Re: [TruthTalk] Christians and Violence

[Knpraise]

In a message dated 6/24/2004 8:27:56 AM Pacific Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:

The devil ... has on occasion controlled men in positions of authority. Hitler is one example and the Jews pacifistic response to him cost them a lot of lives.
 
I wonder how many Jewish lives pacifism would have cost if every Christian in Germany would have taken Paul's words seriously and refused to fight in Hitler's army? Maybe when Paul said to Christians, "The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world," he meant it. No, Judy, it was Christian militancy that cost the Jews "a lot of lives."
 
Bill

I do not think that "lose of life"  is an argument against pacifism if that belief (pacifism) is based on a sense of Divine directive.   Of course pacifism will lead to lose of life, alla Christ and the Cross.   The problem is seen (IMO) in a circumstance which would include "lose of life" for those who are not believers and/or are not pacifists.

There are sound biblical arguments for pacifism (as well as against that belief).  Look to President Carter  (the best worsted president we ever had).   He is and was a pacifist.   Did you know that.   A pacifist  ---   trying to command the respect of those who despise us, aggressively work toward our (America) destruction, and understand military might apart from all other considerations (love they neighbor, prayer, faith, turn the other cheek, etc).
I  do not believe that a Christian pacifist is qualified to serve as President of the United States.   Pacifism can be said to "work" in the advancement of the Christian faith   --  it will not work in a world of bullies and thugs and perverts.    Why - I am asking myself this question (thinking out loud, here).  And I would say that it is because the goals are different.   The goal of this country among other issues is to survive and prosper.  Neither of these is the goal of the Faith and they are not the issues because The Faith is God's idea and it is He. personally. who  is opposed.   He is the line of defense and thousands of years of success in this regard proves the point.  

Just  thinking  (carpenters do that once in a while)

John