From “Grace Over Guns: Pursuing Peace in a Militarized World” by Ben Daniel
This can be hard to talk about, especially in the United States, where a deep admiration for the capacity to inflict violence infuses the culture. Militarism – a glorification of military might and a belief that military violence will save us – saturates life in the United States. American culture venerates those who serve in military uniforms. Military imagery is an essential part of nearly every patriotic event. American voters reward obscene spending on the capacity to destroy human lives by electing politicians who are quick to foot the bill for sophisticated high-tech weapons systems, but balk at allocating funds that might feed the poor, find homes for our unhoused neighbors, or make healthcare available to everyone who needs it. In many of our churches we sing hymns laced with crusading imagery and the theology of war. Few preachers use our pulpits (I am a pastor) to call for an end to war, often because we are afraid to do so.