I am a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I am also a God fearing, peace loving American citizen and veteran of the US Navy Submarine force. These are not in conflict. Service to my country was one of the highest honors of my life, vocationally second only to my service to God and His church. There are those who live under the protection of the freedom men like me have done their part to preserve who would say that there is a disconnect between those two duties. That is their right, and I am not offended. I do point out, however, that they have the right to come to such conclusions in the warmth of the liberty provided by the very thing they reject. As long as mankind continues to be dominated by the fallen and unregenerate nature of Christlessness, there will be a need for men and women who will take up arms to protect and defend the freedom of those who cannot do so for themselves. Richard Grenier wrote in the Washington times that “…people sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf” – a sentiment he attributed to George Orwell. John Adams, in a letter to his beloved Abigail from his post as a diplomat in Paris, wrote the following:
“I must study politics and war that my sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy. My sons ought to study mathematics and philosophy, geography, natural history, naval architecture, navigation, commerce, and agriculture, in order to give their children a right to study painting, poetry, music, architecture, statuary, tapestry, and porcelain.”
As our society becomes arguably softer and more concerned with the aesthetic than the guttural, and as men and women increasingly spend their time pondering the deeper musings of their liberated existence, let all of us take time on this Veteran’s Day to remember who it is that continues to protect their right and ability to do so freely. Thank you to all who have served and continue to serve!
Ed Brewer 