"Enemy Territory"

JMJ.    You can always tell when you're in enemy territory, behind enemy lines.  Easy.  Most everyone you encounter is trying to kill you.  Usually, too, the enemy doesn't think like you, believe as you, nor often look like you do.  A goodly number of years ago, as an example, the U.S. was embroiled in an unfriendly situation in Southeast Asia.  The people shooting at us didn't look the least like us.  They were generally shorter, more slender, had darker hair and skin, and shot at us.  Simple.

I would not have wanted to be Vietnamese, though.  I mean you have a chance meeting with someone in the jungle who looks somewhat similar to you.  Now--do you shoot first or offer the guy a cigarette?  See what I mean?  Kind of an iffy situation and if you guess wrong you probably won't get a chance to guess again.

We've got a nasty, dirty, and dangerous situation going on in this country now.  We're at war with folks who look just like us and are all around us--they may be family members, neighbors, and the enemy most assuredly runs our government.  The good guys are surrounded by the enemy and we're behind their lines.  They think nothing like us, believe in nothing that we do, hold nothing that we do sacred, and will cheerfully stick a knife between our ribs if given half a chance.

How can you know him?  He will smile at you, he will say he has your best interests at heart.  He wants to keep you safe and warm and healthy.  You don't need your guns, there's nothing to fear, the nice doctor will make your baby go away.  If you feel a cold breath on the back of your neck there's nothing to fear--no need for prayers to a God who's of no value.  Is your spouse in a vegetative state?  Don't worry, we'll put him or her out of our misery.  Are your children acting up?  We'll deal with them, too. Do you feel too depressed to go on any more?  We've got a pill that will help you leave your mortal coils behind.  We are the Culture of Death and we want to help you.

Yes.  They've sold their souls for a crust of bread and a little bit of power.  They surround us, they are the slaves of the Evil One and most don't even know they're doing his will.  How do we fight back, how do we protect ourselves?  It'll seem counterintuitive for someone who's been in a hot war zone but here it is...Don't hide, don't blend in, don't keep your values to yourself.  Praise God every day.  Pray for all you're worth.  And whatever you do--don't despair.  Many will die; WE may die.  But we will triumph over them in the end.

You must know your enemy!  Be stealthy, be wise, be very cautious.  But rejoice.  The victory is eventually ours.