A very thoughtful and though provoking article on WWI and war in general. But there is, unfortunately, a rather black hole in the center that is in keeping with the one WWI left in the heart of the West. The author essentially asks how a supposedly benevolent deity could tolerate such slaughter. He answers his inquiry thusly: “Some – the Existentialists and others – deny any divinity, while others, fearing the loss of their spiritual and moral anchor, embrace fundamentalist ideologies that are basically regressive and deny 500 years of scientific progress.”
What we have here is an author who clearly reveals his own lack of belief in the divine. At best, the article was written by an agnostic. At worst, it was written by an atheist. I consider the notion that we are all either existentialists or else regressive idiots who deny 1/2 a millenium of science to be extremely nihilistic and abusively close minded… downright “judgmental and intolerant” as the pc crowd like to say.
Let us not forget that science was originally pioneered by men of faith who saw in nature Creation…the handiwork of a living and loving God. These men strove to see God’s face in the amazingly wonderful and complex world around them. And He made his face to shine upon these pioneers! He revealed himself and imparted understanding.
Science today lacks such any such vision and has no deep faith in the Hand behind the fabulously intricate order of the cosmos. Consequently, Science has come to lack any moral foundation and sense of purpose. And so it is with us as a people. A people without a vision perish.
Yes, no coincidence we find ourselves on the very brink…swooning as we look down over the precipice…. sickened and fearful. Today science threatens to be the end of us no less than our savior. The promise of progress through science is now in question. Faith in science has gone the way of faith in God. Today we live in fear of WMDs and the potential for Frankensteins no less horrific than those Mary Shelly prophecied back when the Industrial Revolution was taking hold of and upending society.
But suffice to say, there are some of us who think science and belief are not mutually exclusive. There are some who do not equate belief in divinity with ignorance. And there are some of us, in fact, who know that science is but potential – which can be applied for good or evil depending upon the morality of the culture in which the mysteries of life are explored and science developed. Finally, some of us know better than to look to science to ever hold all the answers.
Science will never fix what caused WWI – or any war before or since for that matter. No, science will never find a cure for the hubris, vanity, hatred and greed that infect our hearts and lead men to war with one another. And science will never be able to fully mend all the broken hearts and wounded spirits that war leaves in its wake.
But thankfully there is a power above and beyond science…one that can work miracles…one that can work wonders that make even the greatest accomplishments of man pale by comparison –if we would but believe.
In short, our options in life are NOT limited to denying divinity or being a “regressive”. So don’t ever let anyone sell you short! There is a balm in Gilead…
Amazing how all comment-writers just turned their minds off & disregard the senseless carnage (over 100 millions dead!) to promote fundamentalist irrational beliefs. They forgot that practically all religions supported the war and condemned the objectors. Only left-wing leaders in Europe got together shortly before its outbreak and called on the peoples of Europe to refuse military service – but Jean Jaures was murdered sonn after by a deeply religious “patriot”
The main lessons were not remembered: the progressive call of Wilson was killed by the Republican party – just as in our days their descendants alowed Bush to destroy the delicate system for world law keeping, set up by the UN, when he attacked Iraq without provocation.
I found the article very well written and an appropriate reminder of the sacrifices and horrors of WWI. While serviing in the Air Force during Viet Nam, I met a WWI veteran who bore the physical scars of the war. I am sure he would be honored with the article.
“The war to end all wars” failed to do so, just as the Viet Nam war failed to stop the spread of communism, the US invasion of Panama to arrest Noreiga failed to stop the importation of drugs, and the war on terror will not stop terrorism, just ask Israel.
Military force has yet to solve the worlds problems at their root. J. Lee Crumrine reminds us that peace and justice will only prevail when true people of faith come together with an honest desire to address the problems of the world.
The poignant article caused me to ponder my own faith. The “regressive fundamentalist ideologies” as presented in the Bible actually are more relevant than one might expect. I have found on many occaisions, when I consider the precepts in the New Testament, I find current answers for everyday living.
From what I’ve read, war has since the earliest recorded time been a horible interacion amoung humans.
Many terrible wars have occurred before, during and since the time of Albert the Great. *King Albert of England, brought to humankind the concept of government based upon a Biblical precept. “What ye will that other men should not do to you, that do ye not to other men.”
