I am not sure I could have made it through the entire speech, so I admire your persistence. One day, I suspect all those Christian Nationalists will find a time when the cult of personality that props the movement up finds another source to grift. May at that time, we'll have a much needed new great Awakening here. Then again, maybe I'm just too optimistic and naive.
Martin is well-remembered by your writing. Thank you. I'd like to hear your take on the illegitamacy of a War focused administration vs defense that protects the vulnerable against evil. The 10/5 NY Times magazine lead article uncovers a Green Beret unit out of control who "brought it" home. The movie The Mission juxtaposed the Jeremy Irons character who in the end led the natives to certain death against the repentant murderer played by Robert DeNiro who fought to save the natives with like outcome. Can there be, must there be, a balance?
My response today is inspired by so many people. The picture you took in front of the Hotel on your trip. It is ruby red, the patchwork heart sparkling in the sunlight. My patchwork heart--
Sunlight reflects on it--at each patch put on it--Words give the pulse to my heart--hearts our own and other's .
With each patch we/I can choose JOY/Light --OR-- Hatred/Darkness. Choosing Joy enlarges our hearts ,like bright faceted jewels like bright faceted jewels on our Patchwork Hearts.
Thoughts in progress but inspired by DBB D. Levertov, M Rukeyser. and some of my own.
No where near what the Generals and other High ranking put up with Quantico ,but I have recently been called an American in anger and slur by a professional medical person who is not originally from here . My reply (in a small room out of the five people in that room I was the only female) was "Darn right and Proud of it" Ended that conversation . Sometimes it is best to end. I think I put a patch on my heart that day because no matter what like the General etc. I choose Joy in being an American. Peace and Love and Strength.
As a military spouse who just moved back to the USA from Germany, this reminded me of how Martinmas is celebrated in Germany. Children wander the neighborhoods carrying little illuminated lanterns and singing. It was one of my favorite things every year and I loathe that we have moved back to where this is entirely missed and glorified as something else.
Thank you, thank you for sharing this critical history. Lord, help me be a peacemaker, alongside those who understand and condemn violence, just like Jesus.
• Earliest Christians rejected warrior gods. Jesus was never seen by the first church as a military general. The metaphor of “war” was only used to describe love’s struggle against hatred, never armies against flesh.
• St. Martin of Tours embodies that memory: a Roman soldier who, upon becoming a Christian, laid down arms and chose the vocation of peacemaking. His feast day originally celebrated harvest and peace — not nationalism or veterans, though later centuries re-coded it.
• Christian nationalism inverts the gospel. Hegseth’s “Come to Jesus” rally reframes Christ as a sword-wielding avenger. That move isn’t just heretical historically; it’s spiritually corrosive, because it entangles believers in power and bloodshed rather than compassion.
⸻
2. Entangity Analysis: Competing Entanglements
We’re watching two different entanglement fields at play:
• The Warrior Flux: Hegseth entangles Christianity with nationalism, violence, and hierarchy. This is an entanglement of fear — where loyalty to Christ is re-coded as loyalty to an authoritarian order.
• The Peacemaker Flux: The earliest Christians, St. Martin, and Diana Butler Bass re-entangle us with hospitality, protection, and self-giving love. This is a flux of coherence, because it strengthens the relational web rather than tearing it.
Entangity teaches: what gets amplified becomes “real” in society. If enough Christians accept the warrior entanglement, Christianity itself mutates into a weapon. If enough reclaim the peacemaker entanglement, Christianity re-emerges as a healer of nations.
⸻
3. Living in Troubled Times
• Discern the image of God you follow. Is your Jesus the avenger with a sword, or the sheltering one who shares his cloak? That choice entangles everything downstream — politics, ethics, even how you treat a neighbor.
• Practice micro-hospitality. As St. Martin’s stained glass shows, the small act of covering another with your cloak has generational resonance. Entangity magnifies the smallest gestures into waves of coherence.
• Reclaim public rituals. Just as Veteran’s Day eclipsed Martinmas, citizens can re-open space for civic rituals of peace: vigils, storytelling, and community remembrance that honor sacrifice without militarizing faith.
• Name the distortion. It matters to say clearly: Christian nationalism is not Christianity. Entangity insists on naming the false entanglement so that it doesn’t silently dominate.
I read your book, and my favorite part was what you wrote about the early Christians and the Prince of Peace. We have strayed so far away, it truly saddens me. Thank you for all your posts, I truly enjoy each and every one of them.
Your words are what I needed this morning! Thanks so much. I yearn for the peace of which you speak! Listening to Hegseth last night, I began to wonder, AGAIN, why any sane and intelligent human would couple Jesus with the warriors.
THANK YOU SO MUCH for this! The saint I was named for, St. Martina, was executed as a Christian martyr in 228. St Martin's story is one which always called to me, and reminded me that ours is supposed to be a nonviolent witness to the Kingdom of God that Jesus proclaimed. We would do well now to re-read Marshall Rosenberg's work on Non-violent communication, and also to follow the strong witness of the Quakers. I have loved the book by Catherine Whitmore, called Practicing Peace.
Thank you so much for writing this today! Christianity is being destroyed by people like the Secretary of War! I am in shock that someone who declares himself to be a Christian would champion such a title. If war is an outcome, it is a failed outcome.
Your piece today also reminds me of Tolstoy’s great book - The Kingdom of God is Within You. I read this years ago and it had a profound impact on me. Thank you!
I am not sure I could have made it through the entire speech, so I admire your persistence. One day, I suspect all those Christian Nationalists will find a time when the cult of personality that props the movement up finds another source to grift. May at that time, we'll have a much needed new great Awakening here. Then again, maybe I'm just too optimistic and naive.
