Jesus’ clearing of the Temple in this Sunday’s Gospel is grossly misinterpreted. Militarists misinterpret it as an act of violence. The misinterpretation allows their religion, Militarism, to maintain its oppressive rule over humanity, our hearts and minds. Militarism has no regard for the peacemaker Jesus of Nazareth. In this misinterpretation and others, they mis-characterize, disrespect, and demean Jesus. Some Militarists go so far as to make him a violent weapon bearing zealot. Given that Militarists treat Jesus and his peacemaking disdainfully, they will do the same to other commoners, and have – across history.
Militarism is a religion that is spawned by the military and extends beyond it. The religion consists of obedient warriors, abusing commoners, and practicing violence. Militarism is these same three elements across systems – warrior presidents, CEO’s, and priests; abusing commoners in austerity cuts, slave wages, and sex abuse cover-ups; and practicing the violence of war in too many expressions. Militarism is also the divinization of these three elements – the warrior class as god-like, vengeful justice as ‘mine sayeth the Lord,’ and violence as salvific. So extensively has the military divinized itself that Militarism can be identified as a religion. Militarism has the three characteristics of religion; cult, creed, and code. Cult is the worship of a supreme War Lord. Creed is believing the suffering they inflict on subordinates is justified. Code is their violent behavior sanctified. Militarism is an ancient religion. Its warlords and their projected gods have different names – Greek warlords projected themselves onto Ares, Roman warlords onto Mars, and Hebrew warlords projected themselves onto Yahweh – but it is the one same religion. For millennia, Militarists have simply been projecting their warriors onto deities so as to glorify their value system of domination, abuse, and violence. Militarism glorifies the dominating relationship model. It glorifies suffering as God’s will. It also glorifies and additionally trains people to accept and practice violence as if a saving act. All of these elements are on display in the Gospel story of the Temple; dominating rulers, are forcing living creatures to suffer, and are taking violent action against them. All of it is that which Jesus clears out. He clears out the dominating rulers, who coerce people to buy and render animals for suffering, and who then kill the animals in violent blood sacrifice rituals. In today’s Gospel, Jesus cleared out the religion of Militarism and he did so peacefully. It is for this reason, Militarists misinterpret the Temple clearing story and mis-characterize Jesus.
Jesus clears out the religion of Militarism by overturning the dominator’s tables, by scattering their atonement money, and especially by using a whip with the animals – but not to strike the animals or do them violence. The exact opposite is true. Jesus is using the whip action as any farmer would. He doesn’t strike the animals with it but instead uses it to drive the animals out of the Temple area and therefore away from their impending violent sacrifice. Jesus is saving the animals, and us, from Militarism and its endless violence distorted as saving us. Militarists whip up Christian support for domination, suffering, and violence and make it dependent upon their needful mis-characterization of Jesus’ peaceful and saving actions. Militarists distort Jesus’ clearing of the Temple because they are unable to face the truth of his life witness on display in the Temple. Jesus’ life witness is the peaceful replacement of their ancient religion of Militarism and its deadliness.
Prayer: Dear God, help us to be wise about Militarism.
Question: At what point are Christians going to convert from the ancient religion of Militarism and follow Jesus’ Way?
March 8, 2015 Gospel John 2:13-25 Third Sunday of Lent