Also,I think there is a dichotomy among the scientific community. One group finds no correlation between belief in God and Science. The other finds a direct relationship.
Thank you for the article. Let’s continue each year to remember the WWI and other veterans who died so that freedom will live.
The poignant article caused me to ponder my own faith. The “regressive fundamentalist ideologies” as presented in the Bible actually are more relevant than one might expect. I have found on many occaisions, when I consider the precepts in the New Testament, I find current answers for everyday living.
From what I’ve read, war has since the earliest recorded time been a horible interacion amoung humans.
Many terrible wars have occurred before, during and since the time of Albert the Great. *King Albert of England, brought to humankind the concept of government based upon a Biblical precept. “What ye will that other men should not do to you, that do ye not to other men.”
Also,I think there is a dichotomy among the scientific community. One group finds no correlation between belief in God and Science. The other finds a direct relationship.
Thank you for the article. Let’s continue each year to remember the WWI and other veterans who died so that freedom will live.
This is an interesting article, although marred by two major grammatical errors. Beyond that, it is gratifying to know that others share my respect and gratitude for the lives of those lost in defending our country.
Thoughts:
1) The UN has never been very effective at anything – see the current messes in the Sudan and Ivory Coast for continuing confirmation.
2) The United States has been able to impact history for only a relatively short period of time. Without the sacrifices of our parents and grandparents, we would likely see a lot more emphasis on things German, Japanese or Russian.
3) Faith lost? Not mine. It keeps me going. Benevolent deity? Which one? God, Allah or some other iteration? Let’s ask the Philistines. Those of us who call ourselves Christians get a little paranoid reading about unspecified regressive beliefs, because we are used to being trashed by “progressive” elite thinkers. Perhaps the author was referring to regressive militant islamists who see Islam as a religion of domination (them) and submission (everyone else).
I applaud the author for causing us to think and respond.
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Excellent. A moving narration and a meaningful message
A very nice article, and excellent reminder of the true costs of standing up for what you believe in.
“Except for Fascism, Nazism, Slavery and Communism war has never solved anything…”
A very thoughtful and though provoking article on WWI and war in general. But there is, unfortunately, a rather black hole in the center that is in keeping with the one WWI left in the heart of the West. The author essentially asks how a supposedly benevolent deity could tolerate such slaughter. He answers his inquiry thusly: “Some – the Existentialists and others – deny any divinity, while others, fearing the loss of their spiritual and moral anchor, embrace fundamentalist ideologies that are basically regressive and deny 500 years of scientific progress.”
What we have here is an author who clearly reveals his own lack of belief in the divine. At best, the article was written by an agnostic. At worst, it was written by an atheist. I consider the notion that we are all either existentialists or else regressive idiots who deny 1/2 a millenium of science to be extremely nihilistic and abusively close minded… downright “judgmental and intolerant” as the pc crowd like to say.
Let us not forget that science was originally pioneered by men of faith who saw in nature Creation…the handiwork of a living and loving God. These men strove to see God’s face in the amazingly wonderful and complex world around them. And He made his face to shine upon these pioneers! He revealed himself and imparted understanding.
Science today lacks such any such vision and has no deep faith in the Hand behind the fabulously intricate order of the cosmos. Consequently, Science has come to lack any moral foundation and sense of purpose. And so it is with us as a people. A people without a vision perish.
Yes, no coincidence we find ourselves on the very brink…swooning as we look down over the precipice…. sickened and fearful. Today science threatens to be the end of us no less than our savior. The promise of progress through science is now in question. Faith in science has gone the way of faith in God. Today we live in fear of WMDs and the potential for Frankensteins no less horrific than those Mary Shelly prophecied back when the Industrial Revolution was taking hold of and upending society.
But suffice to say, there are some of us who think science and belief are not mutually exclusive. There are some who do not equate belief in divinity with ignorance. And there are some of us, in fact, who know that science is but potential – which can be applied for good or evil depending upon the morality of the culture in which the mysteries of life are explored and science developed. Finally, some of us know better than to look to science to ever hold all the answers.
Science will never fix what caused WWI – or any war before or since for that matter. No, science will never find a cure for the hubris, vanity, hatred and greed that infect our hearts and lead men to war with one another. And science will never be able to fully mend all the broken hearts and wounded spirits that war leaves in its wake.
