Even though we modern, civilized Christians typically do not kill and murder those with whom we disagree, there is an area of our lives today where we still put others to death for the sake of our religion. We still do kill others over theology.
I am thinking more about the Jihad that Christians have declared upon Muslims.
“No, No! It is they who have declared Jihad upon America!”
Well, Jihad means “Holy War.” It is a war which has a just and righteous cause. It is a war that God not only tells you to fight, but also fights for your cause and your side.
And many Christians do believe these things about American’s wars. We don’t call it Jihad, but we do call it a “Just War,” a war with a righteous cause, a war in which God fights on our side.
There is really not that much difference between “Jihad” and “Just War.”
It is as Sam from GraceGround likes to say, killing others in the name of God, “doesn’t look like Jesus.” Do we really imagine that God goes out with us to kill other people? Do we really imagine that He helps our bullets fly accurately, and our bombs drop in the right spot to bring a bloody end to the lives of others?
To ask the question is to answer it.
Don’t misunderstand. I’m not a pacifist.
I do think that national leaders have the responsibility to defend and protect the nation and its citizens against threats. I think the United States should do everything it can to protect all of us who live here against the sort of thing that happened on 9-11.
What I am opposed to, however, is how the politicians of our country so easily gained the support of the vast majority of Christian churches for this war. Many churches thirsted for the blood of Saddam Hussein, Osama bin Laden, and others. When the churches got involved, what began as a “War on Terror” quickly became a “War on Muslim Extremists,” and has now pretty much degenerated into a “War on Islam.”
Church billboards went from signs that said, “God Bless America,” to “God Bless our Troops,” to things like “God will judge our enemies, but we’ll arrange the meeting.”
I don’t think that God rejoiced when Saddam or Osama died. Or Quadaffi.
Do I think that these men were upright, outstanding citizens of the world? Of course not. I just think that followers of Jesus should not be calling for the death of anyone.
It is the right of nations and governments to go to war and execute criminals, but Christians should always be pleading and seeking for a middle ground between Pacifism and Just War (For an excellent proposal on how this works, I highly recommend Walter Wink’s book, Engaging the Powers
Churches should not sit back and let the criminals of the world (or our own country) walk all over us, our families, and our freedoms, but nor should we teach that the killing and murder of others is the best way out. There is nothing holy about a Holy War.
Um, not sure about all those statements or their veracity. We say lots of things in general conversation but when it comes down to it after some deep thought I think we would all agree as Christians that our main aim is the same as Gods Son, that is, everyone is included in his death and resurrection plan.
The old way was retribution the new way is reconciliation. Might is not necessarily right. When I had a ‘discussion’ with one of my sons when they were small we compromised on a way forward through a deal, you might call it an unwritten contract, binding on both sides, I could have beaten the living daylights out of him, but that would have not solved the problem, I may have won the battle but not the war.
Does that mean everything will be OK then, NO. In Matthew 10 verses 16 to 42 Jesus makes it very clear that persecution will come to all Christians, he says also he has not come to bring peace to the world but a sword v 34. Why is that, because the deceived will hate us as they hated Jesus, they may win lots of battles but they have already lost the war and the opportunity of eternal life.
The suicide bombers are not concerned about their death because they have been told they are going straight to paradise, thats a deception. we Christians when we die are going straight to Heaven and live eternally with the Father Son and Holy Spirit, we therefore should not fear the enemy v28 so instead of doing what the crusaders did to bring them to the Truth, we need to welcome them as friends and by our lives show the love of God for all.
Welcome not yet believers into your home, clubs, social life, schools whatever your doing, give them financial help if needed, be their friends. Embrace them in all ways as Jesus did. Isolating people is not the way, Jesus is The Way. It’s only by our witness through our life style that people will question their own ways, not by ostracizing them.
Come on Church, lets take on board what Jesus said in Matthew 5 v 9 “God blesses those who work for peace for they will be called the children of God” is that offer not good enough.
