I’ve recently seen a lot of Christians posting on FB a quote from a Michael Franti song from about 20 years ago: “We can bomb the world to pieces; But we can’t bomb it into peace.” When you first read it, you want to raise your fist and yell, “Hell, yeah!” or at least that’s the picture I see coming from Franti’s song. The trouble is, the statement, even the sentiment behind it, is not based in reality, or anywhere near reality.

If we look at it from a purely secular perspective, the idea of a world without war is unimaginable, and even less attainable. The greed and drive for power exhibited by many -if not most- political leaders make a peaceful world only a fantasy, an out-of-reach utopia. For decades musicians and activists have called for the world to lay down its arms and live in peace to no avail. Why? Because they’re not listening to the poets and free spirits who would have everyone around the world hold hands and sing (maybe with a Coke?). World (or even local) peace cannot exist as long as there is a dollar to be gained, a piece of land someone else wants or a threat to one’s safety someone else possesses. So, while it’s a catchy lyric that may sell records, it’s not a plan for world peace.

Considering this quote from a religious perspective, Christians may be compelled to raise their hand toward heaven and reverently say, “Amen!” but why? When it flashes on your screen, in the midst of images of cities burning, one is inclined to believe that it must be a word from the Lord or at least a quote from Scripture. But even then, it’s as far from the realm of possibility as is the presence of God’s Kingdom in its fullness. Too many Christians are trying to make the Bible say that, even in this era of “already” and the “not yet” of the Kingdom, we should see the fullness of the Kingdom on display. I’ve yet to see a lamb lay near a lion without soon being devoured, so to expect nations to beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks is asking too much, asking the impossible, in fact, since the fullness of the Kingdom, when peace will reign supreme, is still a future hope.

We can dream, can’t we? Sure, as long as you realize that the idea that “we can’t bomb [the world] into peace” isn’t accurate. Of course, we would like to reach peace through diplomacy but how often does that happen, or if it does, how long does it last? In this world, where peace is elusive, it sometimes takes a bomb to get peace. I know the passivists and musicians will cry, “foul!” but a catchy lyric isn’t going to change the world. There are some actors on the world stage, who will continue using violence to get what they want until they’re stopped. Will words stop them? Will songs stop them? Will agreements or treaties stop them? Usually not, so it may take bombs to stop them. Bombs may be the only way to stop some evil from going forward. Is that God’s way? Probably not, but we’re not living in the Kingdom of God yet, the fullness and the promises of the Kingdom aren’t a reality for us yet. So, we can’t expect the character of the Kingdom to be lived out in world leaders who likely won’t be part of the Kingdom of God when it does come.

Does it mean we don’t love when we have to resort to military action to achieve peace? Of course not! We can deplore what we must do out of necessity. We can still love the people who are only victims of their evil dictators. We can still compassionately care for those who find themselves in the middle of a war they didn’t ask for. We can even love those who we are forced to use violence against to stop their acts of evil. In fact, our use of military force could, according to Augustine, be an act of love as we seek to prevent evil from continuing.

Pray for peace? Of course we should! God is still on the throne and can move the hearts of humankind. Expect peace though? Probably not until Jesus returns and ushers in the fullness of the Kingdom. However, as believers we can still experience peace, though not the kind Franti’s song calls for or passivist Christians’ lofty quotes suggest are possible. Rather we can have a deep, settled peace within us, even when there is no peace all around us. This is the peace that we can experience in the “already” era of the Kingdom while we long for the “not yet” which is to come.

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Photos:

Michael Franti (from Spotify)

Tehran in flames after bombing (from Kosovapress)