The violent man...

The violent one has become a rod to punish wickedness" Ez 7:11

This Thursday night at 7PM at Jacob's Well Cafe, 3016 E. 5th Ave, Spokane WA we are hosting the next Spokane Gentleman's Society meeting which will be centered around the issue of "What makes a man...a man" and the side issue of men's fascination with violence. I've been reading through the Bible and in Ezekiel there is some pretty strong judgment reserved for the violent societies. God is especially gunning down on a few sins He says He really hates and number 3 on the list is "Hands that kill innocent blood" (Proverbs 6:16-19).

Do you have a problem with violence? As a man where does ones thirst for action, butt kicking, big guns and the thrill of smash and blast or hack and slash find it's place in the Christian mans world? Do we get an out if the iron fist of proverbial justice is coming down on those who are NOT INNOCENT?

What about the taste of blood?

Is it weird to you that one of the symbols of the Jesus Way is drinking blood and eating flesh? Can you get any more earthy than that? What about the Jesus of the Apocalypse? He looks more like the Thor of Norse mythology than the carpenter who told Peter to put away his sword. Do we have a place for a God of War? A God-Man who is tattooed, wielding a slaughtering sword, trampling the grapes of wrath, His rope splattered in the blood? How do we balance the Prince of Peace with the Lord of Hosts...Heaven's armies?

What do we do with such images?