you this month with a few of Jeff’s: “March 5, 2003 – I guess the President will be coming on TV in a couple of days to give Iraq one last chance. The few times that I’ve seen TV over here, I notice that there are quite a few protests going on. It really makes me sad thinking that people back home don’t understand the issues. Have they forgotten about the USS Cole, the US Embassy bombing in Kenya, and the twin towers? It just kinda frustrates me. I am not about war, don’t get me wrong, but this is the only way to get rid of terror.”

As your pastor, I don’t often express myself politically, because I value the plurality of thought among United Methodists, and I want to uphold that. So, with that in mind, this is what I’d write to Jeff after reading his email and the soldiers’ devotional for today.

It strikes me that this war is not a holy war; but it IS a religious war in that it is a formidable, head-on conflict between two opposing philosophies of life. This is a struggle within the spirit of human beings where ideas are even more destructive than bullets.

Although a victory for us may not be essential to the preservation of Christianity, which has more than once existed underground, a defeat would menace our every liberty and every institution. It would be a set-back for the free exercise of meaningful religious practice and true freedom for the individual, for which so many have already given their lives in the past.

Our choice may not be between opposites like black and white. It is not an easy clear-cut decision between good and evil, but it’s the kind of choice that we most frequently encounter in life. Between two grave alternatives, we choose the one that promises the most for the future.
While there are a few friendly democracies to fight beside us, we have chosen, with our eyes wide open, between the rigors and sacrifices of war, and the defeat of all freedom – the certainty of spiritual slavery. As a free people, we have chosen to fight.

I feel that this response should end with a focus on God, for it is only He who can guide us in these difficult times: O Holy God, give us discerning hearts and visionary judgment to know what is right in Your eyes. Give us the courage to sacrifice, even to the point of death, for those ideals in which we believe. Hear our honest and earnest prayers for the right to prevail, and for liberty to continue as a gift from You to all people. We pray in the name of Jesus, who laid down His life for us. Amen.