Soldier Saints and Patriot Pacifists (by Logan Laituri)
This year, Nov. 11 will be a particularly joyous day for this veteran. Though I will not be attending any events, I can still reasonably expect a few pats on the back or some kind words in recognition of my six years in service to our country. Thankfully, I am past the awkwardness that used to greet me as supporters approached me with their gratitude in airports or shopping malls - seeking hugs and handshakes to express their appreciation for my sacrifice. I have overcome the demons that accompanied me back from Iraq, who insisted the strangers' thanks were idolatrous and superficial. However, I do continue to pray that well-wishers offer "welcome home" in place of "thank you" - the latter often being misunderstood, as many service members do not consider the acts they have committed to be commendable. Beside merely a celebration of patriotism, Nov. 11 is also a day to remember and rejoice in peace. Armistice Day holds a place in history as the day the Allies and Germany signed a treaty in Compiègne, France, ending hostilities on the Western Front. To this day, many people still reserve a moment of silence at 11:00 a.m. to respect the 8 million who perished in WWI.
Though for Christians, the day does not end there. This Sunday the Catholic Church celebrates the feast day of St. Martin of Tours, one of the first saints not to be martyred. In fact, St. Martin was one of many to be beatified who, by today's standards, would be identified as a conscientious objector - an individual verifiably opposed to "war in any form." At one time a Roman centurion, Martin came to a "crystallization" of conscience, laying down his sword and declaring, "I am a soldier of Christ, it is not permissible for me to fight." It has been speculated that in 1918, Nov. 11 was chosen as Armistice Day in part due to St. Martin, who is especially the patron of soldiers and chaplains. It is curious to consider that this Christian soldier in fact thought it more Christlike to return to the front lines unarmed than with the sword the empire placed in his hands. David Thoreau, an inspiration to another saintly Martin, believed that a creative, nonviolent minority could serve the state by resisting it with the intention of improving it. Could this in fact be the embodiment of service to the state Paul speaks of in Romans 13? After all, he and St. Martin both were imprisoned for their beliefs…
Finally, I come to the most celebratory story behind Nov. 11 for this war-wearied veteran. Not long after my own road to Damascus conversion experience, I miraculously found a beautiful woman as crazy about Jesus as I was (and still am). An abbreviated courtship ensued, and within seven months, I had proposed. As our relationship developed, we found that our distinct beliefs matured as well. Faced with a similar crossroads regarding her own service to God and country, she too followed the path Martin helped forge so many centuries ago. Not long ago she filed for discharge as a conscientious objector, declaring herself a soldier in Christ's nonviolent army of peace.
Left to decide our date of wedded bliss, my 'better half,' my muse, settled on an otherwise nondescript day in November. This Sunday, we will share in the sacrament of matrimony - the threefold meaning of Nov. 11 is sure to be a fitting celebration of our combined attempts at patriotism, pacifism, and piety. We have high hopes and big dreams of continuing our service to fellow centurions, and with God's grace his gift to us can continue to bless others.
Logan Laituri is a six-year Army veteran with combatant service in Iraq during OIF II and experience with Christian Peacemaker Teams in Israel and the West Bank. He is an active member of Iraq Veterans Against the War and currently resides in Camden, New Jersey, in an intentional Christian community called Camden House, where he continues to seek ways to wage peace wherever he goes. He blogs at courageouscoward.blogspot.com.
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Comments
Welcome home, Logan. And I really mean this from the depths of my heart - - thank you.
Posted by: joekc | November 8, 2007 11:29 AM
Congratulations Logan - God Bless you both abundantly!
Posted by: splinterlog | November 8, 2007 11:52 AM
I liked the article here, and I wish Logan well. But with it being veterans day and all, can Sojo write anything at all positive about our men and women who served or are presently serving in uniform?
Posted by: jesse | November 8, 2007 11:55 AM
can Sojo write anything at all positive about our men and women who served or are presently serving in uniform?