Martin is well-remembered by your writing. Thank you. I'd like to hear your take on the illegitamacy of a War focused administration vs defense that protects the vulnerable against evil. The 10/5 NY Times magazine lead article uncovers a Green Beret unit out of control who "brought it" home. The movie The Mission juxtaposed the Jeremy Irons character who in the end led the natives to certain death against the repentant murderer played by Robert DeNiro who fought to save the natives with like outcome. Can there be, must there be, a balance?
What a beautiful piece! Thank you for writing this.
So well said. I did not know about St. Martin; thank you for educating me.
My response today is inspired by so many people. The picture you took in front of the Hotel on your trip. It is ruby red, the patchwork heart sparkling in the sunlight. My patchwork heart--
Sunlight reflects on it--at each patch put on it--Words give the pulse to my heart--hearts our own and other's .
With each patch we/I can choose JOY/Light --OR-- Hatred/Darkness. Choosing Joy enlarges our hearts ,like bright faceted jewels like bright faceted jewels on our Patchwork Hearts.
Thoughts in progress but inspired by DBB D. Levertov, M Rukeyser. and some of my own.
No where near what the Generals and other High ranking put up with Quantico ,but I have recently been called an American in anger and slur by a professional medical person who is not originally from here . My reply (in a small room out of the five people in that room I was the only female) was "Darn right and Proud of it" Ended that conversation . Sometimes it is best to end. I think I put a patch on my heart that day because no matter what like the General etc. I choose Joy in being an American. Peace and Love and Strength.
Thank you.
After hearing so much warmongering it’s really good to hear a voice of peace.
Bless you
As a military spouse who just moved back to the USA from Germany, this reminded me of how Martinmas is celebrated in Germany. Children wander the neighborhoods carrying little illuminated lanterns and singing. It was one of my favorite things every year and I loathe that we have moved back to where this is entirely missed and glorified as something else.
Thank you, thank you for sharing this critical history. Lord, help me be a peacemaker, alongside those who understand and condemn violence, just like Jesus.
1. What Diana Butler Bass Reminds Us
• Earliest Christians rejected warrior gods. Jesus was never seen by the first church as a military general. The metaphor of “war” was only used to describe love’s struggle against hatred, never armies against flesh.
• St. Martin of Tours embodies that memory: a Roman soldier who, upon becoming a Christian, laid down arms and chose the vocation of peacemaking. His feast day originally celebrated harvest and peace — not nationalism or veterans, though later centuries re-coded it.
• Christian nationalism inverts the gospel. Hegseth’s “Come to Jesus” rally reframes Christ as a sword-wielding avenger. That move isn’t just heretical historically; it’s spiritually corrosive, because it entangles believers in power and bloodshed rather than compassion.
⸻
2. Entangity Analysis: Competing Entanglements
We’re watching two different entanglement fields at play:
• The Warrior Flux: Hegseth entangles Christianity with nationalism, violence, and hierarchy. This is an entanglement of fear — where loyalty to Christ is re-coded as loyalty to an authoritarian order.
• The Peacemaker Flux: The earliest Christians, St. Martin, and Diana Butler Bass re-entangle us with hospitality, protection, and self-giving love. This is a flux of coherence, because it strengthens the relational web rather than tearing it.
Entangity teaches: what gets amplified becomes “real” in society. If enough Christians accept the warrior entanglement, Christianity itself mutates into a weapon. If enough reclaim the peacemaker entanglement, Christianity re-emerges as a healer of nations.
⸻
3. Living in Troubled Times
• Discern the image of God you follow. Is your Jesus the avenger with a sword, or the sheltering one who shares his cloak? That choice entangles everything downstream — politics, ethics, even how you treat a neighbor.
• Practice micro-hospitality. As St. Martin’s stained glass shows, the small act of covering another with your cloak has generational resonance. Entangity magnifies the smallest gestures into waves of coherence.
• Reclaim public rituals. Just as Veteran’s Day eclipsed Martinmas, citizens can re-open space for civic rituals of peace: vigils, storytelling, and community remembrance that honor sacrifice without militarizing faith.
• Name the distortion. It matters to say clearly: Christian nationalism is not Christianity. Entangity insists on naming the false entanglement so that it doesn’t silently dominate.
I read your book, and my favorite part was what you wrote about the early Christians and the Prince of Peace. We have strayed so far away, it truly saddens me. Thank you for all your posts, I truly enjoy each and every one of them.
Your words are what I needed this morning! Thanks so much. I yearn for the peace of which you speak! Listening to Hegseth last night, I began to wonder, AGAIN, why any sane and intelligent human would couple Jesus with the warriors.
Thank you for being an evangelist for peace in a world filled with hate and jingoism.
I just pre-ordered your book. Thank you for helping keep me grounded and sane in this upside down world
Thank you!
THANK YOU SO MUCH for this! The saint I was named for, St. Martina, was executed as a Christian martyr in 228. St Martin's story is one which always called to me, and reminded me that ours is supposed to be a nonviolent witness to the Kingdom of God that Jesus proclaimed. We would do well now to re-read Marshall Rosenberg's work on Non-violent communication, and also to follow the strong witness of the Quakers. I have loved the book by Catherine Whitmore, called Practicing Peace.
Thank you so much for writing this today! Christianity is being destroyed by people like the Secretary of War! I am in shock that someone who declares himself to be a Christian would champion such a title. If war is an outcome, it is a failed outcome.
Your piece today also reminds me of Tolstoy’s great book - The Kingdom of God is Within You. I read this years ago and it had a profound impact on me. Thank you!
Hegseth's use of Christianity as a set of props for his vile utterances to the troops is as blasphemous as anything I've ever heard.