The ramblings, rants, raves, and reveries of a Hippie Christian. Comments about life and the journey of faith at the intersection of the spiritual and material worlds. Welcome Home!
The daily drumbeat of war that we are hearing is totally out of tune with the majority of American public opinion.
According to a recent Washington Post-ABC News Poll more are in favor of using sanctions and diplomacy over bombing to prevent Iran from pursuing a nuclear weapon capability.
When asked if they would support or oppose the United States bombing Iran's nuclear development sites in an effort to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons, 53% of those polled said that they would oppose such military action.
When asked if they would support or oppose increasing international economic sanctions against Iran to try to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons, 74% of respondents said that they would support economic sanctions. And to try to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons a full 81% support direct diplomatic talks between the United States and Iran to try to resolve the situation.
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God." - Jesus (Matthew 5:9)
In a recent post on the Essence Restored blog titled The Sermon on the Mount and Iran a very good point is brought up that all those who claim the name of Jesus should ponder...
"If it is morally justified to create a pre-emptive war and kill hundreds of thousands of people in the name of stopping a “hypothetical threat” then all the teachings of Jesus about loving our enemy, about how those who live by the sword will die by the sword, and turning the other cheek are pretty much worthless, and the teachings of Jesus should be abandoned."
Charles H. Spurgeon (1834-92) England's best-known preacher of the nineteenth century said it quite well...
"The spirit of war is at the extremely opposite point to the spirit of the gospel"
According to the Friends Committee on National Legislation "Research has indicated that investing early to prevent conflicts from escalating into violent crises is, on average, 60 times more cost effective than intervening after violence erupts."
The FCNL goes on to say that "the world spends just $1 on conflict prevention for every $1,885 it spends on military budgets. Here in the U.S., less than 2% of income tax goes to civilian foreign affairs agencies; meanwhile, 39% goes to the military."
The FCNL points out that almost $1 billion of taxpayer dollars are spent each year for our military academies, but only about $40 million goes to fund the United States Institute of Peace, which is the only U.S. agency dedicated to conflict prevention and peacebuilding.
I have been working on a project I call the "Soundtrack of My Life". It is comprised of music that I listened to in my youth and that has resonated with me throughout my life.
I included songs that had either a spiritual message, or made some type of social comment, or were anti-war.
I made a deliberate choice to find songs that were not preformed by "christian" bands, but rather "popular" songs that were played on the radio. In a way, it could be called "The Gospel According To Billboard's Top 10".
Part of my inspiration for creating this Soundtrack came from my attending the "Rock Mass" at All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena California back in the early '70s. The Rock Mass was the mixture of a traditional Episcopalian Mass and a live rock concert. Although the music was not necessarily "christian", the band would play popular rock songs that contained references to God and Jesus. During the late '60s and early '70s there was an explosion of these songs coming out of the "secular" music industry.
By creating a "playlist" over on YouTube I can enjoy these songs anytime and share them with others too. I can't take credit for creating (or uploading) any of these music videos, but I hope you enjoy my selections just the same.
Oh Happy Day - Edwin Hawkins Singers Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth) - George Harrison People Get Ready - Rod Stewart Teach Your Children - Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young Stairway to Heaven - Led Zepplin Peace Train - Cat Stevens Handsome Johnny - Richie Havens Jesus Is Just Alright - Doobie Brothers Universal Soldier - Donovan Wonderful World Beautiful People - Jimmy Cliff Wooden Ships - Crosby, Stills & Nash Share The Land - The Guess Who But I Might Die Tonight - Cat Stevens Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show - Neil Diamond Volunteers - Jefferson Airplane Let It Be - The Beatles Find The Cost Of Freedom - Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young On The Road To Find Out - Cat Stevens Three Little Birds - Bob Marley Here Comes The Sun - The Beatles For What It's Worth - Buffalo Springfield Hymn 43 - Jethro Tull Way Over Yonder - Carole King Miles From Nowhere - Cat Stevens That's The Way God Planned It - Billy Preston Salvation - Elton John Times They Are A-Changin - Bob Dylan Almost Cut My Hair - Crosby, Still, Nash & Young Morning Has Broken - Cat Stevens One Love - Bob Marley Eyes of the World - Grateful Dead WAR - Edwin Starr Sky Pilot - Eric Burdon & The Animals Eve of Destruction - Barry McGuire I Don't Know How To Love Him - Jesus Christ Superstar He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother - The Hollies Spirit In The Sky - Norman Greenbaum Ohio - Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young Bridge Over Troubled Water - Simon and Garfunkel My Sweet Lord - George Harrison Military Madness - Crosby & Nash Holly Holy - Neil Diamond What's Going On - Marvin Gaye Estimated Prophet - Grateful Dead Take Me to the Pilot - Elton John California Dreamin' - The Mamas & The Papas What Is Life - George Harrison Day By Day - Godspell Long Time Gone - Crosby, Stills & Nash The Unknown Soldier - The Doors Amazing Grace - Joan Baez I Can See Clearly Now - Johnny Nash Revival - The Allman Brothers Band One Toke Over The Line - Brewer and Shipley Woodstock - Joni Mitchell War/No More Trouble - Bob Marley It Don't Come Easy - Ringo Starr Turn! Turn! Turn! - The Byrds Fortune Son - Creedence Clearwater Revival Chicago / We Can Change The World - Crosby, Stills & Nash Samson and Delilah - Grateful Dead Happy Xmas (War Is Over) - John Lennon Alice's Restaurant Massacree - Arlo Guthrie
"A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death." ~Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
The daily drumbeat of war that we are hearing is totally out of tune with the majority of American public opinion.
