One of the most recent headlines in the press was: « How long will it last before the USA sees it’s second civil war? » (NRC, January 6, 2022). George Packer wrote a book about it ‘Last Best Hope’ (Farrar, Straus & Giroux Publishers, New York, June 2021, 240 pages).
As America watcher since I was 17 years old, the entire story does not surprise me in the least. The so called ‘united’ States of America, are a nation built upon murder and theft (Cf.: 1 Kings 21), as its former inhabitants (now called Native-Americans) were killed and deprived of their property. Sooner or later, bills of history will be settled. Maybe that is now. It is exactly what Albert Einstein already quoted: « If you do what you’ve always done, you will get what you’ve always got. » So, if you start by killing and disowning others, and keep on doing that, it will backfire sooner or later.
We should not think that we can do something without being accountable for the effects. One simple reason why we have to be led by God for proper wisdom and insights. Unlike us, He knows what will come out of specific actions and its aftermath.
The major reason why Jesus was so angry about the traders in the Temple-complex (Mark 11, 15-19), was that they blocked the space that was designed for the heathens (Hebr.: ‘gojim’) to be able to worship God. They also were welcome in God’s presence, as cited in Isaiah 56. All peoplegroups of the world are welcome! As we know very well, these peoplegroups vary from each other in worldview, customs, habits, culture, colours, languages etc. And all this was meant to be! God is a God of variety and diversity, as we can also observe in nature with all its species. So, who are we to deny access to the One true God? Or look down upon other cultures or peoples? Or even kill them? Etc. Do we not realise that ‘diversity surpasses ability?’ (Prof. Dr. Scott E. Page, University of Michigan, USA)
It is the phenomenon that surprises me most and makes me shudder, that people who call themselves christians are intolerant to others, make polarising statements and withdraw into their own cocoon, viewing the world in just one way. Instead of being agile and flexible, they cling to a kind of conservatism that is very much alien to me. On the contrary, our God is a God of variety and is always on the move – the only thing in which He doesn’t change His views, are His guidelines to be humble, faithful and God-serving people doing justice for the widow and the orphan (James 1, 27).