Memorial Day? Traditionally it was May 30, regardless of the day of the week (changed so people could have 3-day week-ends). I followed my only brother’s casket THAT day (he was killed 5/24/1954) to a hill side in West Rushville, OH. Here are some facts. My first-cousin-once-removed died as a tail gunner in WWII. My first cousin went down in a submarine in WWII. My older b-n-l fought in the Philippines & my f-n-l in Germany in WWII. My younger b-n-l was in the “Korean Conflict.” My only brother was killed in boot camp at 17. None of the above turned me against WAR nor did my church oppose it. When 18 I did a normal registration (not C.O.). My stance against WAR came from my reading the New Testament in the late 60’s and has been strengthened since by further readings of It & by learning more history about war$. (I have more reasons to oppose WAR than ever before.)
Some people (even Christians) may feel they’d be disloyal to a dad, granddad or other, if they stopped supporting all the military days – my 2015 calendar lists seven (7) days that glorify WAR: Armed Forces Day (5/16), Memorial Day (5/25), Flag Day (6/14), Independence Day (7/4), Patriot Day (9/11), Veterans Day (11/11), and Pearl Harbor Day (12/7). THINK, Friend – that is more than the “Christian” days: Palm Sunday, Good Friday, “Easter,” Thanksgiving, & Christmas. No, for me to oppose the killings of WAR (on both sides) does not dishonor my dead brother. But opposing WAR does honor Jesus Christ.
Isaiah (2.4) & Micah (4.3) predict a day when they will learn WAR no more and the Psalmist (46.9) agrees WARS will someday cease – Wonderful.
P.S. For some this is new thinking – search the NT. Jesus doesn’t approve worshiping “war heroes.”
– eab, May 2015
Separate-Holy 
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