a semester of questions

in the land of palestine, there are checkpoints. over a hundred of such inconveniences litter the west bank, many of which are not located along the wall - do not separate the occupied territory from israel proper. rather, the vast majority of checkpoints are within the west bank itself, serving to sever one palestinian city from another and effectively separate a farmer from her land, a daughter from her family, a student from her university. they exist to control the palestinian population. to dictate who moves where when and with what. to ensure that the palestinians are “well-behaved.”

such is the nature of a military occupation.

the israeli defense force now primarily protects jewish settlers who have taken up residence in land beyond the green line, in land originally promised to some future palestinian state by united nations partition. they also protect their own soldiers. the israeli defense force that continues to enforce the occupation of palestine does not allay a threat posed to the general population of israel proper, but must protect israeli citizens (settlers and soldiers) who exist within the west bank. palestinians have become a threat to these citizens by the very virtue of the israelis’ presence in the territories and their artificial control over the whole palestinian population. the anger and helplessness of palestinians in light of such an imposition has led to violence against soldiers and settlers. so check points have been erected all across the west bank. to control the population. to secure the safety of the settlers and soldiers.

such is the nature of a military occupation.

all the while, israel promises that the occupation of palestine is temporary. since the initial occupation of the territories at the conclusion of the six day war in 1967, israeli prime ministers have been promising that israel will withdraw from palestinian lands when palestine demonstrates an ability to govern themselves. basically, israel tells palestine that they may have their human rights when they earn it. all the while, they fragment palestinian society and usurp palestinian leadership and cripple palestinian mobility. in the last ten years, israeli occupation of and presence in the territories has inhibited the development of legitimate and sustainable palestinian society. the creation of checkpoints has made it impossible to travel between, communicate with, and trade amongst palestinian cities. how is central, responsible government to arise from such conditions? how could the palestinians prove to israel that they too are worthy of human rights against such odds?

but such is the nature of a military occupation.

the israeli occupation of palestine is the longest military occupation of any territory anywhere in the world throughout modern history. if there is one thing i taken away from these first few weeks of living and learning in israel, it is that this on-going conflict between israel and palestine is much more complex than i could have ever imagined. much more complex than the news sources in america make it out to be. much more complicated even than my initial impressions suggested after studying the conflict in great detail over the course of classes last semester. i have been blessed to hear compelling speakers present the case for israel, and have developed sympathies for the israeli side of this convoluted conflict. i have becme undoubtedly more centrist in this debate, and have shed the anti-israel bias that i carried with me to this country. still, it seems clear to me that the prolonged occupation of the palestinian territories is a moral transgression. regardless of what peace is reached, whether two states are forged in this land or israel annexes the territories and pursues a one state agreement, i believe the occupation must end. soon.

more than anything, this occupation is the imposition of a state institution on a powerless people. a grievous transgression, certainly. i fear it mirrors the policy of many american churches. allow me to explain:

in the check points of palestine, the soldiers at each security point have absolute authority. any given palestinian citizen has an intended destination - be it bethlehem or hebron or nablus - but it remains the prerogative of the soldier to arbitrate whether any particular person may pass. whether anyone can get where they are going. the palestinian civilian is completely at the mercy of the israeli soldier.

in the churches of america, people often claim to have absolute truth in hand. pastors and laity alike claim to know the location of the line that separates the damned from the saved. if not in word, the actions of many christians seem to suggest that they hold the keys to heaven. the christian who wields such cosmic knowledge has tremendous spiritual power. such a person becomes the unparalleled authority, in her own eyes at least, on matters of heaven and how to get there.

people enter our churches with a destination in mind. yes, this purpose is often heaven. but many people are simply seeking god. people come to church to find truth and worship it. to find relief from brokenness. to experience love and wholeness.

they come and they meet the church authority - the people with answers, those privileged christians who profess to know how one gets from damned sinner to born again christian. and the person who seeks is completely at the mercy of the person who knows.

it is at this stage that many christians begin adding things to jesus. they forget that it is jesus alone that saves, not the power of some prayer or membership in some church or small group involvement or the completion of some discipleship program or even baptism. it is jesus plus nothing.

they forget that jesus says, repeatedly and simply, follow me. that the goal is to pursue jesus christ and to attain the grace that allows you to spend eternity in his presence somewhere along the way. the goal is not to cross some line. not to secure heaven for oneself but rather to bring it to the earth.

it is at this stage also that many christians forget that one cannot judge the soul of another. i could never be sure that my friends, even the most pious ones, are destined for heaven. god alone judges and knows. at best, i can continue to live my life in ways that inspires all around me - myself included - to pursue jesus christ. as i read through john chapter three, the context for the famous sixteenth verse, it seems to me that this is what we are asked to do. jesus says follow me. pursue me. get to know me. along the way, you will awake to new life. you will be born again.

i wonder if our churches communicate this message: sure, you can come to know god - but when you earn it. when you prove that you are capable of relationship with him. when you have completed this course or joined this bible study or signed on to give your rational assent to this list of doctrines. i fear that this reality stymies the development of authentic experience of god, and turns away many people who are hungry for the kingdom of heaven. hungry to know a god who considers each human more precious than pearls, and spent himself to secure the chance to communicate this great love to humanity. i fear we are building check points.

i admit in full that i am guilty of all of the critiques i have raised above. honestly, it is comforting to judge other people. it is intoxicating to feel as though i possess the truths of eternity and the formula for salvation. it is satisfying, even, to see other people come to god on my terms. but i think it is also (ultimately) blasphemy. i don’t want to be the soldier at the check point. i want to throw open the gates and tear down the check points and let people at god.