We all know and agree that our media is biased and that it is hard to know what is true. We all know it. But very few of us believe it.
What do I mean? I mean that we still get our news from somewhere. And we tend to trust the “somewhere” from which we get our news.
In other words, we still believe what we read, hear, and see because we only read, hear, and see from places we trust.
And, I imagine, that very few of us ever fact check our sources or listen to counter opinions.
So, we know the media is biased and cannot be trusted, but we trust them anyways.
NB: I am not suggesting that news reporters and columnists themselves are necessarily corrupt. The problems reside much higher than that.
Big Corporations and war
When it comes to reporting on war and conflict, I do not think we consider enough the fact that big corporations make money off war. Look at all the arms the US has been supplying to Ukraine. Who benefits from those sales? Hint: it is not the average taxpayer—unless that taxpayer happens to work for one of the manufacturers of the arms.
Why does Determinetruth care?
Before I continue allow me to address the question as to why determinetruth is posting on this? After all, what does a blog dedicated to biblical studies, the kingdom of God, and the Church have to do with a potential war in Ukraine?
For one, the current “conflict” is a perfect example of militarism.
Secondly, it is an example of militarism that is relatively “safe” to discuss. After all, most Americans do not have any skin in the game (or a dog in the fight; or, fill in your preferred idiom here __________). Thus, I can speak into the situation and expose the militarism and the influence of big corporations without having to worry about getting shot down (oops bad idom in a post on militarism).
Finally, the topic is relevant for determinetruth because militarism and war are some of the issues that are causing our young people to run away from the church.
Why do younger Christians care about Ukraine?
For one, I am not sure that they do. But if they do it is because the Jesus they read about, and the one that I am convinced the Gospels make known, strongly urges the people of God to love their enemies.
Secondly, the younger generations have grown up in a Globalized world. These days, young people know people “over there” and they care about them.
The reality is that globalism has given us the ability to know people around the world without having to leave our homes.
If there is something I have learned from my travels, it is that most people around the world are like the rest of us. They want to have a family and a place where they can live and prosper and raise that family in peace. They want to have good jobs and to provide for their families. And they don’t want any more wars.
Thirdly, younger Americans have grown up in a world in which Americans are perceived as the aggressor. This is a radical difference between the younger generations and the older ones. Many older Americans generally grew up in a world in which the US was considered the defender of peace and the protector of democracy around the world.
Responding to the concerns of the younger generations
Now you might respond that the younger generation is wrong.
The problem is that they do not agree with you and they are leaving the church because they are tired of Christians supporting aggressive and militaristic behaviors.
So, it is relevant. It is relevant to remind the church that we are called to love our enemies and not kill them. And that we are called to be advocates of a better way.
Here’s my point and then I will briefly comment on the Ukraine issue and call it a day: militarism is bad. Big corporations are profiting from the threat of conflict.
NB: I am not saying that nations cannot have a strong military. The problem is that one attains a strong military by spending lots of money building it. Once such a military is built, however, it is difficult for a country to stop making weapons. Too many people will lose their jobs. Consequently, the war industry needs war, or the threat of war, to survive.
Militarism and the use of force
War begets war. Countries live off the threat of war because it is something to rally the moral of the people behind. In addition, war sells because large industries make lots of weapons and build massive defense forces. Many people’s livelihoods (and those people vote) are at stake.
Now, I am not saying that wars will not happen. Lots of bad people are in power. That is what power does: it attracts people who crave it.
So, what’s my point. I want the church to step back and reflect the love of Christ toward one another and toward their neighbor (whether that neighbor lives next door, in Russia, or in Ukraine). And before we begin to encourage our country or any other to go to war, maybe we can think of all thousands of kids that will be affected. Of the moms and dads that will lose sons and daughters; of the spouses that will lose a partner; of the kids that will a parent.
And then, maybe, just maybe, the church can get out of the national and political quagmire and instead be a voice of reason, love, and hope for all.
America, militarism, and Ukraine
As for the potential conflict in Ukraine. Here is what we “know”: or this is what our media wants us to know:
- Russia is amassing troops on the border of Ukraine.
- Russia is doing so that it might invade Ukraine.
- Russia is bad.
- Putin is worse than bad.
- Ukraine is an ally of the US, France, England, Germany, and the west.
Now, I am not saying that any of this is true or false.
What our media is not telling us is that Russia’s concern is that the West is encouraging Ukraine to join NATO. If this happens, Russia fears that the alliance of western nations will be on the border of Russia.[1] In Russia’s mind, they believe that this is no different than when they attempted to put nuclear weapons in Cuba.
So, who is the aggressor? Both sides say the other is. Our media say that Russia is.
Who is right? Not sure it matters for our sake here.
My concerns are two-fold:
First, I want to expose the fact that many Americans are being persuaded to support military aggression in Ukraine, especially if Russia invades, by a media that is often influenced by big money corporations who profit from war and even the threat of aggression.
Secondly, and far more significantly, I wish to note that the younger generation views Christians who support military aggression as fundamentally opposed to Jesus and the Gospel. The more we do so, the more they are leaving our churches.
Whether or not you believe that the young people in our country are correct, and I happen to agree with them on a number of issues, is not the point. The point is that when we support war and aggressive nations, we are failing to hear the concerns of the younger generations, and we are often leaving Jesus and the Gospel behind.
Lord, have mercy!
For some alternative new stories, see:
Why Germany isn’t sending weapons to Ukraine
US refuses the make deal barring Ukraine from NATO
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[1] There is an interesting article that shows that most Americans do not know where Ukraine is. They also note that the farther one believes Ukraine is from it actual location the more one supports military action against Russia. See: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2014/04/07/the-less-americans-know-about-ukraines-location-the-more-they-want-u-s-to-intervene/
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