The Salty Peanut Gallery

Nine members of a small “Christian” militia group based in rural southeast Michigan were arrested Monday for conspiring to kill a law-enforcement officer in order to start a “war” against the United States government. Their plan, according to the 12-page indictment, was to attack local, state and federal officers who might attend the funeral using Iraqi style IEDs. According to their website, Hutaree.com, the group has been preparing itself for the coming of Antichrist expecting to “one day see its enemy and meet him on the battlefield.” Now it’s unclear what the connection is between the Antichrist and the government. I’m not even gonna touch that. What is most troubling is the assertion of a doctrinal heresy that is leading some folks astray and painting Christianity in a bad light.

According to the Hutaree website their name means “Christian Warrior.” In the About Us section and in their doctrinal statement they cite a number of scripture passages in support of their mandate. “We believe only what the Bible says and not on only philosophy,” so they claim. Sadly this couldn’t be farther from the truth. They are but another example of what happens when people take scripture out of context and manipulate it to say whatever it is they want it to say.

The group was founded on what they believe to be a command of Christ that all Christians must prepare for the Antichrist. Their proof verse? Luke 22:35-37:

And he said to them, “When I sent you out with no moneybag or knapsack or sandals, did you lack anything?” They said, “Nothing.” He said to them, “But now let the one who has a moneybag take it, and likewise a knapsack. And let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one. For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors.’ For what is written about me has its fulfillment.”

Their website explains:

This clearly states the reason for the training and preparation of the Hutaree. Jesus wanted us to be ready to defend ourselves using the sword and stay alive using equipment. The only thing on earth to save the testimony and those who follow it, are the members of the testimony, til the return of Christ in the clouds. We, the Hutaree, are prepared to defend all those who belong to Christ and save those who aren’t. We will still spread the word, and fight to keep it, up to the time of the great coming.

Interesting interpretation. Certainly there is SOME truth to what they are saying, but their application is a gross misappropriation of scripture. Christ’s message to His disciples is nothing at all like what they are alleging.

The context of this passage is the upper room. Jesus wanted his disciples to understand that changes were about to take place. In the past the people had welcomed them with open arms. Back in chapter 9 when He had first commissioned them to go out, He told them specifically, “You don’t need to take any provisions.” But now Jesus was about to be crucified in fulfillment of prophecy and from this point on everything would be different.

Jesus actually had a lot more to say about this then what Luke records. John’s gospel goes into further detail. In John 15:18 Jesus explains, “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.” He’s saying, “Before people were happy to provide for your every need. But now you need to be prepared to provide for yourselves. The world isn’t going to welcome you. The world isn’t going to accept you. You need to be prepared.”

And what about this business of selling your cloak to buy a sword? What’s that all about? Jesus isn’t really specific, but there are a few observations in scripture that might give us an idea. For one thing if you read a little farther in Luke 22 you realize that not everyone needed to buy a sword. “And they said, ‘Look, Lord, here are two swords.’ And he said to them, ‘It is enough’” – Luke 22:38. Apparently two swords were sufficient for the entire twelve.

Later on in the chapter we read of Judas betrayal in the garden of Gethsemane. In verse 49 it says, “And when those who were around him saw what would follow, they said, ‘Lord, shall we strike with the sword?’ And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. But Jesus said, ‘No more of this!’ And he touched his ear and healed him.” In Mathew’s account Jesus said, “Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword” – Matthew 26:52. Interesting that the Hutaree conveniently leave that part out.

Clearly this isn’t a call to arms. In the entire record of the apostles carrying the gospel, on no occasion did they ever retaliate with force. On no occasion in the book of Acts did they ever retaliate with a weapon of any kind. In that day swords were often used for things other than weapons. They were used for cutting wood to make a fire. They were used for defending yourself against a wild animal. It could be brandished for self defense in the event that you were attacked by a robber. Jesus was simply trying to help the disciples understand that they were going into a very hostile world and that things were going to be different.

So how is it that the Hutaree could have gotten this so wrong? The eye witness testimony of a couple of the bystanders might give us a clue. Donna Stone is the ex-wife of ringleader David Brian Stone a.k.a “Captain Hutaree” (I’m not makin’ that up.). Outside federal court in Detroit on Monday she told reporters that she had left him “four or five years ago” because she felt he’d become dangerous. “When he went from handguns to big guns, I said, ‘Enough,’” she said.

Andrea Harsh, a friend of Donna Stone had once been engaged to David Stone. She got out of the relationship because he was too violent. “He makes it sound like he’s out to promote Christianity. But he’s not in it for Christ, he’s in it to make a name for himself,” she said.

This is what happens when people approach scripture intent on justifying their preconceived agenda rather than taking it for what it is with a genuine desire to know the truth. They wind up with some twisted watered down interpretation that vindicates their bad behavior, while leading others astray in the process and dishonoring the name of Christ. We’ve seen this over and over again. We’ve seen it from overzealous cultural warriors. We’ve seen it from politicians. Sadly we’ve even seen it from the pulpit. That’s why it is so important that we exercise discernment in separating divine truth from error and half truth. We need to abstain from anything that doesn’t measure up to the standard of God’s Word and hold fast to the things that do.

1 Thessalonians 5:20-22: “Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.”

Christian novelist Angela Hunt has whipped up a bumper sticker that voices the displeasure we all share with the job our elected officials have been doing in Congress lately. Visit her blog “A Life in Pages” and for $3.00 she’ll be happy to send you one for the cost of the sticker plus postage.

As the democrats were preparing to ramrod this atrocity of a health-care bill down the throats of the American people, House Minority Leader John Boehner using strong language summed up our frustration. Caution: If the H*** word offends you don’t watch this video.

So much for principle. Michigan, Rep. Bart Stupak along with twelve other pro-life House Democrats, affectionately referred to as the “Stupak Dozen”, had agreed for months to vote “no” on the Senate’s health care bill if federal funding for abortion is included. Sure didn’t take much to get ol’ Stupak to cave. Correct me if I’m wrong, but doesn’t written law trump an executive order? I can’t imagine Stupak doesn’t know this. So it seems to me what really happened here is that Obama issued a meaningless executive order banning federal spending on abortion to give the appearance that Stupak was standing on principle so that he could go ahead and vote for this socialist takeover bill like he really wanted to do in the first place. For proof just look at his response to the Republicans’ “motion to recommit,” which would have sent the bill back to committee to readopt the original Stupak amendment prohibiting taxpayer funding for abortion under the bill. Stupak said, “This motion is to politicize life, not prioritize life.” Oh REALLY? Now there’s the pot calling the kettle black!