The weakness of violence

President Trump has spoken to the United Nations. He threatened the world with violence.

Martin Luther King Jr. left us with memorable speeches and writings. My two favorites are his “I Have a Dream” speech on the Mall in Washington, D.C. and his “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” These two pieces are a part of our nation’s history and are constantly quoted and memorialized.

Another of his statements is very appropriate just now. I believe King used this particular message several times. One place it is recorded is in a 1967 essay published in a book titled “Where Do We Go from Here?”

“The ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral, begetting the very thing it seeks to destroy. Instead of diminishing evil, it multiplies it. Through violence you may murder the liar, but you cannot murder the lie, nor establish truth. Through violence you may murder the hater, but you do not murder hate. In fact, violence merely increases hate. Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.”

The key idea in the passage is not new. It can be found in many places throughout

Christian literature and is rooted in the words of Jesus from Nazareth. In chapter 5 of the Matthew gospel, Jesus is quoted as saying “You have heard it said “Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” He added “You have heard it said ‘an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, but I say to you do not resist one who is evil.” In the four gospels Jesus is never seen as a man of violence or of retaliation. His consistent teaching was that his followers were to respond to evil with love, good deeds and kindness.

Jesus’ non-violence was a part of the understanding of his early followers. Among his followers Paul was the first recorded writer of the Jesus teaching and behavior legacy. In chapter 12 of his first Corinthian letter Paul writes “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them….repay no person evil for evil, but take thought of what is noble in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Never avenge yourselves.” These words need to be placed in their context. At the time Paul was writing Christians were a persecuted minority. Among Christians, many devout people had become Zealots and advocated violent responses to their oppressors. Paul’s words were primarily a political statement. The words that I have just quoted were a prelude to Paul’s beloved passage about love. That love chapter (I Corinthians

13) is quoted over and over again by Christians, but is seldom placed in the context in which it was written.

Probably the greatest scandal of Christian churches is their sidestepping of the non-violent tradition found in the teachings of Jesus. St. Augustine tried to temper Jesus’ blunt teaching about non-violence with his historic “Just War Theory.” Tragically Just War Theory has been used to justify every war that Christian leaders have chosen to bless.

Compare the words of President Donald Trump and the words of Jesus and the words of the Apostle Paul. Before the entire assembly of representatives from the nations of the world, President Trump threatened North Korea with total destruction if the rogue nation attacked a U.S. territory or the territory of any U.S. allied nation. Compare this with the words of Jesus that instruct us to “love our enemies” and never to ”resist one who is evil.” Can Christians simply ignore the admonition of Paul when he instructs us “never avenge yourselves?”

The stance of President Trump becomes especially egregious when he attempts to exercise authority from the “righteous many” to confront the “wicked few.” His statement makes two critical errors. The first is that he seems to think that he knows the identity of those he labels “righteous” and those he dismisses as “wicked.” Making such judgements is the height of foolishness. Jesus counseled his followers to stay out of the judging business. Making judgments divides. The world’s need is reconciliation.

The second error of Trump is to believe that truth and righteousness is the possession of a powerful many. The teachings of Jesus takes our thinking in an entirely different direction. Truth and righteousness are far more likely to be found with the weak not the strong. St. Francis knew that his highest calling was in his dedication to the truth, not the inherited wealth of his father. True power is found in humility rather than pride. Finding righteousness is an exercise of admitted weakness, not the acquisition of power. Violence can only lead to chaos and disaster. Violence is indeed a “downward spiral.”

Jesus called his followers to be salt, leaven and light. They are all three images of the potential of the small in the world of the large. Those who present themselves as strong only reveal their weakness. Only those who are truly strong can afford to appear to be weak. Violence is profoundly weak.

The Rev. Howard Bess is a retired American Baptist minister, who lives in Palmer, Alaska. His email address is hdbss@mtaonline.net.