A Christian Response To Terrorism

It’s a word we have heard many times since September 11th, when thousands of innocent men, women and children, from over 80 different countries, were slaughtered.

Since that day many people have asked me, as a Presbyterian pastor, “What would Jesus Christ do to fight terrorism”?

As a pastor wanting to faithfully obey the “Good Shepherd,”1 I am committed to communicating in the plainest of ways2 the God ordained truths of “life”3 and “liberty,”4 applying these truths in both the spiritual and physical realms5. And, as a Presbyterian pastor I am charged with achieving these God ordained goals (i.e. “life and liberty”) using God ordained means.

The following story clearly illustrates one of the ways Jesus Christ has told us to fight evil. And, if we had followed this way of wisdom, thousands of lives may have been saved on September 11th.

Also, unknown to most in Europe, in the last fifteen years over 30 States in America have implemented this God given principle. And, every State that has followed this way of wisdom has seen a dramatic drop in violent crime, in some districts over 80%.

Therefore, read carefully the following story and see if you can find this life saving, evil preventing, God given principle.

Standing for Life and Liberty,
Pastor Campbell
Endnotes

1 John 10 (the entire chapter but esp. 10:11) Jesus Christ said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”

2 2 Corinthians 4:2 “… we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.”

3John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

4 2 Corinthians 3:17 “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”

5 Read the entire “Lord’s Prayer” but note especially Matthew 6:10 “your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
IN MEMORY OF:

Todd Beamer and the brave souls of flight #93 who demonstrated, to all who have “ears to hear,” the only proven way terrorism was stopped on September 11, 2001. “LET’S ROLL.”

 
The Parable of the Sheep
or
The death and destruction that always comes when men think they are wiser & more just than God.
(A story adapted from The Parable of the Sheep by Charles Riggs http://www.kc3.com/sheep.htm)

Not so long ago, a very special and unique flock of sheep lived and grazed nearby. These sheep were owned by the “Great LORD” of the land. Now, because the LORD of the land was good, as well as great, he had chosen a governor to serve this very special and unique flock of sheep by helping them to protect themselves from evil wolves that roamed wild in the forest (for the Great LORD had given these unique sheep a “not so secret way” to fight off wild animals).

The governor proceeded to buy a dog who was also given the task of helping the sheep protect themselves from the wild animals living in the nearby forest. But despite the dog’s best efforts, from time to time, a nearby pack of wolves would prey upon the flock.

One day a group of sheep, bolder than the rest, met to discuss their dilemma. “Our dog is good and vigilant, but he is one and the wolves are many. And, the wolves he catches are not always killed, for the governor judges and releases many of the wolves, for no reason we can understand, to prey again upon us. What can we do? We are sheep, but we do not wish to be food, too!”

One sheep spoke up and said, “Don’t you remember the “not so secret way” the Great LORD told us to fight off these evil beasts! It is the teeth and claws that make the wolf so terrible to us. It is his nature to attack us, but it is the tools he uses that make it possible. If we had such teeth and claws we could fight back and stop this savagery.”

The other sheep clamored in agreement and went to the field where the old bones of the dead wolves were piled up. They gathered fang and claw and made them into weapons.

That night when the wolves attacked, the newly armed sheep sprang up with their weapons and struck at them, crying, “Begone! We are not food!”

And, they drove off the wolves who were absolutely astonished. The wolves asked themselves: “When did sheep become so bold and so dangerous? When did sheep grow teeth and claws? This is unthinkable!”

The next day, flush with victory and weapons at the ready, the brave sheep approached the flock to pronounce their triumph because they remembered and used the Great LORD’s “not so secret” way to fight evil. But, as they drew nigh, the flock huddled together and cried out, “Baaaadddd! Baaad things! You have bad things. We are afraid! You are not sheep!”

The brave sheep stopped in their tracks, utterly amazed. “We are your brethren! We are sheep, but we do not wish to be food. See, our new teeth and claws have protected us and, last night, saved you and your children from slaughter. They do not make us into wolves, they make us equal to the wolves, and safe from their vicious attacks.”

But the flock cried out, “Baaaaaaad! The tools you have are bad and will pervert you. We fear them. You cannot bring them into the flock!”

