Nov 11th, 2020: Remembrance Day

 Poppies - Wikiquote
 
Today is Remembrance Day in Canada. It is the day when we take 2 minutes of silence at 11:11 am to honor our fallen and remember their sacrifices. We were poppies as the symbol of this day. That was why I took exception to Wholefoods for banning their employees from wearing them.

Academics might have different opinions about whether we are designed naturally to rage war against others. One thing we know for sure is that human history is full of war accounts. We go to war against one another because of religious reasons, racial differences, economic expansion, ideology, threats against one another, and our needs to be superior.

Sometimes we have more noble reasons to go to war. It can be a fight against injustice in the world. It can be our need to protect the lives of many others when someone is threatening them. Some religious people believe in the idea of the Holy War (War on behalf of God). However, we need to be aware that many atrocities are being done in God's name as well.

Christians also acknowledge the reality of spiritual warfare. It is the war against the principalities of this war (the dark side). The enemy of that war can be outside or inside us. How do we do that? Ephesians 6: 10-17 says it best.

a) Be strong in God
b) Put on the armor of God (His truth, His righteousness, the Gospel of Peace, Faith, Salvation, and The Spirit of God)

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."

 

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