Over the next few posts I will be writing about how I came to be a pacifist. For whatever reason, this area of my life has come up in alot of conversations recently and I get the feeling that I’ve misrepresented myself or haven’t really offered a sufficient explanation as to what I mean when I say that I am a pacifist or why. For the sake of clarity, let me begin with my personal definition. For me, being a pacifist means that I believe it would be wrong for me to kill another human being or go to war.

As far back as I can remember, I’ve hated conflict. I’m a younger brother, so I know what a fight is like. I have to say that life as a young child wasn’t easy for me. My older brother tried to kill me on multiple occasions while I was in the crib and really didn’t relent his attacks on me until almost the time he was legally allowed to drive. Some of my earliest memories are of him hitting me or poking me and me turning my back because I really didn’t like to fight. As much as I wanted him to stop, I hated fighting him back and I learned early that revenge never brought satisfaction. The times when I did fight and drew his blood never left me feeling smug and content. How could I be happy about that?

From the perspective that my early childhood shaped who I am today, it makes sense that I would not become a man who took pleasure in being violent. Maybe it helped that I learned early that retaliation never got me what I wanted. BUT there still seems to be a big gap (for most people) between not liking to fight your older brother and opposing war categorically. I agree, there is a big gap….that is why there will be more posts about this subject.

So there is contributing influence #1 of how I became a pacifist. My brother beat me. In case you were wondering, we have long since put our days of violence toward each other behind us. He is forgiven and I hope that he has forgiven me for the times that I fought back. Scott is one of my biggest cheerleaders and I am proud to have an older brother like him. Enemies can become friends.

More to come.
Grace and peace,
CWillz

6And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed.

7For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way.

Evidently Paul is trying to tell the people in the church about the way the end times are going to go down.  He is talking about the “man of lawlessness” or “son of destruction” that will come (in other words the Antichrist).  There is some power, force, or energy that Paul assume the Thessalonians know about that is “restraining”.

What or who is the restrainer?  People say all sorts of things.  Like, such as: Ronald Reagan, the Roman Empire, government in general, the Holy Spirit, specific angels, the spread of the Gospel to ever people group, the separation or combination of the Church and stat(es), a general spirit of Obedience, etc.

I took a break from my reading and from going over a paper I wrote a few years back on the subject to take a shower.  When I came back, Snickers was sleeping on my Bible.  It clicked.  My cat is keeping the man of lawlessness in check.

Sorry for being such a dork.  Read your Bible and talk about it.

May the Lord’s will be done,

CWillZ

From: Jim Spiegel

Thought it would make you smile.

May the Lord’s will be done,

CWillZ

Mr. Biden will initially say something stupid.  When he is asked to clarify he will say something articulate.

Mrs. Palin will initially say something really articulate.  When asked to clarify she will say something stupid.

That’s my prediction. Currently trying to decide if I will be more entertained by The Office or by the VP Debate.

CWillZ

We are eagerly anticipating the time when we will have our own place, be married, and can be together. We were looking for a place to sit and talk with relative safety and privacy. Passing by a doorway of one of the buildings, she joked innocently that we could pretend to be homeless and just chill in the doorway.

Within the next ten steps we came across a small loading dock that indented into a building. It was the kind of place that would be a perfect shelter for someone who needed it. Perhaps it should not have surprised me to see a worn out mattress resting against the wall of the small area. Sobering.

Homelessness, like AIDs, is still not on the funny list. Yet. However, The Kingdom of God is changing all that. One day we will remember only vaguely what it meant to live with unrighteousness or injustice, and we will laugh freely in celebration of the completion of the work or redemption over both sin and death. Let us live towards that goal.

May the Lord’s will be done,

CWillZ