Progressives continue to criticize Clint Eastwood’s movie tribute to Chris Kyle (American Sniper). They don’t like Eastwood’s depiction of Chris Kyle as a patriot, they despise the phenomenal financial success of the movie and they don’t like the negative portrayal of Islamic militants. Most leftists cannot bear the thought of a pro-American war movie being this popular. Even more, they hate the positive portrayal of the kind of rugged individualism and self-determination that Kyle was depicted as having.
Among these critics is the prominent Hollywood leftist, Michael Moore, who recently slandered military snipers. What is worse is that he even invoked the name of Jesus in an effort to justify his criticisms. Moore facetiously tweeted, “Tomorrow’s Sunday School. What Would Jesus Do? Oh, I know what he’d do – hide on top of a roof and shoot people in the back!”
I knew that Moore was a global warming alarmist, but I had no idea that he was now a theologian! (I can also be a little factitious). Moore invokes Jesus against the military tactic of sniping, but he is utterly ignorant of Bible teaching and history:
1. The Bible teaches that God “ordained” civil government for the protection of the citizenry, and that civil government is authorized to kill evil-doers. Paul said that the government “does not bear the sword in vain” (Romans 13:4), and the “sword” was a symbol of death. This is confirmed by the words of Jesus to Peter in Matthew 26:52 when He said that “those who take the sword shall perish by the sword.” Though progressive political leaders are reluctant to admit it, this country has been at war with militant Islamists since September 11th, 2001. By fighting and killing these militant Islamists, whether in Afghanistan, Iraq or Syria, and whether as a sniper or an infantryman, American service men and women act to protect innocent people from murderers, and this is authorized by Scripture!
It should be noted that Paul called his message to the Romans “the gospel of Christ” (Romans 1:16). This obviously included Romans 13:1-4, which relates to the function of civil government and its duty to “not bear the sword in vain.” “What would Jesus do?” He would enforce the divine will! He would follow the Scriptures, and the Scriptures teach that some crimes are “worthy of death” (Acts 25:11). The meaning is clear: due to the nature of certain crimes, some people deserve to die for their crimes. Murder is one such crime.
2. The great theologian, Michael Moore, also overlooks Jesus’ words about the destruction of Jerusalem. Jesus promised that some rebellious Jews would be “slain by the sword,” others would be “carried into captivity,” and that Jerusalem would be “trodden under foot by the armies of the Gentiles” (Luke 21:24, 20). History tells us that over one million Jews were killed by Titus’ armies in the siege on Jerusalem. However, the Roman emperor Titus was not the only captain of those armies – It was king Jesus who would be visible “in a cloud with power and great glory” (Luke 21:27). It was Jesus who orchestrated that final judgment upon Jerusalem. As Assyria was the “rod” in God’s hand against Israel (Isa. 10:5), and Cyrus was God’s “bird of prey” against Babylon (Isa. 46:11), so was Rome an instrument of divine wrath against those who rejected the Savior.
Space fails us to cite all of the other physical judgments by God against His enemies. Such examples of direct action by God can be seen even in the New Testament (Acts 5 & 12). And while I do not classify modern military actions against ISIS, Al-Qaeda or other terrorists as a “divine judgment” against them, I do see Bible authority for the punishment of such evil-doers (Rom. 13).
We hope and pray that before Jesus carries out His final act of judgment upon mankind (2 Thess. 1:7-9), Michael Moore will make a more careful application of the Scriptures – the kind of application that saves one’s soul.
–Tim Haile