ROANOKE TIMES 

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, April 3, 1991                   TAG: 9104030499
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A-6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

MAN MUST BE CONTROLLED; THAT CAN MEAN KILLING

IF THE SCHRAMMS and Nathalie Netzer (letter, March 20, "Churches kept silent during the Gulf War") had peered inside these structures, they might have found a people praying rather than publicly protesting. Those there mentioned the value of prayer, and others mentioned miracles after the 100-hour shoot-out.

From the days of the Flood, even God took note of the need for men controlling man, the social creature, even to the necessity of taking life (Genesis 9:6). If right is more precious than peace, there must be found a way to change man internally, in the heart. This is the message of Jesus, who was not a rebel, but a Savior and teacher. "Thou shalt not kill" is a personal message to man, individually, but even the concept of love (agape) does not necessarily preclude a nation or a person coming to the aid of another in time of need.

No doubt much change is necessary in the world and the churches. But it is moot whether peace or ecological groups can get the job done, because they do not have the spiritual power or the breadth of vision to bring the peace God talks about. How many were killed by the peace efforts during the Vietnam War is an open question. When it was over, the Vietnamese, in spite of the horror of the war, chose the American way of freedom; in time they will make a contribution to this country that will be justification enough for the effort and lives it cost to help them to know and embrace freedom and liberty, and yes, even the churches.

I recognize the right of protest and of conscientious objection, but minds and insights can change; mine did. I came to understand that however much I could protest, it was at the price of someone else having to fill my role as a citizen in helping my country. If my freedom is to be secured at the cost of another person's life and blood, it is time to reassess values and priorities. RUSSELL C. WILSON ROANOKE 


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