A Veteran’s Day Confession for America
On this Veteran’s Day Let us confess our sins before God and neighbor.
Most Merciful God
we confess that we have sinned against you
in thought, word, and deed
by what we have done, and what we have left undone.
We have become people of the lie,
out to tame the frontier wilderness
while the beast within lurks hidden in shadow
paralyzing us in a perpetual state of denial.
We have made war entertainment
enjoying box seats in the carnival of death
consuming violence, turning tragedy into games
raising our children to kill without remorse.
We have morally disengaged,
outsourcing our killing to the one percent,
forgetting they follow our orders
the blood they shed is on our hands too.
We have insulated ourselves from the painful truths veterans carry.
Our bumper magnets proclaim, “Support our Troops,”
but for too many, suicide is the only panacea.
Our insulation is their isolation.
We have made our veterans into false idols,
blood sacrifice on the National Altar of War.
Parades and medals perpetuate the hero myth,
glorifying those who kill and die on our behalf.
We have betrayed the dead,
saying, “They will never be forgotten,”
yet how many among us can name
a single war casualty of the past decade?
We have sanitized killing and condoned extrajudicial assassinations:
death by remote control,
war made easy without due process,
protecting ourselves from the human cost of war.
We have deceived ourselves,
saying, “Americans do not kill civilians, terrorists do,”
denying the colossal misery our wars inflict on the innocent.
The national closet bursts with skeletons.
We have abandoned our Afghan allies,
luring them in with promises of safety and security
then failing to follow through with promises made,
using them and leaving them to an almost certain death.
Almighty God, on this Veteran’s Day
help us to turn from this wayward path.
Deliver us from indifference, callousness, and self-deception.
Fill us with compassion for all who bear the burdens of our wars.
Grant us the courage to pay attention, to stay engaged
so we may listen without judgment, restore integrity,
accept responsibility, keep promises
and give honor to whomever honor is due.
Disclaimer: All entries to CLF/Quest Military Ministries page reflect the personal views of the contributor. The views expressed here are in no way to be construed as an individual or individuals speaking in their official capacities for the agencies, departments, or service branches they serve in. This is not an official publication of the Department of Defense, the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Air Force, any government agency, or any other organization.
- Commentary on “A Veteran’s Day Confession for America” - March 24, 2013
- A Veteran’s Day Confession for America - November 11, 2012
- The Way of Tea - November 1, 2012
Trackbacks & Pingbacks
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[…] made war entertainment,” he said in the sermon, “enjoying box seats on the carnival of […]
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[…] made war entertainment,” he said in the sermon, “enjoying box seats on the carnival of […]
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[…] made war entertainment,” he said in the sermon, “enjoying box seats on the carnival of […]
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[…] made war entertainment,” he said in the sermon, “enjoying box seats on the carnival of […]
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[…] made war entertainment,” he said in the sermon, “enjoying box seats on the carnival of […]
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[…] made war entertainment,” he said in the sermon, “enjoying box seats on the carnival of […]
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[…] made war entertainment,” he said in the sermon, “enjoying box seats on the carnival of […]
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[…] made war entertainment,” he said in the sermon, “enjoying box seats on the carnival of […]
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[…] made war entertainment,” he said in the sermon, “enjoying box seats on the carnival of […]
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[…] made war entertainment,” he said in the sermon, “enjoying box seats on the carnival of […]
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[…] a poem he wrote in 2012, called “A Veterans Day Confession For America,” Antal accused the U.S. of sanitizing killing and condoning extrajudicial assassinations. His […]
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[…] a poem he wrote in 2012, called “A Veterans Day Confession For America,” Antal accused the U.S. of sanitizing killing and condoning extrajudicial assassinations. His […]
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[…] soldiers shared those feelings. And as Army Chaplain, he felt compelled to put them into words. His Veterans’ Day Confession for America, delivered in Kandahar, and shared around the world, explored the depths of a soldier’s moral […]
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[…] While stationed in Afghanistan, Antal delivered what his superiors later referred to as a “politically inflammatory” sermon during a 2012 Veteran’s Day service. […]
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[…] a poem he wrote in 2012, called “A Veterans Day Confession For America,” Antal accused the U.S. of sanitizing killing and condoning extrajudicial assassinations. His […]
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[…] a poem he wrote in 2012, called “A Veterans Day Confession For America,” Antal accused the U.S. of sanitizing killing and condoning extrajudicial assassinations. His […]
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Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.