Posted by: jesse
Welcome Home or Thank you for serving , both are acceptable Jesse . Something cool that Xerox is doing
If you go to this web site, www.LetsSayThanks.com you can pick out a thank you card and Xerox will print it and it will be sent to a soldier that is currently serving in Iraq You can't pick out who gets it, but it will go to some member of the armed services.
How AMAZING it would be if we could get everyone we know to send one!!! This is a great site. Please send a card. It is FREE and it only takes a second.
Wouldn't it be wonderful if the soldiers received a bunch of these? Whether you are for or against the war, our guys and gals over there need to know we are behind them...
Posted by: Mick Sheldon | November 8, 2007 12:31 PM
Thanks, Mick, for the reference to that site. That's great.
Jesse, I don't assume, as you do, that this will be Sojo's only column with reference to Veteran's Day. But even if it were, it hardly strikes me as "negative" with respect to servicemen & -women, past and present...? I found it very positive indeed.
Posted by: sangerinde | November 8, 2007 1:53 PM
sangerinde,
I hope it is not their only column related to Veteran's day. It was a positive column about only one type of veteran: the conscientious objector. How do you think the men and women who are/were NOT conscientious objectors--the many who sacrificed so much out of service to our country--feel if you're only praising conscientious objectors on Veteran's Day? They would no doubt see it as a slap in the face.
Posted by: jesse | November 8, 2007 2:17 PM
I think it would interesting to see a Christian veteran show his journey from becoming a Christian to the decision to become a soldier. I can't see how you can move from the words of Jesus to a life in the military. Maybe someone can explain the process, step-by-step.
Posted by: Ashpenaz | November 8, 2007 2:32 PM
Ashpenaz,
I would recommend watching the movie "Sargent York" for a very moving portrayal of a Christian joining the army. An excellent movie.
Posted by: jesse | November 8, 2007 2:35 PM
Jesse,
It may not be your own point of view, but as a regular reader of this blog, you have surely observed that Sojourners truly believes it best honors the troops by advocating their swift return.
If you feel there are better ways to honor the troops, then by all means model them yourself. This will have greater impact and be far more "positive" than criticizing how others choose to do so.
Posted by: sangerinde | November 8, 2007 3:06 PM
It's a long time since I saw that film, but 2 things stick with me.
Firstly, if I remember rightly, Sgt York's conversion to militarism is rooted in an argument from Romans 13 which was no doubt subsequently used with at least as much logical clarity and relevance to persuade Germans to enlist for Hitler.
Secondly, York's heroic deliverance of his friends depends on bloodthirsty slaughter of large numbers of Germans, all in the name of limiting casualties.
But it's worth seeing, if only to examine how war propaganda works.
Mark
Posted by: mark | November 8, 2007 3:14 PM
Logan -
THANK YOU for your courageous witness to Christ
Mark
Posted by: mark | November 8, 2007 3:19 PM
Pacifism merely leaches off the work of those who bear arms to bring order.
Posted by: Jay | November 8, 2007 3:55 PM
Posted by: Ashpenaz | November 8, 2007 2:32 PM
"I can't see how you can move from the words of Jesus to a life in the military."
I think the New Testament contains a lot of military language that is easy to misread. Both Jesus and Paul used military imagery frequently, and the entire book of Revelation can, of course, be understood as being about an armed conflict between good and evil.
Many books could be written about the unfortunate effects of such superficial interpretations. However, the enemy in all these cases is spiritual evil, and victory is to be achieved not so much by annihilating it as by acknowledging and neutralizing it. This is the real significance of the much misunderstood lake of fire in Revelation, which burns in the presence of God and his angels and yet is fully contained.
Of course we live in an imperfect world in which evil is not contained, and there will always be those who honorably and honestly take up arms in what they understand to be a greater good. Those of us who are committed pacifists (and regular readers of this blog know that I am among them) need to avoid the temptation of hasty judgment in these cases, lest we fall into the trap of overlooking the logs in our own eyes: primarily self-righteousness and lack of discipline and commitment to a higher cause.
