Make Love, Not War

Romans 6:7

"Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be."

The quote "Make Love, Not War" is probably the most accurate summation of the spirit of the 1960's.

Of course, the War in question was Vietnam specifically, and all war in general. Martin Luther King Jr., as a believer in non-violence, was adamantly against American involvement in the Vietnamese War. Here is the text of a speech that he gave in 1967 that comprehensively defined his perspective on the conflict. MLK was right to call attention to the perpendicular, rather than parallel, nature of American ideals and acts, both in Vietnam and in our society.

If I were to define what I perceive to be the major "blind eyes" of our country, a major one would be the Conservatives belief in the efficacy of war to redress issues of power and conflict. War, as an option, should always be the the last option. When entering a war, it should not be a time of jubilation. It instead should be a time of tears and sorrow. Is it possible to agree that war is often not the best course of action without becoming a Pacifist? (BTW, the same spirit sees more cops and prisons as the solution to crime). If a person chooses to be a Pacifist, it is only an individual decision. As a civil decision, it would be social suicide.

It would be dishonest of me to not take on the first part of the quote, the "Make Love"...the Liberal belief in the right of nearly unconditional sexual expression among consenting adults. Seemingly, since the 1960's, our culture has equated sexual liberty with a constitutional right of privacy, regardless of the social consequences of abortion, divorce, and a host of maladies. Free expression as a response to unhealthy sexual repression was and is not the solution. Funny and sad how on one hand, such a perspective clamors for the right to privacy, but then on the other hand, deems it society's responsibility to pay for the consequences of such destructive behavior.

MLK (and other liberally minded individuals) failure to have a moral vision of sexuality, and to practice it, did much to unleash on our society a curse as devastating as bullets and bombs. Throw into this, the moral and sexual failings of supposed "Conservatives", then we have a real mess on our hands. To be fair, there are also fairly warlike and personally contentious Pacifists out and around.

Our cultures two blind eyes of war and sex, makes for a promiscuous, violent, and sightless society. Lord, open our eyes.

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