It is 1939. There is a wedding in a town 40 miles inside Poland from the Czech border and the morning after - the guests are woken early to leave quickly. The Germans had crossed the border. Poland was being invaded.
The DVD series “Winds of War' highlights this scenario.and which in my view, counters many of the issues confronting the world today.
Five of them leave in the motor car, an American naval officer, a young woman friend and her uncle, along with the newly married couple. On their way to Warsaw they come to a town under the control of the Polish military and the guards stop the vehicle and demand it.
The American naval office gets out and challenges this explaining who he is and his passport is required, and together with the guard, they head to the town's military commander. The American demands he ring the American Embassy in Warsaw, instead the military commander confiscates his passport for 24 hours.
Here's the rub. He returns to the car and the occupants and tells them what has happened and says, we need to get out here, and they head off towards Warsaw. His woman friend says - “It's illegal to take your passport, they cannot do that!” His response was -
“But, he has the guns”.
So too in life
In many parts of the world today, what is written down in a constitution or state laws or by-laws applies under the circumstances in which the governing authorities permit.
Many Christians in countries where persecution exists face situations where the law of the land guarantees religious freedom, and moreover, has laws giving women's rights, there are anti-discrimination laws, but in reality, they only apply if you are on the side of those who hold the guns.
There is example after example in the Christian media that countries where religious freedom is a guarantee, Christians are persecuted on trumped up charges and where there is clear evidence, and perpetrators go free.
The law is an instrument that can be legally construed. My wife Delma and I (45 years) each night pray for persecuted Christians and we read from numerous mission groups’ literature. This to true today around the world.
What does this mean
It means unless you have a liberal democracy as illustrated in Australia, it is he who has the guns rules regardless of what is written in any constitution.
This also happens across the spectrum - in companies, big business, the corporate world, politics, social clubs, sports organisations, churches, missions … you name it. It is common in Churches too, where one or two families or a small group of people, dominate small congregations. A cursory glance at their history reveals short term ministries.
Having said all that, one way forward (as it were) is to be on the side of those who hold the guns. Another way is a Gospel reflection, where there is a balance between forgiveness and the biblical announcements on accountability. Indeed, he who lives by the sword dies by the sword.
Respected Christian men and women are critical in our community as in today’s photograph, a retired barrister and senior banker.