It is in pursuit of such discipline and commitment that many join the military. This is why I find the stories of people like St. Martin particularly inspiring: they began as military men, and were ultimately led by Christ to see these ideals in a deeper, more spiritual sense.
Posted by: Another nonymous | November 8, 2007 5:07 PM
Where did Jesus use military language, even as a metaphor?
Posted by: Ashpenaz | November 8, 2007 9:32 PM
"Do not think that I come to bring peace on earth. I do not come to bring peace, but a sword." Do you need chapter and verse?
Please don't misunderstand me. I don't think Jesus was encouraging people to fight, either here or elsewhere. I do think it is significant, though, that Gandhi said that if people weren't willing to offer non-violent resistance, the next best thing was to resist violently. He had nothing but contempt for those who would simply acquiesce to evil. He also said that a soldier could be made into a pacifist, but nothing could be made of a coward. This post confirms at least the first part of his statement.
Posted by: Another nonymous | November 8, 2007 11:03 PM
He also said, "He who lives by the sword dies by the sword." Now I think about it, "Love your enemies" is also military language. It's hard to look at those statements as the foundation of a rationale for joining the army. I can't see how anyone who builds his house on the rock of Jesus' teaching could become a soldier.
Posted by: Ashpenaz | November 9, 2007 12:35 AM
...and no Christian joined the War Geez movement until Constantine co-opted churchianity into a Roman power religion by promising to stop martyring Christians as long as they would start martyring the enemies of the secular imperial state.
From that time, the doctrine of salvation through military sacrifice of man by killing for the sins of the God-State began to supplant the doctrine of the Man-God who was killed by the state to save man from his sins.
Over the millenia, millions have been freed by the War Geez practitioners - freed from their attachment to the material - their very lives. In the words of the Very Reverend Falwell, "Blow 'Em All To Hell In The Name Of The Lord."
Posted by: Anonymous | November 9, 2007 1:24 AM
For the life of me, I can't believe the naivete of people who owe their perception of reality from stylized Hollywood entertainment.
We (and our enemies through similar means by their propagandists) could also be inspired to revenge and bloodlust by watching the dehumanizing wartime Warner Brothers Looney Tunes cartoons featuring buck-toothed "Nips." Torture justified by actor Kiefer Sutherland (who is a Christian pastor's grandson) in the series "24" built up through Death Wish style dehumanizing, Sgt. York's conversion to bloodthirsty Christian warfare through the glamor of screen idol Gary Cooper.
Not long ago, someone said "we know" how the military protected us from the "savages" by all the westerns we have watched.
No wonder modern warfare is often conducted by piloting drone bombs by people so removed from the cruel reality of what they are doing, sitting at video consoles in Las Vegas. We can hope those particular troops have plenty of lumbar support in their sacrifice of good posture.
Posted by: Anonymous | November 9, 2007 1:42 AM
"It may not be your own point of view, but as a regular reader of this blog, you have surely observed that Sojourners truly believes it best honors the troops by advocating their swift return."
--And what of the troops who are already home? Those who aren't even enlisted anymore? Isn't the main purpose of Veterans Day to honor them?
Posted by: jesse | November 9, 2007 7:18 AM
Great love story! A Ttmely story for all those young and old folks who will stand before the gates of Fort Benning seven days later on November 18 to put a light on the darkness of the School of the Americas. School of Americas, a government school, that trains students from manuals of violence. Long live the spirit of Martin, Logan, his wife and others in Christ's spirit of Peace and Love!
Posted by: Leo Shea | November 9, 2007 9:24 AM
"I can't see how anyone who builds his house on the rock of Jesus' teaching could become a soldier."
It's hard for me too, but I refuse to question the sincerity of those who do. I'd rather work at nudging them in Gandhi's (and St. Martin's, and Logan's) direction.
