Jesus in Fallujah (May 2004)
Jesus said, "Whatever you do to the least of these my brothers, you do
to me." This is true because how we treat the smallest
people in the world is how we're treating the truth, and how we treat
the truth is exactly how we're going to treat anybody who says it or
does it. Indeed, our stance to the truth is always seen in our
response to people, and not just deserving people. "The least of
these" may well be wrong about a lot of things, but how we treat them
is determined not by their qualities but by our relationship to
truth, because truth says that we would like God to treat us with mercy
and truth whether we deserve it or not, even when we're wrong about
many things.
Muslims generally reject the Christian view that in Jesus our sins are done away with and that in his death he trampled our death underfoot. Muslims commonly object that we are all responsible for our own sins, and that no other man can do anything about them. Fallujah shows us how Muslims are quite right about our own responsibility, and yet a man can die for another, impart life to another, and through death defeat death and the kingdom of the Lie.
Last month the United States Marines came to Fallujah to show that the power of death in their hands was supreme, and that the people of Fallujah would be subdued under it and learn that the Americans are the superior race, and that the Iraqis need to learn their place in America's New Order. Indeed the Marines proved that they could kill more efficiently than the people of Fallujah. As the enemies of Jesus sneered at Jesus while he hung on the cross, the Americans were sure that their 2000 pound bombs and snipers would make the people of Fallujah understand the power of the lords of death, and submit. Like the murderers of Jesus, the murderers of Fallujah were full of prayers and religious zeal which made them think that their acts of oppression, terror, and murder were a service to God. The papers showed us pictures of these Marines praying with one another during their mission of subjugation, like the murderers of Jesus who made sure not to be defiled for Passover by going into Pilate's praetorium.
But though they killed, they did not win. As the Psalm says, their sword went up into their own heart. Their killing revealed the nature of their kingdom, as killing Jesus revealed the nature of the kingdoms of this world and of their sponsor, Satan. The slayers of old men in their doorways, of little kids in the street, of drivers in their ambulances, and of anyone trying to reach the hospital destroyed the veil of deceit concealing the nature of their kingdom. In a new way, the American occupation lost power because its wickedness was laid bare. Through the death which it inflicted, the American occupation was revealed to be a kingdom of death, and that death, by being dragged into the light, was trampled.
Moreover, the dignity of the people of Fallujah is not only theirs but that of every Iraqi, indeed of everyone who identified with them in their weakness and death. Those entering into their suffering likewise share in their triumph - the triumph of human dignity and courage over inhuman technological violence.
That doesn't mean that every Iraqi receives this dignity apart from his own responsibility. Quislings like Ahmed Chalabi are on the contrary further shamed, as they deny the victims and continue to betray them to the occupiers for their own corrupt advantage.
In all this is pictured how those who confess Jesus in this world, especially as he is revealed to us hanging on the cross, will share with him in his resurrection.
Those who contrive not to see him there so
that they can be friends with the rulers of this world and with its power,
being called the son of Pharaoh's daughter or good Americans, whatever
their circumstances may offer them, will meet a different
fate. They will learn that they have not fed him when they
saw him hungry, given him to drink when he was thirsty, visited
him when he was sick or wounded by an American sniper,
or come to him in Abu Ghraib prison when he was being tortured and
degraded there. These will hear the king say, "Why do you
call me, "Lord, Lord,' and do not do the things that I say?
Depart from me, you workers of iniquity, because I never knew you!"