Mark Twain's "The War Prayer"

This is strictly an homage to Mark Twain's original sentiment. No
deeper political message is intended. I am merely illustrating
how true and pointed Twain's message is today. It speaks to the post-
9/11 attitude in the US.

Original text at the B5 Lurker's Guide:
http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/making/warprayer.html

From Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_War_Prayer
"The War Prayer," a short story or prose poem by Mark Twain, is a
scathing indictment of war, and particularly of blind patriotic and
religious fervor as motivations for war.

The structure of the work is simple, but effective: an unnamed country
goes to war, and patriotic citizens attend a church service for soldiers
who have been called up. The people call upon their God to grant them
victory and protect their troops. Suddenly, an "aged stranger" appears
and announces that he is God's messenger. He explains to them that he is
there to speak aloud the second part of their prayer for victory, the
part which they have implicitly wished for but have not spoken aloud
themselves: the prayer for the suffering and destruction of their
enemies. What follows is a grisly depiction of hardships inflicted on
war-torn nations by their conquerors. The story ends on a pessimistic
note: the messenger is ignored.

The piece was left unpublished by Mark Twain at his death, largely due
to pressure from his family, who feared that the story would be
considered sacrilegious. Twain's publisher and other friends also
discouraged him from publishing it.[citation needed] According to one
account, his illustrator Dan Beard asked him if he would publish it
regardless, and Twain replied "No, I have told the whole truth in that,
and only dead men can tell the truth in this world. It can be published
after I am dead." Mindful of public reaction, he considered that he had
a family to support, and did not want to be seen as a lunatic or
fanatic.

"The War Prayer" wasn't published until six years after Twain's death,
in unusual circumstances. World War I had broken out more than two years
previously, and in that time had produced unprecedented casualties on
both sides, yet with the U.S. still officially neutral, and President
Wilson running for re-election on the slogan He Kept Us Out of War.

Twain's story appeared in Harper's Monthly, November 1916. Had the
attempt been made to publish it five months later, in April 1917, it
might ironically have been seen as too unpatriotic for print.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• Mark
• Twain
• War
• Prayer
• patriot
• war
• prayer
• religion
• atheism
• protest
• prose
• c0nc0rdance

[Rationalific]

I'm not sure that you mean by: "This is strictly an homage to Mark Twain's original sentiment. No deeper political message is intended (*wink*)."

Why not just not mention it, instead of saying that and then winking, making us aware (if we didn't see it in the video already) that a deeper political meaning IS intended. And if it is intended, you're free to do so, but I don't like deceptiveness. And since you ONLY show what America has done, do you mean that this is only true for America?

[C0nc0rdance]

@Rationalific

Wink removed. I really don't mean this to be a war protest, but there is a need to constantly reappraise our actions around the world.

[CobinRain]

Classic Twain. You cannot read even Huckleberry Finn without seeing that Mark Twain had a loathing of religion and understood the way religion underwrites evil and gives it "authority". In that book it's the point where Huck, a boy of 14, finally decides that although the church preaches the righteousness of slavery, he cannot bring himself to betray Jim, the runaway slave, even tho he knows it's a "sin". and says, "allright, I'll go the hell then!"

Havent read Huckleberry Finn? Read it.

[thatguy1479]

Six of the voters are obvious Shapeshifting Reptilian Aliens.

[gooddarkjedi]

there is no one true goodness or evil. there is no free deal to be made. every action we take we pay the price. nothing can be gained without loosing something. that is the truth. that is why there is no ultimate good or evil. that is why gods dont exist.

[daddyleon]

@moother888 As long as it's "gay and fine", it's all right to me

[D119heavy]

I don't know anyone who makes me prouder to be an American than Mark Twain

[clockworkornge]

be·nig·nant :)

[GoodAvatar]

@moother888 Why? The USA has a lot to be praised for. It's not a bad thing to be dedicated to this country and what it stands for.

[colourmegone]

One of my top 5 Americans, thanks for posting this. Have you thought about doing "The Mysterious Stranger"?

[TheForwardGaze]

Well done.

[MetroidfanCNC]

Hooray for Mark Twain. He knew that God is not on anyone's side, and hoping for our success is hoping for others' death...