“God is not a Terrorist: on Human violence, Acts of terrorism and war, and the Quest for Global Peace and Reconciliation”

*In this post, I write and reflect upon the current conflict between the Israelite government and Hamas, a terrorist group, from the perspective of a committed follower of Christ, a pacifist, and Christian theologian. It is good to say that I am not a political scientist and activist. My primary audience here is Christians and American Evangelicals.

I am also using this trio-lens to make sense of the military catastrophes in Gaza leading to the death of innocent people and children in the same way Hamas continues to wage war aggressively towards its Jewish neighbors, including both children and vulnerable people in the region. While I condemn Hamas’ terrorist attack, it is also ethical to think morally and responsibly about the Israelites’ military retaliation and its aftermath consequences in this region of the world.

In this post, I write about the problem of human violence, terrorism, and war. I am also interested in the importance of intercessory prayer and the project of peace-making, human liberation, and reconciliation toward human flourishing in the world.

The problem of war and violence

War is never kind to any human being and any nation. War defers human empathy and compassion, and it is the antithesis of human flourishing in society and the reconciling project of God in the world. Every act of terrorism is a challenge to peace and harmony in the world. Military interventions and invasions almost always leave a scar on the life of the victims and the vulnerable. Acts of violence not only cause pain and suffering in the human experience; violence like war counters the essential meaning and purpose of love in the world. It is a rare happening in modern times that defensive wars and acts of violence have helped to solve human conflict or contribute to human resolution. Blessed are those who pursue peace and work toward reconciliation in their community and in the world–toward human flourishing in the world.

The correlation between acts of terrorism and acts of violence is evident. Violence, whether physical, psychological, or systemic, is a grave affliction on society and an affront to our shared humanity. It breeds fear, suffering, and division, undermining our collective progress and well-being. Violence often arises from a breakdown in communication, lack of empathy, or unresolved conflicts. Instead of resolving issues, it perpetuates a cycle of harm, leaving lasting scars on individuals and communities. It is crucial that we advocate for non-violent alternatives, promote tolerance, empathy, and education to address the root causes of violence and strive for a world where conflict is resolved through peaceful means, fostering a safer and more harmonious coexistence for all. Both acts of terrorism and acts of violence are a menace to peace-building and universal harmony.

1. War is a tragic failure of diplomacy, often resulting from the inability to resolve conflicts through peaceful means.

2. Violence begets violence, creating a cycle that is difficult to break and often leads to further conflicts.

3. The human and societal costs of war are immense, causing loss of life, physical and emotional trauma, and economic devastation.

4. The psychological toll of violence on individuals and communities can lead to long-lasting trauma and mental health issues.

5. Wars are often driven by a complex interplay of political, economic, and social factors, making them difficult to prevent.

6. The arms industry profits from war and violence, creating incentives that can perpetuate conflicts.

7. Peacebuilding and conflict resolution efforts are essential to prevent and mitigate the impacts of war and violence.

8. War and violence disproportionately affect vulnerable populations, including women, children, and marginalized communities.

9. International cooperation and diplomacy are crucial for preventing and resolving conflicts on a global scale.

10. The world should strive for a future where peaceful dialogue and cooperation replace war and violence as the means to address differences and disputes.


The promise of peace and reconciliation

Peace is the cornerstone of human civilization, a fundamental aspiration that transcends borders and cultures. It serves as the bedrock for progress, prosperity, and the well-being of societies. In the absence of peace, conflict and instability prevail, hindering development and causing untold suffering. Beyond its obvious moral imperative, peace enables nations to allocate resources towards education, healthcare, and infrastructure rather than defense. It nurtures an environment where dialogue and diplomacy can resolve disputes, promoting cooperation and unity. Moreover, peace fosters individual security, mental well-being, and social harmony. It is the catalyst for innovation, collaboration, and the pursuit of higher ideals, making it an essential foundation for a brighter, more equitable future.

