May
18
Suggestions to Improve Pentagon Daily Reports
May 18, 2009 | Tagged pentagon, War | Leave a Comment
Over the weekend, reports surfaced that daily briefings for Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and other senior officials included biblical quotes. Some of these covers sheets can be seen on the GQ magazine website.
The placement of these biblical quotes on the daily reports seem to be an effort to justify the Iraq war from a religious perspective. This makes President Bush’s remarks about a ‘crusade’ against terrorism seem even scarier.
But as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan continue, I think more biblical quotes should be placed on government briefings. I wasn’t very happy with the quotes that were sent to Rumsfeld. They seemed too happy and uplifting for reports on a war. So, I scanned through my online bible and found just a few new ones to get the folks at the Pentagon started. I’m sure once they see where I’m going, they can easily find more.
He that sacrificeth unto any god, save unto the LORD only, he shall be utterly destroyed. (Exodus 22:20)
That whosoever would not seek the LORD God of Israel should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman. (2 Chronicles 15:13)
If thou shalt hear say in one of thy cities, which the LORD thy God hath given thee to dwell there, saying, Certain men, the children of Belial, are gone out from among you, and have withdrawn the inhabitants of their city, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which ye have not known; Then shalt thou enquire, and make search, and ask diligently; and, behold, if it be truth, and the thing certain, that such abomination is wrought among you Thou shalt surely smite the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, destroying it utterly, and all that is therein, and the cattle thereof, with the edge of the sword. (Deuteronomy 13:12-15)
Every one that is found shall be thrust through; and every one that is joined unto them shall fall by the sword. Their children also shall be dashed to pieces before their eyes; their houses shall be spoiled, and their wives ravished. (Isaiah 13:15-16)
While I think these are great biblilcal quotes to support our war effort against the infidels, this raises important questions about what we should do with the parts of the bible that really don’t support the killing and war that we need to justify.
But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. (Matthew 5:39)
But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you (Matthew 5:44)
But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also. (Luke 6:27-29)
I, for one, propose that we just ignore these parts of the bible that don’t fit our cause. It’s not like it would be the first time that this tactic has ever been used with the good book.
All biblical quotes are from the King James Version as found on BibleGateway.com