The Roots of Christian Right Unilateralism

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Excerpt:
“While the United States will constantly strive to enlist the support of the international community, we will not hesitate to act alone, if necessary, to exercise our right of self defense by acting preemptively…

Today humanity holds in its hands the opportunity to further freedom’s triumph over all these foes. The United States welcomes our responsibility to lead in this great mission (emphasis mine).

But our responsibility to history is clear: to answer these attacks and rid the world of evil.

–The National Security Strategy of the United States (2002), p. 6, preface, and p. 5. “

A related quote from Walter Wink’s “The Powers That Be”:

“”The myth of redemptive violence is, in short, nationalism become absolute. This myth speaks for God; it does not listen for God to speak. It invokes the sovereignty of God as its own; it does not entertain the prophetic possibility of radical judgment by God. It misappropriates the language, symbols, and scriptures of Christianity. It does not seek God in order to change; it embraces God in order to prevent change. Its God is not the impartial ruler of all nations but a tribal god worshiped as an idol. Its metaphor is not the journey but the fortress. Its symbol is not the cross but the crosshairs of a gun. Its offer is not forgiveness but victory. Its good news is not the unconditional love of enemies but their final elimination. Its salvation is not a new heart but a successful foreign policy. It usurps the revelation of God’s purposes for humanity… It is blasphemous. It is idolatrous.”

Another related paraphrase from Lee C. Camp’s “Mere Discipleship”:

“It is not the true Disciples of Christ who naively believe they can cure the world of war and sin and evil. Very often, it is the purveyors of warfare and “peace through superior firepower” who exhibit a utopian trust in the power of violence! Thus, World War 1 was called “the war to end all wars”, wars are always characterized as good versus evil, and America’s most recent campaign has been too often suffused with the rhetoric of “ridding the world of evil,” of “getting rid of terror,” and other such utopian dreams. This is of course nonsense.”