Posted by: Another nonymous | November 9, 2007 9:42 AM
If someone is a soldier, they should have a ready answer for those who ask them to explain their viewpoint and how they moved from Jesus' teaching to the decision to become a soldier. I support gay Christians in lifelong, monogamous partnerships, and I am always asked to explain my point of view from Scripture. Jesus says much more about nonviolence than sexuality, so why shouldn't Christian soldiers be asked to explain how they base their choice for military service on the teachings of Jesus?
Posted by: Ashpenaz | November 9, 2007 10:58 AM
Ashpenaz -
Good point. The quick answer is that the military is widely and often unquestioningly accepted by society, while gay partnerships aren't. It has nothing to do with theology and everything to do with our comfort levels. I could say a lot more on the subject, but I'm not going to open that can of worms on a thread devoted to veteran's day.
Posted by: Another nonymous | November 9, 2007 12:00 PM
To Logan and all of the men and women who have returned from Iraq and other armed conflicts around the world:
Welcome home. We missed you.
May the Lord God bless your quest for peace as you strive to follow the holy example of Jesus Christ, and to reconcile your life as a pacifist with your life as a veteran. What you stand for is both beautiful and righteous.
Oh, and my most hearty congratulations on your upcoming marriage. :-) I hope it is life-long and soul-filling.
Posted by: Alana | November 9, 2007 1:40 PM
Logan,
Welcome home and thanks for your story of faith and movement of the Holy Spirit.
Posted by: Mary Jo Mugavin | November 9, 2007 2:55 PM
I suspect many good and honorable men and women enter the military to protect and defend the lives of their friends and family. They are motivated by love and a desire to serve. They know they may give their lives to save the lives of others. In their intention they have followed Jesus.
It's what they must do along the way to this goal that may kill not only other people but their own spirits. There is somehow a disconnect between the ends and the means in the minds of people who say Jesus gave his life for us, and so do members of our military. He did. They do. He was amazingly brave, and so are many of them. The fact that he gave his life without taking other lives goes unmentioned.
Wouldn't it be wonderful if they were taught to (like Jesus) protect by standing up to a mob and saying wise things like, "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone", or by doing compassionate things like healing the lepers of our day (defending them from isolation or retaliation), or by offering the grace to perpetrators, "This day you will be with me in Paradise."
Unfortunately, we teach people to offer 'safety' and 'freedom' only by use of force and not by moral suasion, grace or even creativity. Many who love their families and their country undoubtedly offer their lives in the only way they've been shown - and at ages when their exposure to better, life-giving options has been minimal.
My own guilt? I am ashamed that I can say these things and still be glad there are veterans who stopped Hitler. I'm not sure my faith or my courage are great enough to practice what I preach in extreme situations.
Posted by: Open2Learn | November 9, 2007 3:30 PM
I agree--I think people join the military out of a sincere desire to serve their fellow man. But when they look at that desire to serve in light of the life of Jesus, how do they come to the conclusion that service to humanity as a disciple of Jesus can include being a soldier? I think that someone who studied the life of Jesus as a model of service would not choose the military--but, again, I look forward to someone giving me a rationale.
Posted by: Ashpenaz | November 9, 2007 4:14 PM
If someone believes that he/she should serve his/her fellow man, then shouldn't they view it as serving all of their fellow humankind? What does it say about someone that only serves for those in his own country against those in another country?
"Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?--Jesus--(Matthew 5:44-46
How can you love you enemy and strive to kill him at the same time? Christ died on the cross for all of His enemies, that includes all of us too. We are called to pick up our cross and follow Him. Those who you fight against pick up their weapons in service to their people as well. Christians are called to do more than pick up weapons to defeat their enemies, we are called to defeat them with our love...
Ben
Posted by: Ben | November 9, 2007 5:24 PM
Dear Logan, congratulations on being united in matrimony. And thanks to you and your soon to be wife for listening to the voice of Christ and making radical changes in your understanding and your life in response.
This is a Christian blog, and it is highly appropriate that Veterans Day, née Armistice Day, be celebrated here in terms of those who were soldiers who were converted and convicted by our Lord and Savior, and changed their lives as a result.
