I just finished watching the new movie "Machine Gun Preacher" which tells the true story of former drug-dealing, motorcycle gang, crime filled Sam Childer who found Christ, turned his life around, went on a trip to Uganda and Sudan and found out about Kony and the LRA. So he built an orphanage and fought to save the children there. It is a powerful movie, realistic with it's hard R rating, but powerful none the less. It ended leaving me with questions though. I watch this movie and cannot help but think that what he is doing is what the Lord wants. He is saving these children and giving them a place to stay. He is getting them out of the sex trade and of being children soldiers...and I am all about that. I praise the Lord that he is doing that. What I wonder is the way that he is called "machine gun preacher" that he is using violence against violence. If we look at Christ's teachings He never says to use violence against violence, in fact he talks about a Third way when dealing with conflict...and yet he Also says to help the least of these and Childer is by all means doing that. It has created a conflict in me because I believe what Childer is doing is right and good for the Lord, it just breaks my heart the deaths that have to come of it. I know he is only protecting himself and those kids, and it is eliminating a horrible evil from this world, but I still wonder about the words "redemptive violence." They seem to contradict each other. I can see both sides...I personally do not know what the Lord thinks on the matter, but I do know that he is glad that those little children are safe. So that is what I will go with for now. I'll pray for that orphanage, those children, and leave the rest to God. He is a God of mercy and justice and He knows way more than I could ever even dream of knowing. So we need to pray for the situation in Uganda and Sudan, pray for other parts of the world that need it, Pray for Joseph Kony that he would turn from his evil ways, pray for people like Sam Childer who would do what they feel convicted to do in order to save people's lives. Finally we need to pray for a generation that will actively work towards bringing the Lord's redemptive Kingdom of reconciliation down to this earth.
http://www.machinegunpreacher.org/
