The Power of Life in Willful Acts Versus Nature

This book attempts to highlight the significance of life. It points out that there are two distinct forms of life as I see it relevant: life that is untainted, proud, and pure, versus life that has willfully corrupted itself by opposing the Lord (though still untainted and pure because of the divinity of all humans; I only mean tainted in a human sense). It is inspired by Colonel Carey's arguments in favor of Manifest Destiny for America. In it, he argues that America should liberate other nations that oppress their people, with force if necessary, to protect the innocent of them. He acknowledges this could result in tragic collateral damage, but that it is a sacrifice to be made under these conditions. I agree. I anticipate counterarguments, however, that question the validity of the desire to protect the innocent when the argument revolves around sacrificing portions of them, as they may say.

But to be sure, this is not the case. It's not the case because there is a difference between taking life that is corporeally corrupted and evil by choice–that harms others–where innocents only get caught in the crossfire despite the best of efforts for them to not be so, versus willfully harming the innocent. The willful harming of the innocent is the very thing the Colonel and I seek to prevent in the first place! I exemplify this at first by making an analogy with abortion, where being pro-life for the unborn baby does not preclude accepting the realities of just warfare in this circumstance. One is innocent, whose potential inconvenience for unappreciative mothers is not willful and thus cannot be treated so.

I move on to discuss the broader issue at hand, where we understand as Christians and Americans the value of life to be something that is inherent, and so must be protected. It is never the goal to end life. We hold life to be sacred and superordinate. This compels us to protect innocent children, babies, men, and women against those who would harm them. And those who would harm them, too, are not deserving of death. They are deserving of what is necessary to prevent further harm from occurring. The terrible face of war may involve the slaughtering of unjust people who could otherwise be reconstituted calmly, and innocents maimed, but that is neither the intent nor the enterprise. All war revolves around peace. A respect for peace is the very thing that compels the righteous to protect the peaceful.

Having proven that broader issue, confirming the value of life and understanding it is this value that leads us to manifestly take action, I provide why Manifest Destiny is a deductive manifestation of a kind regard for human welfare. Jesus forgave those who knew not what they did, who showed remorse, or who were good in essence. He turned over the temple of those who did not. Sparing precise examples of how and why various countries harm their people, the book lists overall methodologies and philosophies other nations use to subjugate people, even of the most seemingly civilized sort. The people who rule, as well as those who blindly follow, must be stopped, and the book delivers cutting reasons as to how that aligns with American-Christian jurisprudence.

I end it with a call for reflection, and an understanding of why our lives are all so important: mutual divinity in Christ, assertion of eternal goodwill, and a perseverance to preserve and spread it.