Dear western democracies, please bomb Syria
Lots of love,
ISIS
During apartheid in South Africa the authorities had tried many times to demolish a certain small shanty town. One morning when most of the men had left, the army arrived with bulldozers and an ultimatum. They told the inhabitants, mainly middle aged women, they had 5 minutes to leave before the town was flattened. The women however sensing that the army were mainly youths did something unexpected. They formed a line before the bulldozers, removed their clothes and refused to move. The fledgling army boys fled in terror!
After the First World War in the southern United States the Klu Klux Klan re-emerged with their burning crosses and pillow cases. In a climate of fear and suspicion it was easy for them to terrorise lynch and burn former black slaves, and their members even included high-ranking city officials. In the end the KKK was defeated but not by weapons, or even arguments. They were defeated by ridicule. Their organisation was infiltrated and over several years their structures and plans, their secret signs and code-words were documented. Simultaneously a radio journalist began broadcasting the KKKs activities to millions of Americans adults. Even the producers of Superman got involved depicting the KKK as a new enemy, and broadcasting KKK code-words to millions of children. Most Americans found this hilarious. The KKK’s attendance fell at roughly the rate that they became a national joke.
What do stories like this have in common?
We could have spoken of Gordon Wilson and his absolute insistence on not hating but praying for the IRA after they blew up his daughter in Northern Ireland. There are others too. They are all examples of ordinary people demonstrating militant nonviolence. Society tells us there are two responses to violence, Fight or Flight, but there is a third way. Jesus introduced it in his often misunderstood dialogue on turning the other cheek, giving your assailant your coat as well as your shirt, and walking two miles when a Roman soldier ordered you to walk one.
These examples are not Jesus saying “be a doormat, let people abuse you”. Theologian Walter Wink* explains each example in turn. Let’s just take the easiest one: A Roman soldier asks a native citizen to carry his pack 1 mile. The Romans were harsh but by and large fair. In any occupied territory a Roman soldier could instruct a civilian to carry his 60–80 lb pack for one mile (and there would be mile markers on the road). But it was a significant misdemeanour to make a citizen carry it further. A Roman solider could get into disciplinary bother (as well as being made to look slightly ridiculous) if his superior officer discovered he had “compelled” a civilian to carry his pack more than a mile.
So Jesus says “insist on carrying it 2 miles – make trouble!” This is militant nonviolence and the people of his day understood these examples. He taught that our response to evil in this world does NOT have to be fight OR flight, there is a third way. Militant nonviolence:
- is subversive, yet it takes the moral high ground;
- forces one’s opponent into a situation for which they are unprepared;
- finds the creative alternative to violence – often using ridicule or humour.
Yes but we want to bomb Syria don’t we?
After the terrorist incidents we have seen in Paris, Brussels, Nice … yes we do. I do. A part of me wants to see “somebody pay”. If somebody somewhere gets bombed we will feel better right? But this is an emotive response. We must be clear that bombing Syria (…and the French, Russians and Americans have already bombed it) doesn’t solve the problem and could play into the very plans of ISIS. We will inevitably kill innocent people and we will become increasingly suspicious of Muslim refugees and communities in our midst. It then becomes easy (and even truthful) for ISIS to portray coalition bombing as a holy war against all Muslims. And it doesn’t even hurt ISIS — we already know they are happy to die for their cause and there are more to take their place.
This is a war of intelligence. ISIS play it well. Vive la propagande!
What could militant nonviolence look like with ISIS?
Firstly, yes we should pursue individuals suspected of terrorist acts where we can. But after that this is a sophisticated war of minds, and minds are changed by making then deeply uncomfortable. Some suggestions:
- Match and surpass their propaganda war – ISIS videos are well made, widely available and compelling – we need to portray the reality of ISIS.
- Websites, messaging apps and social media are the heart of ISIS. Damage can be inflicted here. My former company had a product to stress-test websites – it sometimes involved knocking them out — “denial of service”. If Talk Talk and Ashley Madison can be hacked …?
- It is said that ISIS have revenues of $2million per day from oil – can’t we disrupt that?
- Positively welcome refugees – most are Muslims, their desire to live in the west is embarrassing to ISIS. Encourage Muslim neighbours and colleagues to socialise with non Muslims – the opposite to segregation — all demonstrations of unity such as that shown at Wembley undermine ISIS.
