Hermann Goering raised an important implication: Yes, governments will cynically exploit their own people–we all know that. But Goering implies that the people virtually ask for that exploitation by insisting on their right to remain ignorant and trusting.
Are those who initiate wars villainous bastards destined to burn in Hell? I think so. But are the people who are afraid to criticize, afraid to stand up, and absolutely determined to preserve the bliss of their ignorance any less guilty? Most common people support war–and even go to war to kill and be killed–because they’re too cowardly or ignorant to say “No!” Are the common people who won’t say “No!” any better than the psychopaths who shout “Yes!”?
For me, it goes back to Revelation 21:8–a “laundry list” of those destined for damnation:
“But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
That list contains some of the usual suspects when we think of those destined for damnation: murders, liars, etc.
But note that the first class of people destined for damnation are the “cowardly” (other versions of the Bible refer to the “fearful” or “those who fear“). I believe the “cowardly” are included in the list of the damned because each man’s fear is inversely proportional to his faith.
I.e., if you really believe in the God of the Bible and an eternal afterlife Heaven, why would you fear anything in this life? The sooner you die, the sooner you may go to paradise–if your faith is strong. Of course, if your faith is weak, you may not be allowed to enter Heaven and may therefore be damned. Thus, those of us who succumb to the fears fostered by this world, implicitly admit our faith in the God of the Bible is weak and that we may therefore deserve damnation. Our fears confess our lack of faith.
The people who are too fearful to expressly protest and resist the evils proposed by their own governments would seem to qualify as members of the first class of men (cowards) who are destined for damnation.
Thomas Jefferson observed:
“When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.”
I’d say that when the people fear their government, there is war; when the government fears the people, there is peace.
Insofar as we fear our own government, we are heading towards war. Insofar as our government fears us, we are heading towards peace.
As an aside, consider: Isn’t it true that the government’s fundamental fear of the American people is based on Americans’ capacity to shoot the treasonous whores in the cathouse on the Potomac? Does it follow that if government can disarm the American people, Americans will become more fearful of their government? If, by consenting to disarmament, we become more fearful, will our added fears (as per Revelation 21:8) render us more likely to be damned?
It’s a strange question, but I’m led to wonder should we keep our weapons in this life in order to minimize the fears that might cost us salvation in the next?
Does Revelation 21:8 provide a spiritual basis for the 2nd Amendment?
Whatcha think?
