In case we haven't read our bibles...God is quite often a god of vengence. In fact, a great deal of what God does is vengeful. Killing all the first born in Egypt, for example. Or maybe flooding the world and killing the sinners. Those don't seem very kind to me.
Which one of us hasn't wished for some higher power to punish our enemies? Which of us hasn't wanted those who have hurt us to suffer? Honestly, now. And at the same time, she calls for compassion. It's a tough love God she believes in, it seems to me. She wants God to punish with compassion. It makes sense to me.
Meaning aside, I agree largely with what BGB had to say. Can't wait for a second draft honey!
Sing lustily and with a good courage. Beware of singing as if you were half dead, or half asleep; but lift up your voice with strength.
The point is that we don't understand God. Sometimes taking back the life he gave to us is actually the most merciful thing He can do. Of course, that all depends on what religion you are, and such.
So don't think you understand someone else's religion if you don't.
Oops, almost forgot--I thoroughly enjoyed this poem. I wish I knew how things really were over there, so I could honestly and correctly decide where I stand on the issue. As it is, I think we may have done good when we first went in, but if there is a draft, I will do that thing whatever it is where you say you can't serve for your religious beliefs. I will only fight for a good cause, and I no longer believe that America's cause is justified, if ever it was.
We don't understand the world, but wise men understand God, they become God. The world, that's quite a different matter.
Wise men aren't vengeful. Unwise men are. God isn't vengeful, and...fire and brimstone stuff is what caused the Salem Witch Trials. It's what's used as justification by suicide bombers. It's what makes people commit atrocities and feel justified by doing so. And those parts of bibles are written by men, by false imposters of the Lord, not by God.
So, you're proclaiming yourself God, then? Because you seem to think you understand wise men, and thus understand God. You are also assuming that God's vengeance is a result of His being vengeful. He can deal out revenge out of justice, or even mercy, rather than out of vengeance; we can't claim to think we know better than He does. Futhermore, people acting in God's name and God acting Himself are completely different things. If one acts in God's name without actually having specific authority from God, then they're just being blasphemous, and if they commit sin in so doing, then they are doubly so by trying to defame and deface our Lord.
The only way to even come close to understanding God is to listen to His words directly to us--unfortunately, most religions don't believe in modern-day revelation, so it's impossible for us to really know God according to that belief, since all the prophecies and teachings are old and somewhat outdated.
