Everybody Loves a Holy War

This song by Mark Heard (whose last album title became the basis for the name of this site after a few other picks I had were not available), seems to be more true now than when he wrote it 20 years ago. We have more Christian militarism in this country and Muslim militarism all over the world, it seems, than we had when Mark wrote the song. The song was designed to be satire, as he said in his liner notes from the album; but it sure has a serious message -- especially when he sings:

Dissident cries are met with cold eyes
And treatment the devil would get
Righteousness and truth
can be weapons in the hands of fools
While innocents go to their deaths

As I think about the mainstream Christian thought here in Oklahoma, and what is sweeping the U.S., I harken back to the wisdom of Mark Heard's music so many years ago. At the time, he wrote about riding the London Tube and the possibility of becoming a victim of IRA terrorism at the time -- a victim in someone else's war.

I was thinking of this song when I heard about how Michelle Malkin was defending a group of Indonesian Christians who were apparently convicted of terrorism-related activities.

Violent actions against any other human is not a Christian idea; and American Christians should not leave the impression that they support such activities.

Here is the full lyrics to the song:

Everybody Loves a Holy War

Some say that God has approved of their mob
Esteeming their purposes alone
Choosing sides with a definite pride
And taking their cause for His own

Everybody loves a holy war
Draw the line and claim divine assistance
Slay the ones who show the most resistance
Everybody loves a holy war

Many's the man with the iron hand
Supposing his own thoughts to be Divine
He will break any bond -
'cause the other man's always wrong
It's a handy excuse for his crimes

Everybody loves a holy war
Draw the line and claim divine protection
Kill the ones who show the most objection
Everybody loves a holy war

Dissident cries are met with cold eyes
And treatment the devil would get
Righteousness and truth
can be weapons in the hands of fools
While innocents go to their deaths

Everybody loves a holy war
Draw the line and claim divine assistance
Slay the ones who show the most resistance
Everybody loves a holy war

Written by Mark Heard
© 1982 Bug 'n Bear Music ASCAP