The Fourth of July - Boge

What is a Christian writer’s response to the War in Iraq and to the current situation in America?

I’ve been spending a lot of time studying Iraq, 9/11, oil, global currency and the role America has played in shaping the world since the allied invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944. You could say that since that time we have lived in the American Age – that no other country has been as influential in world events as America. Whether that continues and how America fits in with a rising Europe and China is a debate that will likely draw surprise on this side of the Atlantic.

Since the collapse of the Soviet Empire, America has been the only superpower. With great power comes great responsibility. (I think that’s a line from Spiderman). That responsibility has come into question in international circles since the Shock and Awe Campaign of the American led invasion of Iraq. And while some Christians are quicker than others to tie politics and religion together, many are even quicker to jump to conclusions about the motivation for the war in Iraq without taking the time to understand some of the deeper issues at stake. Is a Christian responsible for investigating this truth? Or are we strictly to investigate the Truth of Jesus, and not worry about events that don’t directly relate to the spreading of the Gospel?

I recently wrote and directed a movie called Among Thieves with an unparalleled team at FireGate Films. It tells the story of three friends in Chicago who reunite 10 years after high school and uncover a global oil conspiracy with links to what really motivated the war in Iraq. It’s a film that I hope will challenge us to think critically about global issues that affect everyone from the poorest to the rich. I also hope it will be a catalyst for people to evaluate how they receive and believe information about the world around them, and how they arrive at what is true.

There’s an inscription on the CIA wall that has always amazed me. It reads “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.” I wonder how those words of Jesus affect some of the individuals who work there. I would be curious to discover if those are simply words carved in stone, or if to some degree they still guide people who make clandestine decisions.

Perhaps it’s enough to know that they are words that should be directly affecting me and my activities. And that ultimately, the Truth of Jesus supersedes the mysteries and man-made allegiances here on earth.

I wish all of our neighbours to the south a very happy Fourth of July. Thank you to each of you who hold the Truth of Jesus is such high regard and who continue to promote the Gospel in whatever way you can. Many of you have a vision for the good influence America can have throughout the world and you are to be commended and encouraged for your efforts.

May God bless America.

Paul H. Boge