So the armed sheep resolved to conceal their weapons. They had no desire to panic the flock and they wished to remain in the fold. However, they would not return to those nights of terror, waiting for the wolves to kill and destroy. But most importantly, they desired to honor their Great LORD by using his “not so secret way” of fighting evil.

In time, the wolves attacked less often and sought easier prey, for they had no stomach for fighting sheep who possessed tooth and claw just as they did. Also, not knowing which sheep had fangs and which did not, they came to leave sheep out of their diet almost completely, except for the occasional raid, from which more than one wolf did not return.

Then came the fateful, or should I say faithless day, when the flock cried out once again in fear, because one sheep’s weapon slipped from the folds of her fleece.

“Baaaaaad! You still possess these eeeeeevil things! We must ban you from our presence!”

And so they did. The great sheep and his council, encouraged by the words of their advisors, also called on a vote to place signs and totems at the edges of the pasture forbidding the presence of hidden weapons. The flock voted and over 51% were in favor of the great sheep’s idea, so new signs went up.

The armed sheep protested before the council and declared, “It is our pasture too! We have never harmed you! It is the wolves, not we, who terrorize you.”

However, the flock drowned them out with cries of, “Baaaaaaddd! We will not hear your clever words. You and your awful looking tools are eeeeeeeevil and will harm us!” Saddened by this rejection, the armed sheep spent their days in another pasture nearby.

From time to time, the brave sheep tried to convince the flock to behave like adults and take responsibility for their self-defense and not act like baby lambs, depending only on the dog or governor for their protection. They also reminded them that this was part of the Great LORD’s “not so secret way” of fighting evil. But, upon hearing their words, the others would roll back their eyes and flee, crying “Baaaaddd! Baaaddd, you have baaaddd things!”

That very night, the wolves happened upon the sheep’s newly placed signs and totems, and said, “Haahh! Truly, these sheep are fools! They have told us they have no teeth! Fellow wolves, let us feed!”

Immediately, they set upon the flock and horrible was the carnage in the midst of the fold. The dog fought like a demon, and often seemed to be in two places at once, but even he could not halt the slaughter.

It was only when the other sheep arrived with their weapons that the wolves fled. But, they remained on the edge of the pasture, waiting for the next time they could attack. Because, they reasoned that if the sheep were so foolish once, they would be so again.

In the morning, the armed sheep spoke to the flock, and said, “See? If the wolves know you have no teeth, they will attack you. You have forgotten to use the Great LORD’s “not so secret way” to fight these evil beasts! Why be prey? To be a sheep does not mean to be food for wolves!”

However, the flock continued to fearfully cry out, but more feebly this time for their voices were fewer, “Baaaad! These things are baaaad! If only your awful looking tools were baaaaaaaanned, the wolves would not harm us!”

So, once again, the brave sheep resolved to conceal their weapons from the flock and to endure their fear and loathing. They also resolved to faithfully obey the Great LORD, by using his “not so secret way” to fight evil and thus have the means to protect their fellow sheep until the day when their brethren finally learn that: as long as there are wolves in the night, sheep will need the means for self-protection.

They would still be sheep, but they would no longer be wolf food!
Epilogue:

“Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote… If you make yourselves sheep, the wolves will eat you.”
Benjamin Franklin

(And, you may be asking yourself, “What was the ‘not so secret way’ the Great LORD gave His very special and unique sheep to protect themselves from evil?”)

“If you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one.”
Luke 22:36
GREAT READING: Listed in order of reading/buying priority.

(after first buying a Bible and the Westminster Confession of Faith and Catechisms, the Larger catechism being especially helpful when you study the 6th commandment “Thou shall not kill” & examine its positive/negative demands)

   1. More Guns, Less Crime: Understanding Crime and Gun Control Laws by John R. Lott, Jr.
   2. The Seven Myths of Gun Control: Reclaiming the Truth about Guns, Crime and the Second Amendment by Richard Poe
   3. The Second Amendment: Preserving the Inalienable Right of Individual Self-Protection by David Barton

Pastor Jack Campbell serves in Madrid, Spain