Remembrance Day and Veterans Day are observed on November 11th every year. Can these observances be a sin?
Although these can be emotional and sentimental times for our society, questions need to be asked. Have we misplaced our sentiment? What do these services mean to God?
Remembrance Day was originally called 'Armistice Day'. It was first observed in England by King George V on the first anniversary of the signing of the armistice which ended hostilities of World War I. Then, during World War II, the commonwealth countries renamed it 'Remembrance Day' while the United States went with 'Veterans Day'. It was originally a day to honor the soldiers who died during the war but eventually it became a day to honor all military personnel, past and present.
Symbolic poppies are handed out a few weeks early so people can show their support. Poppies were first used near the end of World War I to commemorate soldiers who died in the war. The idea came from a soldier’s poem written in 1915, ‘In Flander’s Fields’.
The Remembrance Day services are held at a war monument or cemetery if possible and usually start with a bugle call named ‘The Last Post’. This is a military call that was used at the end of a battle day to signal that the fighting was over and those still out could head in the direction of the bugle to find safety and rest. Most services will then have a minute or two of silence. The time of silence is often scheduled for 11:00am as this was the time that the armistice was to commence, at the 11th hour on the 11th day on the 11th month. This is usually followed by one or two more bugle calls and then speeches or reciting of poems. Wreaths and flowers are often laid. Services vary somewhat from region to region with a variety of traditions such as bells and gun salutes.
So how does this all fit into the life of a believer? Or does it fit at all? To answer these questions we need to separate the facts from the emotions. This is about honoring soldiers. Who are these soldiers and who do they serve?
A clue comes from the Canadian Government, the Department of National Defence,
“There are eleven religious and spiritual symbols approved for engraving on military headstones at the NMC: Christianity (Cross), Judaism (Star of David), Islam (Crescent Moon), Buddhism (Wheel of righteousness), Hinduism (Om or Aum), Bahai (Nine Pointed Star), Sikhism (Khanda), Taoism (Yin-Yang), Wicca (Pentagram), Métis (Infinity Symbol) and First Nations (Medicine Wheel).”
Quick facts News Release, National Defence
This shows a good cross-section of beliefs across the military. How many of these serve YHWH? Most Christians don’t follow ‘Old Testament Laws’ and Jews don’t accept Christ, and the rest are fairly obvious. If they don’t serve YHWH then they oppose Him. The sad truth is that these are pagan soldiers serving pagan military leaders, running pagan agendas for pagan countries. My definition of 'pagan' is anyone who is living a lie, meaning a version of the true reality. The true reality is that there is a God, He is the only Living God, and He has a Son. His Son says and does just as His Father does because He is the image of His Father in every way. Their idolatrous version of reality is why these soldiers are not people of God, they are the enemies of God.
But didn’t we receive freedom from their efforts? No, we didn’t. Both sides of the war were fought by pagan countries. No matter who won, we were still under oppressive pagan rule. We simply trade one pagan governance for another. For example, one extermination may have been halted but others would begin. Six million Jews died during Nazi rule, yet 73 million abortions take place worldwide EVERY year. Both massacres emerged from highly corrupt, sadistic minds and hearts. The second extermination is ongoing and ignored. This is an extreme example of how pagan societies view atrocities. Morality is subjective, and this is the way of pagans. The fact is that there are no countries in the world today that are following YHWH, not even Israel. If they are not following YHWH then they are not following Christ. If they are not following Christ then they are not following YHWH.
War documentaries are rife with a separation of the ‘good guys’ vs ‘the bad guys, but in reality both sides were the ‘bad guys’. The Jews were targeted and imprisoned by a pagan army, and also freed by a pagan army. Do we honor the pagan soldiers who freed them? If a man murdered a woman and gave all her money to the poor, do we honor the murderer? Of course not. The benefits of wickedness are stained with blood. The benefits we have received due to military action are blood benefits. How many sins did they carry out on the way to free the Jews? We should not be proud of these military organizations and their actions. These people may say they believe in God, but their actions show they do not.
We grow up with the idea that soldiers fight for our freedom, but they do not. We believe they are heroes but they are just paid killers, mercenaries for hire, thugs. They are expected to kill anyone on demand, expected to carry out their missions regardless of God’s Laws and God’s Will.
How did we ever think that a soldier was an honorable profession? We have been taught this from our youth and shielded from the operations and atrocities that they carry out. We were born into a deeply ingrained culture of paganism. Movies, video games, and governments glorify soldiers, making hired murderers look like heroes. There are no heroes or innocent peoples. These wars and conflicts are just pagans fighting pagans. The only thing they are protecting is the rights and freedoms of sin.