Jesus Christ has called his followers to pursue peace and to pray for their enemies and those who persecute them. The God of the Bible is called the God of peace. Yahweh promises benedictions to those who are called peacemakers. It is the men and women who work strategically, intentionally, and methodically toward peace-building and peace-making who are called “children of God.” They are given the title “peacemakers” because their intentions and actions are linked to the peace-making character of God. They are called children of God because they love and pursue peace like God himself; hence, they are imitators of God. It is only the peacemakers who are called sons and daughters of God. Peace-making is a distinctive divine attribute that illustrates what divine love and empathy look like in public.

The significance of intercessory prayer

The command to “pray for the peace of Jerusalem ” (Ps. 122:6) is not an invitation not to pray for the peace of other nations and other people in the world.

The God of the Bible is not a terrorist and does not support the genocide of human beings, whom he created in his image and holds accountable for their actions and words. God is not a supporter of apartheid, a system that celebrates human freedom on on hand and supports human oppression and incarceration on the other hand.

How shall we think about the present war between the Israelite government and Hamas, and the destruction and militarization of Gaza by the Israelite military forces?

How shall we think biblically, responsibly, and morally about the ongoing killing, through acts of war and invasion, of Palestinian children and women, Palestinian Christians and Muslims, and the innocent people in both Israel and Gaza?

To move forward, I would like to turn my attention to the referenced text about the call to prayer in light of the Israel-Hamas ongoing conflict and war.

1. The call to prayer is indiscriminate and intercessory prayer is a universal divine gift. God accepts prayers from all people as long as they are done in sincerity and transparency. However, it is the prayer of the peacemakers, the oppressed, the poor, and the marginalized in the world that prompts God to act liberatively and compassionately in their favor. In the most distinctive way, it is the prayer of the righteous that moves the Divine to act selectively and without hesitation for their rescue.

2. The God of the Bible is the Maker of all people and does not favor any nation because of its ethnicity, race, culture, global status, geo-political location, military hegemony, economic power, ancestral lineage, etc.

3. The God of the Bible presents himself as a sovereign and universal Deity. In other words, Yahweh is not a “tribal deity” or the “God of a particular nation” who is restricted to certain geographical borders and human groups or races.

4. The global God has no religious affiliation and national identity. He is not a Christian. He is not a Muslim nor is God a Vodouyizan. He is certainly not a Jew, an American, a Nigerian, or a Palestinian. God is not male or female. God is not a queered deity nor is God a transgender in the manner we’re using the term in contemporary times.

5. To defend the rights of the Palestinians to live peacefully and in freedom in their territory is not unbiblical and anti-christian. To promote the liberation of Palestinians is not an anti-Semitic sentiment nor is it a violation of the declaration of the Universal Human Rights Treaty. All oppressed people should be set free and live freely as imago dei.

6. Correspondingly, to defend the rights of Jews to live peacefully and in freedom without the possibility of being invaded by terrorist groups such as Hamas is not anti-biblical and anti-christian. Like their Palestinian neighbors, the Jews have the rights to live without fear of being invaded or terrorized.

7. Biblical Christianity does not favor the state of Israel and condemn the Palestinian people. This is not the way of God. Rather, it is the political strategy and program of the powerful nations that continue to use the Israelite-Palestinian conflict to maintain global political and economic control and military hegemony in the so-called Middle-East and in the world.

8. Biblical Christianity is not equivalent to American Evangelicalism and Christian nationalism in the United States and Western Christian Europe. Biblical Christianity is a universal faith that transcends the geo-political message and affairs of the nations.

Christian nationalism is an ideology that contradicts the global scope and universal politics and good news of Jesus.

*The concept of the nation or the idea of the nation-state is a modern construct (see
“Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism” by Benedict Anderson).

