The War Prayer Essay Essay
The short narrative “The War Prayer” was written by Mark Twain but non published until after his decease in 1923 as it could be considered blasphemous and could hold been damaging to his composing calling. The narrator’s mute ideas uncover his position on war. and perchance Christianity itself. Any Christian wanting to turn in their religion should read this short narrative as it exposes intolerance that may be in their positions. lip service that may be present in their church. and besides ignorance that they may unwittingly pattern.
The first ground as to why Christians should read “The War Prayer. ” is the subject of intolerance. Some Christians are really intolerant of other beliefs. and look down upon anyone that disagrees with them. The narrative begins with a state in the thick of a jubilation for the soldiers go forthing off to war the following twenty-four hours. The 2nd paragraph provinces that merely a few half twelve people disapproved of the war and cast uncertainty upon its righteousness. These people are refereed to as “rash” and it is stated that they stayed silent for fright of personal safety.
These inside informations from the narrative emphasize that the citizens of the state were intolerant of beliefs different to their ain. It can be assumed that the population does non bask being disagreed with. even perchance fall backing to violence if person were to be brave adequate to province the contrary. We as Christians can non be intolerant of other beliefs. There are many readings of the Bible. and the bulk of people are non ever correct in their ain reading. If we want to turn in our religion. we must be tolerant of other positions. listen to them. and perchance alter our ain positions as good.
Along with intolerance. the population of the state pattern lip service in their ain church. The courier of God shows the lip service that exists within this state when he is talking the mute supplication. He begins by depicting the gory battleground and the other soldiers in hurting. This description is the lone possible result if they pray for their ain protection. They do non desire their ain soldiers to be injured. but it is all right to them if the soldiers on the other side dice. The courier says at the terminal of his supplication. “We inquire it. in the spirit of love. of Him Who is the Beginning of Love…”
The storyteller uses this to expose that the Church is in a fact a topographic point that is meant to talk love. but the supplication that they ask of God is filled with decease. To pray for decease is to pray for hatred. hence alternatively of prophesying love. this church preaches hatred. As Christians. we believe in love. and talking life with our supplications to God. We must be careful that our religious wants line up with what God wants. If our church is hypocritical we must expose it and seek to aline its positions with God’s.
The concluding ground that Christians should read “The War Prayer” is the issue of ignorance. After the adult male finishes talking the “unspoken” supplication. it seems as though the people do non even see it and instantly see him to be a moonstruck. The people say that there is no sense in what the courier of God was stating. If they were non nescient. they would hold been able to see the mistakes in what they believed. They would hold seen how at that place positions were the antonym of God’s.
From a Christian point of view we must see everyone’s ain single position. Naming people madmans. when they really good may be talking the truth that God wants us to hear. will ne’er let us to turn in our religion and turn closer to God. The people of that church were nescient to the truth that God does non desire war and wants us all to talk love in our supplications. They believed they were making the work of God ; but because of their nescient beliefs. they were making the antonym.
The citizens of this state. though claiming to be Christians. will happen it hard to turn in their religion and be more like God. In order to make so would necessitate tolerance of other beliefs. practising what they preach. and sing what others have to state. The people looked down upon others against the war. They claimed to talk love. but prayed for decease. Finally they didn’t even see the truth when it was clearly spoken to them. This short narrative can be really convicting to Christians. and do us to measure our religion.