We have the examples of St. Martin of Tours, St. Maximilian (a military officer who converted to Christianity, and accordingly refused to fight anymore, and was therefore beheaded), and many other heroes of the faith from the earliest days of the Christian faith to the present which we should properly remember and use to challenge our own commitment to the cause of Christ.
I pray that every soldier of every nation will come home alive. I pray that each soldier will be reached by the voice of the Living Word and refuse any longer to participate in the evil ways of the principalities and powers. I pray that leaders of our nation will also be convicted by Christ, and will turn from our ways of militarism, dominance and greed, and that we will see a time of national repentance.
Posted by: Bill Samuel | November 9, 2007 8:46 PM
How can one be a Christian and a soldier or support the military? I don't think that you can for the idea is contradictory. Christians if based on Jesus teachings are Peace Makers. It is the churches that have failed, I think, over the centuries. I recently heard Irish Nobel Peace Laureate speak. A Roman Catholic from Belfast she spoke how there was never any teachings on non-violent resolutions in the church or schools. I think back to my school days and the attitude of punishment for what was considered misbehavior. Isn't that the attitude of our society? Punishment instead of addressing the cause of the behavior? I would like to see a Department of Peace established at the Cabinet level of our Executive Branch. Dennis Kucinich is the only 2008 Candidate for President who is a Spiritual Being and who understands that the U.S. must be a leader by example for World Peace through non-violent conflict resolution.That will require a new attitude. But oh how much healthier we would be..as God intended. Peace is my goal!
Posted by: Pat | November 10, 2007 1:14 PM
I look forward to someone giving me a rationale.
Posted by: Ashpenaz
Have you ever been robbed ? have you or any member in your family ever been raped , murdered , threatened , robbed ,mugged, attacked , or intimidated by another .
Of course I would support and admire you for praying these situations through , and share with your faith to pray for the one or army who was doing the assault . I would consider it UN Christian to not call the police or call on a larger force to stop the attackers from continuing the onslaught against the innocent however . You believe that this evil that clearly exists in this world can go unchecked ?
Your strawman tactic of only considering those in military uniform are causing war , but not stopping the continued war on others is narrow .
That is where our efforts as Christians should be , to make sure war is always the last possible option . Its why this war is seen as so wrong by so many .
I see it as an Un Christian attempt to put motives into another that you claim as truth . Only God can know that , which Is why I don't condemn you . Consider doing no less for the brave men and women who protect your sorry butt.
You speak quite boldy agsinst those who have given their last full measure to do so .
Thank God for our men and women in uniform .
Pray for peace .
Posted by: Mick Sheldon | November 10, 2007 2:46 PM
Mick sez "don't judge the godly right" but then judges "the ungodly left."
Posted by: Anonymous | November 10, 2007 3:29 PM
I don't think that the men and women in uniform are brave or righteous; instead they are lied to and used by the military and its commander for profit for corporations.Money that should have been used by our government for their education is wasted on weapons of mass destruction and profits for war industry. It has nothing to do with protecting me or bringing "peace & democracy" to anyone. The military is about death and destruction. Our youth are taught to disrepect other cultures; their minds and souls are damaged perhaps forever as profiteers try to rationalize their actions. None of this has to do with God. If you haven't noticed, our Constitution has been utterly disrespected by the present administration & Congress. Our civil rights and rights to privacy have been utterly disrespected. Lets bring the troops home from Iraq and Afghanistan etc, so that they can protect "we the people" from corrupting forces in our present system of government.
Posted by: Pat | November 10, 2007 4:14 PM
The problem with bringing the troops home is that then the prize of control of middle-eastern oil is abandoned.
But it won't be abandoned for long.
Someone will step into the void and the strategic advantage of that oil, recognized throughout this century by every administration, will pass irrevocably into the control of other hands.
All Republican and Democratic candidates realize this; they are mighty skittish about making any real commitment to end occupation because there would be real ramifications to "our way of life" in this country.