9. American Evangelicalism does not have a monopoly on Christianity and the Biblical faith. American Evangelicalism intertwined with American patriotism and imperialism is an anti-biblical position; it is idolatrous and counters the ethics and ways of Jesus.

a) If American Christians are going to support the state of Israel and its military defense against terrorist groups like Hamas, they also have a moral responsibility to condemn military invasion that will kill innocent Palestinian children and vulnerable groups in Gaza, and they should condemn any imperial interventions that violate the sacredness of life, as wellas human and natural rights. This is a gesture of moral equivalency.

b) American Christians must condemn both acts of terrorism against the Jews in Israel and oppressive Israelites’ policies against the Palestinians.

c) If American Evangelicals are going to defend the right of land of the Jewish people because of their historical connection to the biblical story of the (Promise) land, and because of their ancestral affiliation with Jesus the Jewish Messiah, they also have a biblical obligation to defend the life, right, and liberation of Palestinian Christians who are their brothers and sisters in the Jewish Messiah. Both American Christian and Palestinian Christians pledge allegiance to the same God and worship the same Savior and Lord Jesus. This is a matter of theological equivalence and spiritual connection.

d) As members of the universal church who are united spiritually in Jesus the Lord, American Christians are closer to Palestinian Christians spiritually, theologically, and religiously. Apostle Paul commands followers of Jesus to support first their spiritual family and help one another because they are united as one in the Messiah. In Christ, there are no Jews; there are no Palestinians. Rather, there are followers of Jesus who are one in Christ; they are spiritually and communally connected in Christ; they are sustained and preserved together by the power of the same Lord; and they share a common life and breathe together through the same Savior-Christ.

10. To be an Evangelical Christian does not mean to support automatically acts of military invasion, acts of terrorism, and acts of violence toward innocent people and marginalized groups–whether we are talking about the Jews in Israel and the Palestinians in their territory.

To bring this reflection to a close, I would like to go back to Psalm 122: 6, “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.” Many Evangelical Christians use this verse to defend the state of Israel politically and its military defense in the region. Other Scriptures also call followers of Christ to seek and pursue peace; pray for global peace and universal reconciliation; and not to approve of moral evil and ethically-suspect human actions in the world (Ps. 34:14). The people of God are not only commanded to be peacemakers in the land and country they live; they are also urged to pray for the peace and human flourishing in other territories and countries (Jeremiah 29:7). Peace is a contagious human phenomenon. If we pursue peace and practice peace wherever we are, our peace-making orientation and strategy will eventually have an impact on other people.

Mutual Love and Empathy in Public

Interestingly, there is an ideological parallel between the peacemaker and the righteous in the biblical account. Doing what is morally right and ethically sound will lead to a peaceful life. In the biblical narrative, a nation is favored by God not because of its geo-political location, military capabilities, cultural competency, or a robust economy. Yahweh will honor a people and a nation that pursue peace and live righteously and harmoniously. Yahweh puts stress on the agency of a people and a nation-state to be ambassadors of peace, and he also includes the active participation of followers of Christ to realize the peace-making project in the world.

Apostle Paul understood clearly that God the Liberator of the oppressed and marginalized of the world desire followers of Christ to pray for global peace in a world full of conflict, tension, and despair:

“I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness” (Timothy 2:1-2).

Next time you pray and act, do the following:

1. Pray for the mutual peace of the Jewish and Palestinian people, and pray for their reconciliation and unity. However, there won’t be no peace without liberation and reconciliation.

2. Pray, act, and work collaboratively with your neighbors and those in power to put an end to terrorism, occupation, and violence in this region of the world.

3. You should never prioritize the life of one group while undermining the sanctity of life of another group. All life is sacred no matter where people live and regardless of their ethnicity, religion, culture, and immigration status.

4. Hold your government and politicians accountable for their unjust actions and unfair policies towards vulnerable groups, marginalized populations, and politically-and economically weak nations and territories.

5. Avoid propagating false narratives to humanize one group of people and question the dignity and humanity of other people.