When do the ends justify the means?

People offered prayers for victims of the atomic bombing in front of a cenotaph in Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. www.bbc.com

Today marks 70 years since the US dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshema and a second one on Nagaski three days later. These bombs have been credited with bringing an end to World War II. Since those days more than 300,000 total deaths have been attributed to the bomb including those who died from radiation-related cancers[1]. The atomic bomb is the greatest example of do the ends justify the means? 

Prayer:
Gracious and Powerful God,
We are your people who continually ask “what should I do?” We question our decisions and others decisions. We are a world without all the answers and we try to weight our decisions. Great Creator we ask when do the ends ever justify the means?

On this day, 70 years after the B-29 Enola Gay dropped the "Little Boy" bomb, I pray for those lives lost and the lives directly affected. The ramifications of that day continue to this day. It is a great reminder of the significance of our international and political actions. 

Holy One help our country and the world work towards peace and away from destruction. We are people who avoid conflict and blame others, help us look in the mirror and be advocates for a peaceful world because when we hurt others we are hurting the Body of Christ for we are all a part of that great Body.

Be with us this day as we remember. In the name of the Creator, Christ and Spirit One. Amen. 

 



[1] http://bigstory.ap.org/article/hiroshima-numbers-stack

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