Christians and the military.

Originally posted by menace71
I think war sucks!!! However case and point if not for England's battle against Germany R.C. you might be speaking German today. I argue that defending ourselves is an instinct put in us from God. There is a time to fight for the oppressed of the world and to defend peace and liberty. There is a such thing as just war. Also explain God commanding the Israe ...[text shortened]... e can't happen without justice first and a defending of peace is what keeps peace.


Manny

Manny, Justice (as well as vengance) belong to God. How far would Ghandi have gotten if he called for armed insurrection? I'd say about 3 months later he and all of his followers would have been dead.
When the Romans were feeding the Christians to lions did they fight the Roman oppressor? No, but re-examine history and tell me who won?

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
what is it about, what CHRISTIAN principles that yet evades you.

Did the Jews have a different God?

A Christian can be a soldier.
JWs are not necessarily cowards.
They just are pacifists like the Quakers.

And I just saw a documentary about the Crusades which told me something I never knew. They said after the Viking invasions there was a real problem in Europe with unruly young men armed to the teeth going around bullying peasants for wealthy land owners.

To my surprise I heard for the first time that the Crusades had at least the positive effect of channeling all this anarchical violent gang ethic of the knights to a national project, albeit questionable.

We might compare the Crusades with having hundreds of gangbangers in New York organize into "The Guardian Angels". The Crusades did channel a lot of wild hoodlum knight activity into something else.

Anyway, its a take I never heard before. I am not endorsing the Crusades.

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
sooo it was God loving and neighbourly for the US military to intervene in a foreign war, to drop tons of bombs, to use Napalm to burn people to death, to send in their droves thousands of young Americans to their death, not to mention innocent women and children caught up in this display of neighbourly love. I see, ummmm, where is the loving and ne d against communism', anywhere in the Bible, could you point out the chapter and verse for me.

God is good, so as a Christian I must continuously wage war against evil.
If we were to stand by and do nothing, then evil would prevail and Satan
would surely win. As Christ's representatives on earth, while He is sitting
at the right hand of God in heaven waiting for his enemies to be put under
His feet, we must continue the good God fight with all the weapons at our
disposal. God demonstrated this to us in the old testament and God does
not change and certainly the Son will not overrule the Father. Would you
expect God to stand by and do nothing against evil, forever and ever?
Where in the New Teatament does it say when Jesus returns that He will
love the evil ones to death. Even if we love our enemies we can not allow
them to commit evil acts against others, anymore than we would allow our
children to do evil things to a guest that we have in our home. We are not
to stand by as cowards and refuse to defend ourselves or our neighbors
from evil simply because physical force is involved. You have been brain-
washed by the Jehovah's Witnesses from doing the decent thing when it
is necessary.

Originally posted by RJHinds
God is good, so as a Christian I must continuously wage war against evil.
If we were to stand by and do nothing, then evil would prevail and Satan
would surely win. As Christ's representatives on earth, while He is sitting
at the right hand of God in heaven waiting for his enemies to be put under
His feet, we must continue the good God fight with all th ...[text shortened]... n brain-
washed by the Jehovah's Witnesses from doing the decent thing when it
is necessary.

Have you read the parable of the wheat and the tares? Matthew 13: 24 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; 25 but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. 26 But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. 27 So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ 28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ 29 But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’ ”



So in answer to your statement: "We are not to stand by as cowards and refuse to defend ourselves or our neighbors from evil simply because physical force is involved" yes God expects us to do something...to teach them the gospel with gentless and humility

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
sooo it was God loving and neighbourly for the US military to intervene in a foreign war, to drop tons of bombs, to use Napalm to burn people to death, to send in their droves thousands of young Americans to their death, not to mention innocent women and children caught up in this display of neighbourly love. I see, ummmm, where is the loving and ne d against communism', anywhere in the Bible, could you point out the chapter and verse for me.

He seems to only to worry about his neighbors in this country. I thought all on this planet are our neighbors and our brothers. Are we not all related form Adam & Eve? Are we all not humans and have the same hopes and fears and feelings they do? Are their life's less valuable then ours?

Originally posted by RJHinds
God is good, so as a Christian I must continuously wage war against evil.
If we were to stand by and do nothing, then evil would prevail and Satan
would surely win. As Christ's representatives on earth, while He is sitting
at the right hand of God in heaven waiting for his enemies to be put under
His feet, we must continue the good God fight with all th ...[text shortened]... n brain-
washed by the Jehovah's Witnesses from doing the decent thing when it
is necessary.

So it seems you put more faith in man and his governments and his weapons then you do in God? You like to take things into your own hands instead of letting your triune God take care of it?

Originally posted by galveston75
So it seems you put more faith in man and his governments and his weapons then you do in God? You like to take things into your own hands instead of letting your triune God take care of it?

Christians are the hands of Jesus the Christ, our great God and Savior.

Originally posted by Doward
Have you read the parable of the wheat and the tares? Matthew 13: 24 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; 25 but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. 26 But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. ...[text shortened]... yes God expects us to do something...to teach them the gospel with gentless and humility[/b]

He also expects us to take up the sword when necessary. Jesus said to
his disciples, "But now, let him who has a purse take it along, likewise
also a bag, and let him who has no sword sell his robe and buy one."

Originally posted by RJHinds
He also expects us to take up the sword when necessary. Jesus said to
his disciples, "But now, let him who has a purse take it along, likewise
also a bag, and let him who has no sword sell his robe and buy one."

What was the purpose of them carrying a sword? To fight? What does John 18:36 say?

Originally posted by galveston75
What was the purpose of them carrying a sword? To fight? What does John 18:36 say?

It certainly wasn't to cut bologna as you probably think. It should be
obvious to anyone but an idiot that it was for defense. Don't try to
take verses out of the context again.

Originally posted by Doward
Have you read the parable of the wheat and the tares? Matthew 13: 24 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; 25 but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. 26 But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. ...[text shortened]... yes God expects us to do something...to teach them the gospel with gentless and humility[/b]

Interesting take on what this parable is saying. I always took it to be comparing what happens at harvest time to Judgement Day. Food for thought, indeed.

Originally posted by galveston75
So it seems you put more faith in man and his governments and his weapons then you do in God? You like to take things into your own hands instead of letting your triune God take care of it?

Why be condescending? What importance does the word triune have in this discussion?

Originally posted by RJHinds
It certainly wasn't to cut bologna as you probably think. It should be
obvious to anyone but an idiot that it was for defense. Don't try to
take verses out of the context again.

Well it's not what you think either. No one is taking anything out of context here but as usual your'e not open to learning anything.
You obviously don't get the point of this scripture either as Jesus clearly said "his Kingdom is no part of this world". If you decide to fight for worldly governments then you are a part of this world and not a part of the Kingdom Jesus is speaking of. You are either a part of his Kingdom or your not.......

Originally posted by Suzianne
Why be condescending? What importance does the word triune have in this discussion?

I'm not trying to be, sorry if It seems that way.