Crazy how movies reflect society. I saw the movie Act of Valor last week - great action - horrible acting (these guys are SEALS - not actors) - and thought provoking stuff because the movie is a snapshot into the occupation and everyday heroism and sacrifices made by Navy SEALs. One of the worst mass killings in U.S.history just happened in the middle of one of a popular violent movie franchise that a large percentage of Americans will pay money to see.
3 Questions: What is the right way to respond to evil? How should we treat our "enemy"? Who is our enemy?
To give justice to each of these questions would require a volume of books which I don't have the time, will power or brain power to write - but I will share a few thoughts that I've had recently.
How should we respond to evil? I love Martin Luther King Jr's quote: Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” What puzzles me is the fact that we teach our kids that violence is not the answer - that playground fights are wrong - they're not the correct way to solve problems - but then we have them join military to engage in fights around the globe to try and solve problems with violent force.
Now I don't want to oversimplify things because I know that this is a multi-layered issue and that part of love involves protecting others. However -I find it ironic that we teach our kids one thing, and the we see grown adults doing the exact thing we know is wrong - using violence to try and solve
problems. Our "civil" agencies respond to problems the exact way that gangs and drug lords and kids in the sandbox solve problems - fighting. The sad thing is that we all know how well this works - not very. Violence begets violence.
How should we treat our enemy? Should we hurt them before they hurt us? Should we hurt them when they hurt us? Should we hurt them when they hurt those we love or those who can't protect themselves? If we're to be honest, the answers to these questions are not black and white. Any sane person would not stand by and try to verbally reason with someone that is actively abusing a defense-less child. BUT - should we celebrate and reward and find pleasure and entertainment value anytime that violent actions are taken to stop evil and our "enemy"? This leads to my final question...
Who is our "enemy"? This is the question I've pondered lately. James Holmes is responsible for killing 12 innocent victims in an event that will headline the news for probably a week or longer. No question that this act was evil - but is James Holmes evil? Is he our enemy? My thought is - no. Here's the truth. We all are deceived. We all buy-in to lies. Lots of lies. Lies about our identity (I am fat, I am dumb, I am smart, I am a good singer, I am in control). Lies about what is valuable in life (if I make more money I will be more secure, if I wear these clothes or have this bag I will be happier, if I get my kids to this college they will have a better future, if I accomplish "X" I will be content). The lies that we believe go on and on and on. Here's the sad part - some people believe some very destructive lies - lies that cause other people a lot of pain. Are these deceived people the enemy? Nope. Who/what is the enemy? The lies. The lie that the kid has to join a gang to be safe and gain a "loving family". The lie that the girl has to dress provocatively to be loved by men. The lie that I have to be successful in my job to provide security for my family and gain respect from others.
We are all deceived. None of us have room to judge the lies that others believe because we're just lucky that we don't happen to believe those specific lies. Simply put: we often times don't understand the lies that others believe - and they don't understand the lies that we believe. We all our deceived in different ways and we need
to be gracious with others and not judge them because of this. Since we pity the lies that hey believe and the struggles they have our responsibility is to help them out of their lies - and it will not happen through violence.
This is where love comes in. We are all given a choice to love in light of evil. Love is the only force that can overcome the lies that rob us of life. The perfect example of love is what Jesus showed us by living a complete life of self sacrifice. He didn't fight back because he knew that violence wouldn't change the heart of others - it would just reinforce the lie that force and control is the answer. Love is serving - not imposing power or force to change the hearts of others. Force may be required to protect others - but it will never change the hearts of others because power is control and love requires choice.
So what do I do with Acts of Valor by Navy SEALS? I thank them for their sacrifice - but I pray that the message of violence to solve problems is a lie that our society and the rest of the world will recognize.
