The Unlikely Leadership of Jimmy and Jesus

Many of you have likely heard about the firestorm that has resulted from former President Jimmy Carter’s use of the word “apartheid” to describe the plight of Palestinians living in the occupied territories. According to Carter, the Palestinians are “being deprived of the necessities of life by economic restrictions imposed upon them by Israel and the United States.” Challenging Carter’s perspective is the Anti-Defamation League who countered, “Apartheid, that abhorrent and racist system in South Africa, has no bearing on Israeli policies. Not only are Israel’s policies not racist, but the situation in the territories do not arise from Israeli intentions to oppress or repress Palestinians but is a product of Palestinian rejection of Israel and the use of terror and violence against the Jewish state.” (Christian Century, January 23, 2007, p. 15).

Without entering into the technicality of what constitutes “apartheid,” what is particularly more striking to me, is the way the fear of terrorism is now driving every global issue. The term “terrorism” in the 21^st Century seems to function in the same way “communism” functioned in the later part of the 20^th Century. We can rationalize all manners of behavior, even the type that might lead to further acts of terrorism or even global suicide with a label so powerful in evoking fear that at first glance it “makes sense.: The “communist” scare led to an arms race and the existence of tens of thousands of nuclear warheads that if ever found in the hands of real “terrorists” will flatten the earth a thousand times over.

The Christian approach to peace and reconciliation is rooted in the remarkable - and from the perspective of worldly values – the utter foolishness of the cross. It is borne by a people who are not afraid to die. But not in the way a suicide bomber is not afraid to die.

Instead it honors the ethics of Jesus teaching us to “love our enemies” and even to “do good to those who hate you and bless those who abuse you.” (Luke 6:27-28). The suicide bomber is motivated out of revenge and perhaps the empty promise of celestial reward. But those who follow Jesus are willing to die at the expense of the self, trusting that staying in love with God is worth any cost, even the cost of one’s life.

I believe this unconditional love is the only true remedy for terrorism, for only this sort of power can repel fear. It is this love that provides the courage to stand up for the outcast and the forgotten. It is this love that is willing to face conflict and seek to work for the things that work toward peace. It is this love that I would suspect a Georgian Baptist raised in Sunday School would know something about. I wish I could look forward to few more Christian leaders who might attack terrorism without resorting to more acts of terror. But unfortunately, they all seem to be going the route of dead presidents.