Monday, March 20, 2006

"War on War"

(J. Tweedy)

_______________________________________________

It's a war on war
It's a war on war
It's a war on war
It's a war on war
It's a war on war
It's a war on war
It's a war on war
There's a war on

You're gonna lose
You have to lose
You have to learn how to die

Let's watch the miles flying by
Let's watch the miles flying by
You are not my typewriter
But you could be my demon
Moving forward through flaming doors

You have to lose
You have to learn how to die
If you want to want to be alive

Okay?

You have to lose
You have to lose
You have to learn how to die
If you want to want to be alive

You have to die
You have to die
You have to learn how to die
If you want to want to be alive

Okay?
_______________________________________________

+ Jeff Tweedy - War on War - Acoustic.mp3

recorded 20Feb2006, @ Otto's, Dekalb, IL

I was listening to this song on the way home from my Bible study tonight and I had an 'Aha' moment. Mr. Tweedy knowingly (or unknowningly) buried a nugged of Bibliical truth in these lyrics "You have to lose, You have to lose, You have to learn how to die, if you want to be alive." These words took on new meaning for me.

I believe that in order to truly live, as God desires for me to live, I have to put away the former things, and allow those things to "die". There's scriptural basis for this found in Romans 6:11 and Romans 8:10. It's only by 'learning to die' will I ever truly be made alive in Christ. Pretty cool revelation coming from an unlikely place, but hey! I'll take it!



8 comments:

Anonymous said...

you sure do have war on the mind. Did you know your reference on your war calculator, is to an article written by one person at CRS (congressional research services, not even an gov't agency)...which is under the umbrella of a group that reports governement secrecy (linked through said article)...the CRS article states that "Iraq’s total is split between $226 billion for DOD and $25 billion for foreign operations." Your calculator will reach $251 by March 31. I wonder what you'll replace it with when it stops. that total (if you read the report you quote, which i'm sure you have) includes fixed costs, which "DOD has not been willing to share the
assumptions used in its model for projecting costs, such as personnel levels, deployment plans, or the basis for support costs. Without that information, it is difficult to estimate, for example, how costs would change as U.S. force levels fall
or how average costs decrease over time as fixed costs are covered." interesting how one can produce figures and calculations based off of numbers that aren't even reported. ?? it just seems to me that the simple calculator you display speaks your disapproval... when the basis of that calculator isn't even known - alas, it is all a big "secret". I wonder if you posted a calculator on the cost of your freedom, how many $$$ it would ring in. probably much more than $251. war is a fact of life, as you seem to dwell on. wars have been waged as far back as mankind knows. your calculator won't stop it. there are many foreign souls who die trying to get your U.S. of A. birth 'rights' in life. just seems that you could find something to thank God about that he has blessed you by allowing you birth into this relatively safe land...rather than concentrate on the $ spent on the war in iraq. if drafted, would you run and hide? how about a prayer lifted up for the soldiers willing to go in hopes to honor us. how about a prayer for the innocent. how about a prayer lifted up for your leader? how about a prayer lifted up for the new iraq government - that it might work out as God wills it?...you know God's will is being carried out...whether you see it (or like it) or not. how about finding a positive cause to harp on? well...enjoy your freedom of speach. no gov't is perfect... you are right on one thing, that we are only alive in Christ, who by the way, was killed in a "war" one of his disciples didn't want to happen. my point is not that i know whether the war in iraq is God's will or not, but that we don't understand God's plan. your intentions are probably honorable...but can we pray for the folks over there, rather than concentrate on the $ being spent over here. oh..and if you're concerned about your tax $, which i guess we all are in a way, just remember that God wants us to give to ceasar what is due to ceasar. it isn't our money anyway. anyway, what is money afterall? is it a treasure stored in heaven? i think not. we can live life thinking about the wars waging around us, or we can live life concentrating on God's grace and the price we don't have to pay thanks to Christ. thanks for hearing me out.

bigshoulders said...

Take a breath.

Bill said...

In my view, revelation often depends more on the listener/receiver than on the utterer: Those who have ears to hear . . .

bigshoulders said...

right on, Bill. i have no idea where Tweedy stands, but the revelation, whether intentional or not, is still valid. thanks for stopping by, even though i haven't a haiku to offer.

kevin

Danielle said...

Hmmm.

War. What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing.

Many of us are focused on the wars being waged in people's neighborhoods, in people's homes, in people's hearts. And we fight those battles daily alongside our brothers and sisters. You don't have to put on fatigues to be a soldier although I agree that our brothers in Iraq and all the people affect by this war need our prayers.

The calculator appears on lots of people's blogs as a reminder that war carries a cost. It is a reminder, friend, not something to get upset about.

What is money you ask? Only one of the most discussed topics in the Bible. And Christians are called to be good stewards of their money. Understanding its purpose and power in this broken world is fundamental.

Those figures streaming on that calculator, real or unreal, remind us that somewhere, money is being put forth in an effort that has less to do with the salvation of men and more to do with power over them.

You can bet Christ would be concerned about that.

(by the by...I only wanted to comment on the revelation at Bible study...erh...I agree with what you said, Kevin. Nice post and apologies if I rambled here...)

bigshoulders said...

"say it again!"

no worries, danielle.
the real cost of the war isn't in the streaming figures, which will undoubtedly continue to rise...

the real cost is in the body count. and i'm not just talking about coalition lives either. the Iraqi people have suffered far more than we'll ever know.

one thing's for sure. it's going to take Jesus Christ to peace [sic] it back together again.

thanks danielle.

Danielle said...

Amen, bro.

J. Andrew Lockhart said...

well said