The Bomb

War is detestable. Mankind has used it to promote selfish desires such as land, money and hate. Yet at the same time it is a tool that God uses to keep defend the innocent and free the oppressed in this fallen temporal world. As such I would much rather avoid war but I would not hesitate to use it. Though some may not like it, peace though superior firepower. It must be stressed that I do not make these statements lightly.

There is much buzz today with the 60th anniversary of the Hiroshima bomb. The two bombs that fell on Japan unleashed terrible forces. As the bombs burst it seemed as though a thousand suns were born over the cities. Many literally vanished into thin air while others were instantly turned into grotesque carbon statues of themselves. But these were lucky compare to the countless more that died slow and painful deaths. The cities seemed as hell on earth, buildings torn apart, bodies all over, the city on fire, the sky black as night and a poisonous black rain falling from above.

Because of the horrors that the bombs unleashed many now question the use of the bombs. I myself believe it to be the right choice. But I have not yet made my point. As I drove to work a certain talk show host, which many hate, made a suggestion that might sound at first both insane and insensitive: we ought to celebrate the anniversaries of the bomb. Celebrate the death and the horror that they unleashed? By all means no! We ought to morn and lament the immediate effects of the bombs. We ought to celebrate some of the long term effects of the bombs. The bombs hastened the end of the war, saving far more American and Japanese people than they killed. But there is more to it than simply ending the war. Because of the bombings of Japan the world has seen the terrible power that these weapons wield. Since then not a single nuclear bomb has been detonated outside of testing. Part of this is because of our fear of using them since we now know what they can do. But part of it is also because we, as in humanity, have not been pressured into using them. We have come close, to be sure and it is likely, because of the evil inherent in all humanity, that they will be used some time in the future. But, as of yet, we have not had to use the bomb against those who would unleash unjust acts against the innocent and that those who would do such acts have not yet misused the bomb.

I eagerly await the day when Christ returns and war is no longer needed since all evil will be cast into Hell. The events were set in motion when Christ fought the battle that overshadows any war and any weapon that we can imagine much less construct. "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us."