e-phesians

He was a poet and consummate artist, so he spoke metaphorically. All he said and did was meant to turn everything upside down - left side up. Death becomes life, love becomes the ultimate warfare, words become swords, flowers into bullets. The helmet of salvation is a protection from the wrong things entering into your head, and a way to keep the right things in it. If you take the words at face value, you will miss their point. Even the words 'conquer' and 'pacifist' become hard to define anymore, for only love conquers in the end - much in the same way that water always overcomes rock in the long term. He was indeed a "warrior", but had he been a warrior in the literal sense he would have been, at the most, no more than one of history's great generals and experienced fleeting glory for one particular moment and one for particular tribe. Oh, by the way, there are no chosen people. He saw the bigger picture, brought down a whole corrupt Empire, and dramatically changed the world forever! I defy anybody to prove to me, with his words, that he was anything other than what we would now call liberal... and a pacifist intent on overthrowing the order of things. It can be done. The prideful make him a macho, warrior advocate of violence. That is not only unimaginative, but goes against the very essence of what makes the message so revolutionary. Being unimaginative is a fatal weakness. I say to them, if you can't stomach peace, love, grace, and compassion for all, then start a new religion. Actually, you already have. And isn't it beautiful and fitting that he would have chosen to speak as a poet. With my beautiful and peaceful words I will conquer. What better way to turn the tables on this world? Even from a merely pragmatic standpoint, this is the only real future for everyone in the long run isn't it?