The ethics of using of unarmed drones in combat is one that doesn’t seem to get the attention it deserves. There’s probably a few reason for this. It’s our nation that possesses the technology and the thought of using technology to keep our sons and daughters out of harms way is attractive. There’s also an awareness issue. The current administration has a policy of not disclosing how many civilians are killed by drones which makes it difficult for our citizenry to develop and informed opinion on the matter.
The task of the Christ-follower is to think about this newer technology in light of Just War theology. Frankly, there’s just hasn’t been much good thought on this one way or the other.
Seattle based writer and director Ian Ebright hopes to changes this with his upcoming short film From The Sky. According to his press release:
‘From the Sky’ takes viewers beneath the headlines by telling a fictional story of a noble father Hakeem and his troubled teenage son Abbas as they journey across a volatile region of the Middle East.
The story opens to reveal Abbas suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder due to a tragic past and the frequent presence of drones flying overhead. Soon, a turn of events forces Abbas to make a choice about which way he will go in life: the way modeled by his father, or a different path articulated by the charismatic character Dhiya.
The film will be among the first (if not the first) narrative works of cinema from the U.S. to show the impact of drone strikes on civilians in the Arab world. The film also explores the roots of extremism and ultimately asks a universal question: When we are harmed, will we take the wide road of retaliation or a more narrow path by responding in life-giving ways?
Writer/Director Ian Ebright
Ebright says that over a decade of research and dialogue with Mulsim and other advisors from the Aran world informed the script. His goal is to open up a space where people with conflicting opinions can find dialogue about the complicated ethical issues that accompany a war on terror.
Ian and his wife are putting the first $10,000 toward the film and are looking for donors to fund their Kick Starter Campaign. If this is a cause that energizes you, consider making a donation here.
What if you are a Christian who doesn’t buy Just War theology?
Larry_Shallenberger
I would say that you’re responsible to integrate whatever theological construct you have concerning war with the reality of this technology. Care to share?
http://www.jqgill.com/ Jeff Gill
That’s a good answer; I just wanted to point out that Christians view war and violence from many different perspectives.
I don’t see a way to ever justify war in the Kingdom of God. That’s not to hide from reality. The ‘kingdoms of this world’ will always go to war, and the Christians living within the those kingdoms will benefit or suffer based on their country’s fortunes at war. That makes things messy. But as long as ‘God so loved the world’ I don’t get the luxury of choosing sides.
Greg Boyd and Shane Claiborne have been very vocal with thoughts like this. Walter Wink on the ‘myth of redemptive violence’ is genius: http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/content/cpt/article_060823wink.shtml Leo Tolstoy’s The Kingdom of God is Within You contains a great reality check about what ideas like this can cost _if_ you really believe them.
That’s a big IF – it’s easy to type this in a warm, safe office in North Wales with no threat on my personal horizon.
http://www.facebook.com/larry.shallenberger Larry Shallenberger