We, the Christian nations need to apologise for the mistakes of the past and work with the nations we have wronged, not try and sort them out as we would lovingly call it, but ask not tell. Change can only come about through agreement, not by kicking people in the back side because we think we have bigger boots.
My three sons are all sound and getting on with their lives, without Drugs, Cigarets, Stealing, Cheating, Bullying, Prejudice or Hate, they accept all people and allow them to have their own opinions without sulking or falling out with them, Non of them have been bullied or sort to bully to get their own way, but have appreciated and loved the people they have met. That does not mean they have got on with everyone and have made friends with every person they have met, that is not possible, they just have to walk away and agree to disagree.
The way of peace is the only way to stop war. No I wont allow anyone to beat me up or steal from me, I will stop them and use the laws we have to prohibit. Would I go to war, only if I deemed it was right to prohibit an aggressor. Look at all the wars that have taken place and tell me which one could have been justified on that basis. Most wars have been caused by pushing people into a corner when they have no alternative but to fight, we then blame them for causing the war so feel justified in blowing them to bits.
A great American president once said “lets Jaw Jaw not War War” I have found there is never a problem that can not be resolved by communication on a face to face basis. Sending letters or representatives is a cowards way out and will always lead to misunderstanding.
Thats enough, I’m not angry with the comments made but I felt the anger coming through the various contributions. Have faith in a great God, get to know Him better, pray more read the Holy Bible more, more of Him and less of you.
May He indeed bless all of us that search for peace because it certainly is The Pearl of great price. Yours in Him Clive.
Clive,
I am a bit confused by your comment. Initially it sounds like you are trying to correct me, but your comment seems to be in basic agreement with what I wrote. I am advocating peace, not war.
So then you said that you are “not angry with the comments made.” You are the first to comment on this post. Were you thinking of some comments on another post?
This is the second post in which you emphatically state “I am not a pacifist.” And it brings up something that I have observed several times of late.
You see, I am a pacifist — not in the sense that I do not believe that the government has been given authority to wage war but that as a Christian, I do not believe I should every personally seek to kill anyone for any reason.
Now here is the funny part: I have never been the recipient of more vitriol or hatred then when I say the words “I am a pacifist.” Why is it such a crime to be committed to peace by trusting vengeance to our holy God? It is curious.
Another funny thing is that not all that many years ago, I was a committed war hawk. I understand the arguments for fighting and war, but strangely, I see none of them in the New Testament. What I see is that we are to love our enemies and bless those that curse us. I see that God desires all men to be saved, and that by me taking a person’s life, I am sealing their eternal fate forever. I would rather die myself (knowing my destination) than damn a perpetrator to an eternity in Hell, especially if through my death they might come to repentance.
Getting back to the subject at hand, I believe the Church in America has done far more harm than good in regard to the Middle East. God will build His Church in spite of His people at times, a truth that has manifested itself in the revivals currently spreading in the Middle Eastern countries in spite of the anger and hatred directed toward them from America. God is speaking to them through dreams and visions and drawing them in love and grace out of the dark world of Islam and into the light of His Son. Praise God for His matchless grace and sovereign will! Now if we can just come alongside Him in this work and join in the harvest!
Matt,
“Pacifist” is one of those words that has so many meanings. Based on our definition of pacifist, I would probably call myself one also.
But many pacifists think that governments should not go to war, and that our soldiers are perpetuating the worst evil on planet earth. I don’t agree with this.
Great post. Just Peacemaking by Dr Glen Stassen is the best I’ve read that presents and gives the tangibles of a third way conflict engagement outside of Pacifism and Just War.
Thank you for the recommendation. I will get the book.
I’d have to say, you can’t compare the two, the majority of Islam’s want to kill all in the namesake of Jihad (not so much the American Muslims). Christians are not conspiring to commit murder. Can’t compare the two.
I guess I should have read your blog post, didnt see it under your status
Hi Emily! Yeah, my blog sends these over here to Facebook, and sometimes the summary doesn’t come through quite right.
You can say that again