Jamin Bradley

Fifteen months ago, I walked into a church for a worship and prayer meeting. My stomach began to turn as they instructed us to break into groups and pray for Israel. As a Jesus-minded pacifist, I was not about to pray for someone to win a war—especially when the statistics were so one-sided. Looking at the stats then and following them into today, there’s a reason people have thrown the word “genocide” around. Israel has been decimating Palestinians ever since.

As we broke into groups, I was asked to pray first. I awkwardly told my group I would not be taking Israel’s side, nor would I pray as instructed. However, I would pray for peace and that God would rescue all those who were hurting on both sides of the war.

In recent news, Trump has bewilderingly suggested moving Palestinians out of the Gaza Strip and having the U.S. take control of it. Church, I’m pretty bad at keeping up with international news, but here’s what I do know: Palestinians have been suffering immensely in this war. The statistics are not even close, and Biden had our country partner in creating this appalling scenario.

I don’t know how to make the country see straight on this, but I’m willing to help the church. I’ve noticed that lots of pastors and Christians have celebrated this war and Israel’s victories because of some kind of weird end-times theology. Whatever you’ve been told about this, I don’t see it in the Bible or Jesus’ instructions. It is not wars or violence that Jesus called “blessed,” but the peacemakers. Love God, love your neighbors, and love your enemies—and make sure that your theology and prayers are of the same mind.