But thankfully there is a power above and beyond science…one that can work miracles…one that can work wonders that make even the greatest accomplishments of man pale by comparison –if we would but believe.
In short, our options in life are NOT limited to denying divinity or being a “regressive”. So don’t ever let anyone sell you short! There is a balm in Gilead…
I agree. And I also recognize that the initial column was thoughtful, too.
Amazing how all comment-writers just turned their minds off & disregard the senseless carnage (over 100 millions dead!) to promote fundamentalist irrational beliefs. They forgot that practically all religions supported the war and condemned the objectors. Only left-wing leaders in Europe got together shortly before its outbreak and called on the peoples of Europe to refuse military service – but Jean Jaures was murdered sonn after by a deeply religious “patriot”
The main lessons were not remembered: the progressive call of Wilson was killed by the Republican party – just as in our days their descendants alowed Bush to destroy the delicate system for world law keeping, set up by the UN, when he attacked Iraq without provocation.
I found the article very well written and an appropriate reminder of the sacrifices and horrors of WWI. While serviing in the Air Force during Viet Nam, I met a WWI veteran who bore the physical scars of the war. I am sure he would be honored with the article.
“The war to end all wars” failed to do so, just as the Viet Nam war failed to stop the spread of communism, the US invasion of Panama to arrest Noreiga failed to stop the importation of drugs, and the war on terror will not stop terrorism, just ask Israel.
Military force has yet to solve the worlds problems at their root. J. Lee Crumrine reminds us that peace and justice will only prevail when true people of faith come together with an honest desire to address the problems of the world.
The poignant article caused me to ponder my own faith. The “regressive fundamentalist ideologies” as presented in the Bible actually are more relevant than one might expect. I have found on many occaisions, when I consider the precepts in the New Testament, I find current answers for everyday living.
From what I’ve read, war has since the earliest recorded time been a horible interacion amoung humans.
Many terrible wars have occurred before, during and since the time of Albert the Great. *King Albert of England, brought to humankind the concept of government based upon a Biblical precept. “What ye will that other men should not do to you, that do ye not to other men.”
Also,I think there is a dichotomy among the scientific community. One group finds no correlation between belief in God and Science. The other finds a direct relationship.
Thank you for the article. Let’s continue each year to remember the WWI and other veterans who died so that freedom will live.
*The Birth Of Britain, Winston Churchill
The poignant article caused me to ponder my own faith. The “regressive fundamentalist ideologies” as presented in the Bible actually are more relevant than one might expect. I have found on many occaisions, when I consider the precepts in the New Testament, I find current answers for everyday living.
From what I’ve read, war has since the earliest recorded time been a horible interacion amoung humans.
Many terrible wars have occurred before, during and since the time of Albert the Great. *King Albert of England, brought to humankind the concept of government based upon a Biblical precept. “What ye will that other men should not do to you, that do ye not to other men.”
Also,I think there is a dichotomy among the scientific community. One group finds no correlation between belief in God and Science. The other finds a direct relationship.
Thank you for the article. Let’s continue each year to remember the WWI and other veterans who died so that freedom will live.
*The Birth Of Britain, Winston Churchill
This is an interesting article, although marred by two major grammatical errors. Beyond that, it is gratifying to know that others share my respect and gratitude for the lives of those lost in defending our country.
Thoughts:
1) The UN has never been very effective at anything – see the current messes in the Sudan and Ivory Coast for continuing confirmation.
2) The United States has been able to impact history for only a relatively short period of time. Without the sacrifices of our parents and grandparents, we would likely see a lot more emphasis on things German, Japanese or Russian.
3) Faith lost? Not mine. It keeps me going. Benevolent deity? Which one? God, Allah or some other iteration? Let’s ask the Philistines. Those of us who call ourselves Christians get a little paranoid reading about unspecified regressive beliefs, because we are used to being trashed by “progressive” elite thinkers. Perhaps the author was referring to regressive militant islamists who see Islam as a religion of domination (them) and submission (everyone else).
I applaud the author for causing us to think and respond.
As hard as it may be, try to leave partisan politics out of a tribute to sacrifice.
It is a sign of a weak mind to use sacred things as a catalyst for your agenda.