Dad,

I am one of the many with grave concerns about the direction that our country is headed with respect to Iran and our broader foreign policy. In the midst of our election frenzy, the idea that America is and always has been a Christian nation continues to shape the discussion. I am not convinced that this is the case, though the colonizing of the world in the name of Christianity shaped the development of our country a great deal. I am willing, however, to entertain the idea that America is the world’s best chance of demonstrating Christian values to the world, however miserably we are currently failing at that task.

That being said, I submit this:

I am not one to endorse the Bumper Sticker Theology that is so pervasive in our culture, but this one fit the bill. It seems dramatically oversimplified, but it does present a dillema when trying to represent Jesus to the world. You were the one who told me that belief systems have consequences, and if we are going to claim to be not admirers, but followers of Jesus, as a culture, then we have to allow that claim to translate into action. That action must be based in love and must honor the poor, the widows, the orphans, and the oppressed. The tragedy of 9/11 left widows and fatherless children when the hijackers chose to take their own lives. I know who the hijackers were, because we used their likenesses to solidify public opinion, but I have heard nothing about the widows and the children.

So, as we near a confrontation with Iran, how committed are we to exemplifying the love of Jesus for the world?

Bryan.