Our thinking is upside down, we see evil as good and good as evil. We must step out of paganism and get turned right-side up.
“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.” Isaiah 5:20
Society has painted a fantasy of what is right and what is wrong. Honoring the pagan military is absolutely wrong. What did King David do when he lived among the pagan Philistines? He secretly went out and destroyed their towns and killed their people. He didn’t mix with the pagans, he was still fighting the enemy. He was still doing YHWH’s works.
“Now the time that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was one full year and four months. And David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites. For those nations were the inhabitants of the land from of old, as you go to Shur, even as far as the land of Egypt. Whenever David attacked the land, he left neither man nor woman alive, but took away the sheep, the oxen, the donkeys, the camels, and the apparel, and returned and came to Achish. Then Achish would say, ‘Where have you made a raid today?’ and David would say, ‘Against the southern area of Judah, or against the southern area of the Jerahmeelites, or against the southern area of the Kenites.’ David would save neither man nor woman alive, to bring news to Gath, saying, ‘Lest they should inform on us, saying, ‘Thus David did.’ And thus was his behavior all the time he dwelt in the country of the Philistines" 1Samuel 27:7-11
David was never absorbed into Paganism. He simply was forced to live among the enemy, just as believers today are forced to live in a pagan society. It doesn’t matter what country you reside in, it’s in your face constantly, it’s ‘All Pagan All Day’ no matter where you are.
So although Remembrance Day and Veterans Day are filled with deep emotions of lives lost and sacrifices made, these sacrifices were not for believers or for YHWH, they were for sinful men and sinful ideologies. Anyone who served or serves these ideologies was and is our enemy, and we don’t honor them because this would dishonor YHWH. To honor the enemies of YHWH and Christ is definitely a sin.
There is one army, and one army only that you should be serving in. That is YHWH’s army, which is also Christ’s army. We fight in a different way.
“For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2Corinthians 10:3-5
Our way is not one of violence, but one of suffering to do right.
“Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.” 2Timothy 2:3
We do not repay evil with evil.
“Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tender-hearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.” 1Peter 3:8-9
“But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.” Matthew 5:39
“…And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either.” Luke 6:29
If they love us, we love them. If they hate us, we still love them. We continue with Christ.
“But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.” Matthew 5:44
This is not a new idea from the New Testament. Christ’s doctrine is His Father’s.
“If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey going astray, you shall surely bring it back to him again. If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying under its burden, and you would refrain from helping it, you shall surely help him with it.” Exodus 23:4-5
“Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles” Proverbs 24:17
Paul’s doctrine, like Peter's, is Christ’s doctrine. Christ’s doctrine is YHWH’s doctrine. Paul, Peter, and all the Apostles constantly show this by teaching directly from the Old Testament .
“Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay’ (Deut 32:35). Therefore ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.’ (Prov 25:21-22) Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:19-21
“As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that YHWH is good. (Psalm 34:8)” 1Peter 2:2-3
Living among your enemy is very difficult. They will ALWAYS push you to sin, whether it’s working on the Sabbath or eating unclean or celebrating pagan ‘holidays’ or endorsing lifestyles contrary to YHWH and Christ. This is one reason why believers are forced to leave pagan employers whether the job is military or civilian.
Police are no different, they are pagan police, basically local pagan soldiers. They uphold the government's morality and laws, not YHWH’s. Some will say, 'Just wait until you are in danger, who will protect you then?' YHWH has before and I trust that YHWH will again. The notion that the most powerful person in existence is incapable of protecting us is absurd. Only an unbeliever would even ask that question. I don’t need a gun or tank or blackbelt in martial arts, I only need YHWH and His protection. Christ is that protection, I am under His wing. He always has an angel at the ready. A thousand pagan soldiers could not harm a hair on my head if YHWH stood between me and them.
Put your trust in YHWH and Christ, have no faith in human weapons and skills. Only by God’s decree will you survive any situation. Honor YHWH and Christ, not paid killers who are unrepentant sinners. Be wise, be faithful, leave the ideologies that warped you into thinking soldiers were honorable. Any soldiers who truly are believers will eventually leave that life of sin, because they won’t be able to continue in it any longer. Like Cornelius, the centurion in Acts 10, one can turn back to God and be saved.
Keep a clear head when scrutinizing the things and people that society holds in high honor. If you want someone to remember and honor, make it YHWH and Christ. Do not honor what the world calls honorable, for the world is at enmity with YHWH.
“Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” James 4:4
“You, YHWH, will keep the needy safe and will protect us forever from the wicked, who freely strut about when what is vile is honored by the human race.” Psalm 12:8
In Remembrance of YHWH and the true Sacrifice of His Son, Christ.
Comments