In a speech to the German Nazi Party on September 12, 1938, Adolph Hitler declared that the German Reich would “no longer accept further oppression against and persecution of three and a half million Germans” in the Sudetenland region of Czechoslovakia (from Hitler: Ascent: 1889-1939 by Volker Ullrich). Nazi party supporters in Sudetenland had rioted, calling for union with Germany, provoking a response from the Czech army, an action used as evidence of persecution. In his speech, Hitler went on to warn Western democracies that any interference would have “severe consequences” (again, Ullrich).
Does this all sound familiar? For weeks, Vladimir Putin has spoken of the persecution of Russians in Ukraine, even calling it genocide, and in his speech early Thursday announcing the military invasion, Putin said he was responding to a request for assistance from Ukraine’s breakaway regions in Donetsk and Luhansk, recognized by him as nations this week, and he vowed to “demilitarize and de-Nazify” the country. As for nations that might intervene, Putin said: “Russia will respond immediately, and you will face consequences that you never have had before in your history” (from Foreign Policy).
My point here isn’t simply to compare Putin to Hitler but rather to point out a common wardrobe chosen by violent powers through the years, whether nations or terrorist groups (Islamic, Christian, racist, or others). It is a beautiful gown, golden maybe or glowing white. It is a garment of words speaking justice and peace, that calls for wrongs to be righted and suffering relieved, even as suffering is about to be unleashed. Perhaps the words are intended to confuse possible opponents at home and afar, or maybe we human beings are just civilized enough to know that pure aggression isn’t acceptable, so we clothe our actions accordingly. Or maybe we need to quiet a nagging voice within our own souls that challenges our actions.
Whatever the case, it's nothing new. I’m reading right now Power and Thrones: A New History of the Middle Ages, by Dan Jones. When the church and emerging kingdoms of Europe finally realized the futility (if not the sin) of crusading against the Islamic rulers of the Middle East, Jones points out that they didn’t give up crusading but instead turned their aggression against fellow Christians in Europe, still justifying their actions as the defense of the faith, still pinning crosses to their armor. Centuries later, radical Islamic terrorists would similarly rationalize their own violence against fellow Muslims. And now, Putin speaks of historic, even familial, ties with Ukraine as, strangely, justification for the attack.
We’re really good at this stuff—disguising our actions as just, dressing ourselves with righteousness and our enemies with evil. And blood is spilled, and the innocent suffer.
In the midst of all this, who are we? And by “we,” I mean you and me. Where do we stand, and with whom? How do we act in a world of disguised motivations, twisted faith, and never-ending violence? Actually, these are questions appropriate for the season we are nearing, Lent, but they are so very urgent right now.
Do you see Jesus there up ahead? He is heading toward Jerusalem and the cross. His power is not the power of authoritarian rulers or demagogues or religious fanatics. He is heading toward Jerusalem and the cross. He has raised no army, claimed no sovereignty on the ground. His power is in words that speak truth. His power is compassion, presence, forgiveness, healing, and transformation. He is headed toward Jerusalem and the cross, but he is with all who are oppressed, hurting, alone, afraid. He came to serve life, not death, not even the death of his enemies. I believe he is with the people of Ukraine this morning, and he invites us to join him there.
Let us pray for them (it’s important). Let us speak truth. Let us encourage and support actions that build true peace and wholeness. In other words, let us clothe ourselves with Christ and serve life.
Much of the world is united right now and standing with Ukraine, and soon we will see more sanctions intended to isolate Putin and the aggressors. Almost certainly, those sanctions will bring economic pain to us as well. I wonder who we will be then.
- Rev. Mark