- And let’s stop calling them Islamic State which offends most Muslims) and call them something more appropriate.
We started with an imaginary letter from ISIS. But there is a real letter. An appallingly beautiful letter, and a compelling example of militant nonviolence. It’s from victim Antoine Leiris’ I will not give you the gift of hating you.
In a world that sees limited possibilities, Christians are called to think differently
If you enjoyed reading this post try Nothing Is Sacred Except Satire
This blog was also published by Premier Christianity and The Baptist Times
Notes
This blog draws from the work of *theologian Walter Wink, his article and book.
Read the Bible passage on Bible Gateway.
There are a LOT of comments — mainly disagreeing with me 🙂 — on a shorter version of this blog that appeared on Premier Christianity: http://www.premierchristianity.com/Blog/Dear-Western-democracies-please-bomb-Syria.-Lots-of-love-ISIS
The blog also appears on the Baptist Times website here http://www.baptist.org.uk/Articles/454469/Another_way_of.aspx
Clearly a major discussion topic, and rightly so
Thank for succinctly and powerfully expressing what I believe.
But thank you for taking the time to read and comment Roland
Great Piece Chris. It seems that to some extent the penny may be dropping with the public at last that these people represent no one but themselves. Great ad in the press from the Muslim Council for example recently. Plus people seem to be stopping using” ISIS” which wrongly suggests its an ” Islamic State” when in fact there is no such thing except in their imagination. We might as well call them PRATS : Pretend Religious Associated Terrorist Society. As with your piece we need on some levels to Not take them seriously. Whilst strenuously combating them on others.… Read more »
Really like your alternative name for ISIS — just needs some marketing 🙂
And yes these things are always about “mindshare”. Once you have won people’s minds at a fundamental level it doesn’t matter how much artillery gets thrown at you – there will be more to replace you. Our governments don’t seem to get that
An alternative alright — thanks Chris, I hadn’t realised the mile marker and going the extra mile — very interesting
Yeah – look at the article from Wink if you have time. It
explains the cultural significance of “turning the other cheek” and “giving your
coat as well as your shirt” Thanks!
Chris, as I mostly agree with what you say, Bible also says that you have a right to self defense. how you can then welcome people whose faith clearly declares that Christians are their enemy ?
Or even if not enemy (depending on interpretation) at the best they teach Christians need to paid tributes for them ?
Thanks Marek. I think New Testament teaching on how we treat “enemies” is not easy but it is mostly straightforward. Starting with “but now I tell you love your enemy and pray for those that persecute you” (Sermon on the mount) etc – that is true but it doesn’t mean we put up with evil. Then Romans 12 (defeating your enemy by putting hot coals – shame – on their head) and the passage quoted in the blog (turning the other cheek, giving your coat, walking the extra mile) ALL point to this “militant nonviolence” (in the words of Walter… Read more »
Chris, you quoting “turn the other cheek” for case where Christians are massively murdered in Mid East, this quote is so much over used and does not fit into the scenario we have in Syria, Iraq and other countries. The much better fit for the current situation is: “The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my… Read more »
I think we have some misunderstanding between us here Marek. I am definitely not talking about a pacifist interpretation of turning the other cheek (so we both agree on this). Turning the cheek etc is actually a defiant refusal to continue and it also makes it impossible for the offender to strike twice. If that seems confusing (I know it seems strange), please take a look at the article by Walter Wink which explains all 3 scenarios relating them to the context in which Jesus used these words: So I am talking about a “militant” yet “non-violent” response ie militant nonviolence. You… Read more »
Chris, I am also talking about non-violent response, if possible, however in my sole opinion using violence when non-violent method has failed and your live or others is threatened is not a sin, moreover I think every Christian has obligation to stand up for those who are weaker than us.
What would you do if someone would attack your child on the street ? Will you not try to fight to save him ?
Hi Marek, Thanks again for the comment. I agree that in some cases a physical (violent) response may be the correct response and may be the only possible response. (and the blog states that if we know exactly where a criminal resides then that person needs to be pursued).
However to be clear, this blog is about the situation of ISIS. It’s not comparable to a child being attacked on a UK street.
One size does not fit all. One response is not adequate for every possible situation.
I hope that’s clearer.