Our way of life does involve consumption of resources at dramatically higher rates than most of the rest of the world, which is now clamoring for the lifestyle propagandized and promoted to them so successfully by Hollywood.
But there's not enough to support 7 billion in the style to which 300 million have grown accustomed.
What do you think the electoral consequences will be for the politician unlucky enough to preside over sudden and severe changes wrought by resources no longer being available to the majority of the 300 million?
People are not interested in finding out how to make do with less; Jimmy Carter found that out while presiding over only the mildest dislocations. People rallied to Ronald Reagan because he promised that America would always be about more, not less.
The perennial bestsellers are always about how to become rich, not how to make do, let alone feel good, on less.
Merton was right about the essentailly neo-pagan materialistic nature of our nation, with its thin veneer of neutered Christianity to lend the national indulgence-based religion an illusion of authenticity.
Posted by: N.M. Rod | November 11, 2007 1:18 AM
N.M. I find your comments interesting. Think of the resentment in the World toward America for its utter waste of resourses. What in the world gives America the right to think that they should control the oil in the Middle East? Or be so selfish and indulgent without restraints?
Posted by: Pat | November 11, 2007 12:24 PM
Thanks to Sojourners for mentioning Martin of Tours. A year ago I was in Canada where Armistice Day - celebrating the peace for which so many gave their lives - is observed (rather than Veterans' Day). Knowing the story of Martin of Tours and the possible connection to the 1918 Armistice gives new meaning to what has become a time for saber rattling. If this connection can be documented it would help encourage others to join in celebrating Peace Day.
Congratulations on your marriage. Thank for sharing the joy with the rest of us.
Posted by: FriendRoger | November 11, 2007 9:18 PM
The perspectives are interesting; American comfort in the strength of its military certainly undermines the "In God We Trust". If the US NECESSARY military involvement has been commendable (after all, Hitler declared war on the US, not the other way around), then the military excesses and adventures of the past 60 years have simply demonstrated that military action results in no resolution.
In Australia, we remember (celebrate is the wrong word) Armistice Day; more Australian soldiers were killed as a proportion of total population to any other participant, and ANZAC Day, to commemorate the folly of war, and the foolishness of political and military leadership.
Welcome home the military service people, but steer clear of the general and politicians who send other people's children into combat. A lesson we in this country learned the hard way, so many times.
Posted by: Feargal | November 11, 2007 11:29 PM
Of course, I forgot to include recognition of the military experience of Canadian service personnel. One of my fears is that the USA has no recognition of the horrendous impact of military operations on civilians; with all due respect and remembrance of the victims of 9/11, the horrendous impact of US military action upon civilians, from Japan up to Iraq has never been properly recognised.
Canada, I believe, understands this better than the USA, as does Australia.
Posted by: Feargal | November 11, 2007 11:34 PM
How wonderful to learn of the connection between Martinmas and Armistice! As my father was a WWI veteran, I have always gone out of my way to celebrate 11hr. 11/11 and remind people that 11/11 is STILL Armistice Day and should be celebrated as a PEACE day as well as Veterans Day.
Bless you Logan in your efforts.
Posted by: C. Guthrie | November 12, 2007 5:49 PM
Dear Logan:
Every time you or one of your fellow warriors shares their experiences, I realize that there are many things that the journalist are not getting through to us here in the US. God knows you saw things that changed you at a deep place in your hearts.
War happens when we have given up on hope and allowed fear to rule our hearts. It is never an organized well thought out plan. It is always reactive not proactive.
Every time I turn on the news and hear of one more terrible decision that was made out of our ignorance I want to appologize.
It would be appropriate to make that appology everytime we go to war, the whole time we are doing war and long after a war when we should be obligated to support you and your families as they heal from the offences of that war.
Please forgive us for sending you off to a very dangerous, horrific and pointless invasion based on our irrational panic and ignorance.
Posted by: Ms. Cynthia | November 12, 2007 10:56 PM
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