Likewise, my youngest sister has been visiting Prague, Czechoslovakia and the country of Poland this past week. She is sharing photos and her thoughts as she visits awe-inspiring 13th century churches and synagogues, the Jewish Quarter (ghetto), and the concentration camps where so many Jews were exterminated by men with evil hearts.
The hearts and minds of both my friend and my sister were moved and educated by seeing the rich history of these European countries. The tour guides provided lots of insight about the historic events that took place among the ruins and majestic places they visited. Monuments related the historic events that helped shape the current and modern country. And the native inhabitants are eager to tell the stories of where they came from [historically], and which define who they are now.
First of all, they are showing their incredible lack of knowledge when they claim that every Southern general endorsed slavery; that the entire reason for the Civil War was to maintain the wicked, reprehensible, and immoral institution of slavery. Perhaps they need to revisit the history books of decades ago [since I suspect the revisionist history being taught today is possibly in error]. But I do not want to wander into the weeds of debating what was in the hearts and minds of Southerners a century-and-a-half ago -- anymore than I want to debate the reasons why today's Southerners honor these memorials and statues. We can debate states rights, Southern pride, and white supremacy ad nauseam and never agree.
I simply want to point out that the Irish and the Czechs and the Poles in Europe aren't pulling down their statues or destroying their memorials -- even though they could employ the same moral argument that some of the memorials are evidence of a shameful part of their past. What's the difference in our mindset? Perhaps the Europeans recognize, somewhere in their souls, a principle that God voices in the Bible... we should remember our past sins, but not focus on them; that our past (both good and bad) has led us to where we are today. But it does not have to identify who we have become.
In fact, I believe it is important to understand that our past does not have to have an influence on our present behavior. When we can recognize our sin, repent for it, and receive forgiveness, we can look at the past without any fear of repeating it. And we don't need to destroy the cultural memory of those sins as a safeguard against backsliding. That doesn't mean we ignore the ugliness of our past history. It just means we don't have to hang on to it and let it continue to reinfect us. It is important that we recognize we have evolved into a new identity... we must not forget where we came from, but instead, rejoice in who we've become.
Do those who wish to destroy every shred of evidence of the dark days of slavery in our historical memory somehow think that it changes our history? Out of sight, out of reality, if you will? If at the end of that awful war -- which resulted in 620,000 deaths; nearly half of the 1.26 million Americans who have died in the nation's wars -- reconciliation could take place and Christ-like forgiveness offered between our countrymen, why is there so much hate and vitriol today over the past?
Why can we not look upon the aftermath of the Civil War and see that we, as a nation, did not suffer decades of guerrilla wars as some nations have endured after their own civil wars? Why can we not see that the nation moved forward, despite ongoing racial struggles, and we have much to be proud of? It has been a long and difficult struggle, but there has been progress. Is there still racial prejudice and dark souls among men? Yes, and there always will be until Jesus comes back and removes the instigator of such evil.
But just because a statue of Robert E. Lee exists somewhere on a town square, it does not mean we are at the same place in our national character as we were 156 years ago. That statue honors a man torn by a national debate that nearly destroyed our nation, yet he could say at the end of the Civil War, “I have fought against the people of the North because I believed they were seeking to wrest from the South its dearest rights. But I have never cherished toward them bitter or vindictive feelings, and I have never seen the day when I did not pray for them.” Did he own slaves? Disturbingly, the answer is yes. And there is no amount of rationalization that can justify that fact. There are many men throughout the world from that time who will have to stand before the Lord on Judgment Day and account for that sin.
And removing his statue will not erase the dark shadow that hung over this nation for four long and bloody years. Only the blood of Jesus can do that. And I pray that the same evil influence that whispered hate and enmity in the ears of our ancestors, will not find minds willing to embark on another civil war. I guess we will find out... more statues and memorials are coming down by the day. The question to be answered is this ... when the last statue comes down, the last street name is changed, and the last reminder of the injustice perpetrated against our fellow man is totally eradicated from our cultural conscience and memory, will we all then be able to live in harmony and peace?
