If anyone happens into this forum, here is a question for you. Should a Christian go to war and kill other human beings?

Nelta Brock

nib Nelta Brock http://www.hal-pc.org/~nib/ Bible discussion lists: 1stCen-Christianity-subscribe@yahoogroups.com ChurchOfChrist_Open_Discussion-subscribe@yahoogroups.com GospelAdvocatingForum-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

-- Nelta Brock (nib@hal-pc.org), August 28, 2002

Answers

Good morning,

Do you all see a difference in going to war and killing young men who might well be Christians and who probably were drafted into the war on their side....and a killer coming into a home, raping and murdering the occupants? If you had a change to kill such a person, would you?

NB

-- Nelta Brock (nib@hal-pc.org), February 11, 2004.

Hello,

Would you like to discuss this issue?

Nelta

-- Nelta Brock (nib@hal-pc.org), February 06, 2004.

"Give to Ceasar what is Ceasar's..." usually means getting drafted and serving a tour of duty, but when it comes to preserving one's own life, Ceasar, generally, is more intersted in victory at the cost of its men. The soldier is responsible for his own preservation.

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-- rod (elreyrod@yahoo.com), February 11, 2004.

What I see is a "Christian" taking part in a war. The Christian has several choices: 1) retreat, 2) not engage in battle, or 3) preserve life. How this may be sinful becomes irrelavant until the smoke clears. Each choice has its own sinful nature, too.

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-- rod (elreyrod@yahoo.com), February 11, 2004.

Then, the real sinners are the people in power who design for war. The governments are the big sinners.

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-- rod (elreyrod@yahoo.com), February 11, 2004.

I would pull the trigger in hopes of preserving innocent lives. If the bullet kills or doesn't kill is irrelavant, the life saved is relevant. God may intervene and allow my actions to take the lesser of the three posibilities: I miss, I wound, or I kill.

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-- rod (elreyrod@yahoo.com), February 11, 2004.

Well, that's just it, we are not divine and can't miracle ourselves out of such a situation. We are human and that makes us sinful. If we can pray, we would ask for His intervention is such situations.

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-- rod (elreyrod@yahoo.com), February 11, 2004.

But, what would Christ do standing at the other end of the rifle aimed at him?

-- J Biscuits (thefilthohgodthefilth@yahoo.com), February 11, 2004.

I agree with you completely. But, what would you do standing at the other end of the rifle aimed at you?

It is difficult to allow the enemy to kill you or innocent people. I would take action against the agressor in order to stop his sin. If it means for me to sin, I would have to deal with that later. If I trust my faith in God to see me through the struggles of war, I would do what needed to be done. If God decides that I am wrong, I shall pay for my actions. But, I will not allow Satan to have his way.

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-- rod (elreyrod@yahoo.com), February 11, 2004.

Very few, rod. What I meant was that David was not exactly a holy man. He was a murderer, adulterer, and polygamist, among other things. But that is beside the point.

The point is that Christians should not kill. Humans should not kill each other. If one is a Christian, it goes against the teachings of Christ. If one is a Buddhist, it goes against the teachings of Sakyamuni. If one is an atheist, it goes against the laws of nature. Killing humans is wrong no matter how you cut it. How does slaughtering people on a large scale make it more acceptable? When one kills a man, he not only ends the physical life of that man, he also wreaks havoc and pain on all who loved and depended on that man. The pain the killer inflicts on the wife, parents, children, siblings, and friends of the dead man are horrifying. Would the soldier be willing to look into the eyes of the dead man's wife and children as he played God and stole his last breath? If so, the soldier is no man of any God worth bowing to. If not, the man has no business killing in the first place. Humans must be responsible for their actions.

-- J Biscuits (thefilthohgodthefilth@yahoo.com), February 11, 2004.

Interesting. Are there any men who are without sin?

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-- rod (elreyrod@yahoo.com), February 10, 2004.

David was a Jew; and a sinful one at that. The walls of Jericho were alledgedly brought down by the Jews. This was pre-Christ Judaism. If YHWH condoned these actions, then that would make him a hypocrite. After all, it was his commandment not to kill. Christ condemned violence of any kind, including verbal. (Anyone who calls his brother "roka" (fool) has killed him in his heart.)

-- J Biscuits (thefilthohgodthefilth@yahoo.com), February 10, 2004.

I know this is Old Testament:

I do not recall David turning the other cheek when he went up against Goliath. What teaching does this give a nation?

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-- rod (elreyrod@yahoo.com), February 10, 2004.

Who helped in bringing down the Walls of Jericho?

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-- rod (elreyrod@yahoo.com), February 10, 2004.

A Christian should not go to war and kill other human beings. Not only is it violating one of the Christian God's Commandments, but, according to Jesus, it would be killing your brother. Jesus taught that one should love their enemies and pray for those that persecute them. He taught to love your neighbor as yourself and turn the other cheek. He taught that if you are asked for your shirt, you should give not only your shirt, but your coat as well. Jesus' message was one of love and compassion, not hatred and murder.

-- J Biscuits (thefilthohgodthefilth@yahoo.com), February 09, 2004.

POssiblly for a real christian go to a war and fight.

-- Yesse Solomon. (yesesolomon@yahoo.com), February 06, 2004.