Will the absence of stone and iron memorials change the hearts of those who are intent on hate? Will we at last, as a nation, be free of the temptations of the Enemy and love our neighbor as ourself? I contend that it will be the renewing our minds [to be like Christ] that will ultimately eliminate the poison that is spreading through our national discourse. Perhaps then we can begin to listen to each other and live in true harmony.
I wish it was as easy as pulling down a monument. I denounce our national sin of slavery, and any attempt to limit a man from becoming all that God intended him to be ... just as I decry our current national dialogue that seems intent on destroying our unity. We don't have to let our past failures continue to divide us. Let us look towards building new memorials and testaments to a unified future. There is a bigger picture here... looking at all that God has delivered us from and looking forward to all He wants to do in this amazing nation! Let it begin today!
Colossians 3:12-14 "Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity".
In fact, I believe it is important to understand that our past does not have to have an influence on our present behavior. When we can recognize our sin, repent for it, and receive forgiveness, we can look at the past without any fear of repeating it. And we don't need to destroy the cultural memory of those sins as a safeguard against backsliding. That doesn't mean we ignore the ugliness of our past history. It just means we don't have to hang on to it and let it continue to reinfect us. It is important that we recognize we have evolved into a new identity... we must not forget where we came from, but instead, rejoice in who we've become.
Do those who wish to destroy every shred of evidence of the dark days of slavery in our historical memory somehow think that it changes our history? Out of sight, out of reality, if you will? If at the end of that awful war -- which resulted in 620,000 deaths; nearly half of the 1.26 million Americans who have died in the nation's wars -- reconciliation could take place and Christ-like forgiveness offered between our countrymen, why is there so much hate and vitriol today over the past?
Why can we not look upon the aftermath of the Civil War and see that we, as a nation, did not suffer decades of guerrilla wars as some nations have endured after their own civil wars? Why can we not see that the nation moved forward, despite ongoing racial struggles, and we have much to be proud of? It has been a long and difficult struggle, but there has been progress. Is there still racial prejudice and dark souls among men? Yes, and there always will be until Jesus comes back and removes the instigator of such evil.
But just because a statue of Robert E. Lee exists somewhere on a town square, it does not mean we are at the same place in our national character as we were 156 years ago. That statue honors a man torn by a national debate that nearly destroyed our nation, yet he could say at the end of the Civil War, “I have fought against the people of the North because I believed they were seeking to wrest from the South its dearest rights. But I have never cherished toward them bitter or vindictive feelings, and I have never seen the day when I did not pray for them.” Did he own slaves? Disturbingly, the answer is yes. And there is no amount of rationalization that can justify that fact. There are many men throughout the world from that time who will have to stand before the Lord on Judgment Day and account for that sin.
And removing his statue will not erase the dark shadow that hung over this nation for four long and bloody years. Only the blood of Jesus can do that. And I pray that the same evil influence that whispered hate and enmity in the ears of our ancestors, will not find minds willing to embark on another civil war. I guess we will find out... more statues and memorials are coming down by the day. The question to be answered is this ... when the last statue comes down, the last street name is changed, and the last reminder of the injustice perpetrated against our fellow man is totally eradicated from our cultural conscience and memory, will we all then be able to live in harmony and peace?
Will the absence of stone and iron memorials change the hearts of those who are intent on hate? Will we at last, as a nation, be free of the temptations of the Enemy and love our neighbor as ourself? I contend that it will be the renewing our minds [to be like Christ] that will ultimately eliminate the poison that is spreading through our national discourse. Perhaps then we can begin to listen to each other and live in true harmony.
I wish it was as easy as pulling down a monument. I denounce our national sin of slavery, and any attempt to limit a man from becoming all that God intended him to be ... just as I decry our current national dialogue that seems intent on destroying our unity. We don't have to let our past failures continue to divide us. Let us look towards building new memorials and testaments to a unified future. There is a bigger picture here... looking at all that God has delivered us from and looking forward to all He wants to do in this amazing nation! Let it begin today!
Colossians 3:12-14 "Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity".
No comments:
Post a Comment