Robert Dort was pasturing a small congregation in the Congo. The political atmosphere at the time was very hostile to Christianity so the church met late at night. One evening as Pastor Dort was reading a passage from the sermon on the mount, “Love your enemies”, do Good to them, and “blessed are the peacemakers”, when through the door burst an armed gang of local drug traffickers. The leader of the gang demanded in the local language for everyone to move to the far wall of the church behind the pastor and face the wall. Then he ordered his men to take aim at the pastor. The pastor spoke out, “May I say a prayer first?” To which the gang leader nodded. The pastor then kneeled down as though to pray, but instead he reached behind the pulpit, grabbed a grenade and threw it at the gang now standing at the opposite end of the building, as he yelled “Go to hell!” The ensuing explosion killed some and maimed others in the gang, and blew out the entire south wall, but left the church members only temporarily deafened and in shock.
The pastor and his church’s story was widely told and the community around respected and feared the Christians, knowing they were not going to take any harassment from anybody. The members were exhorted to carry concealed weapons at all times and use them to defend their own lives against the Marxist, the Muslims and anybody else. Those who could not afford weapons were given weapons as well as training. Membership in the church grew as locals sought the security it offered, and soon the church had to erect a new building to accommodate the growth. Of course some came only for the fleshly reasons, and were not truly regenerated. From time to time one of the church members in the villages would attempt to burglarize other Christians in the community. Those false Christians usually did not last long in the community as the true believers would exercise their god given right to self defense. Soon the church ordered new pew bibles, but there was something different about them. They were a little thinner than the old ones. Upon opening on, it was found that the four gospels had been removed, as well as portions of the epistles, portions of the psalms and proverbs, and in their place just before Geneses there was a manifesto titled, “A declaration of the right of Christian self defense”
The security of the church community brought peace and prosperity for its members. The wealth of the community became widely known, influencing many to join, and inciting many others to jealousy. Soon after the midnight attacks started, as local gangs surrounded the community, burning down homes, robbing, and killing. The community erected a garrison wall all around, and put together a patrol of armed guards to patrol continuously. The attacks still continued until it was decided that a retaliatory attack on the gangs village was necessary to prevent another attack, and recover stolen goods. Pastor Dort’s army delivered a devastating blow to the enemy, killing many and taking others as prisoner.
The community continued to thrive, now with its powerful army, and prosperous economy, and booming population. An intelligence group was assembled to gather information of other local villages and their capabilities to attack the Christian community. It was determined that there was another village nearby stock piling weapons, bombs and even had armored vehicles. This village was preparing for war, and had the capability to inflict serious harm to the Christian community. Pastor Dort ordered the formation of a stealth team of fighters to infiltrate the village at night and poison the well. The stealth operation was successful, killing the entire village. Afterwards as Dorts army was spoiling the village, they found in a church building pew bibles identical to their own. Perhaps they had been stolen in one of the former midnight raids and sold to this village.
Being emboldened by their success the church decided to take the good news of Jesus to all of the land, near and far. They church sent missionaries escorted by armed men waving banners inscribed with a verse, Deuteronomy 7:2, "thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them".
Pastor Dort’s church grew and prospered, increasing its wealth in land, gold, and other stores. The name of Christ was spoken of throughout the entire land, but his words were forgotten. “You have heard that it was said, “Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.” But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.”
This story is obviously fabricated and ridiculously extreme. But I believe by taking our beliefs to their most extreme possible outcome we can better judge the validity of those beliefs. How the fictional Pastor Dort reacted to the violence threatening himself and others in his church in this story is only one of many ways he could have reacted. Those that advocate the "right of christian self defense" often enjoy taking the belief in christian non-resistance to one of its possible most extreme conclusions telling stories of men bursting through their door at night and raping their wife and all ten children, then murdering them one by one as you watch and then are finally killed last. Is that a possible conclusion to non-resistance, yet, but I believe it is very unlikely. The story I have presented here is no more unlikely than self defense proponents stories.
Let me suggest another outcome of this story, that is also extreme, but ends completely different. Pastor Dort kneels to pray, and he prays that his soon to be murderers are forgiven, and find Jesus. Then the pastor slowly walks up to the nearest gunman and calmly places the barrel directly on his forehead, and looks at the gunman squarely in the eyes and says, "I love you, and I forgive you. And I hope you learn the way of Jesus so I can great you in heaven." The gunman then pulls the trigger and pastor dort falls to the floor. Seeing Pastor Dorts courage, the church members begin to slowly line up to be shot as they face their murderers. In the few seconds they have, they look at the gunman in the eyes, and smile. Some are praying out loud. Others begin to sing. The gunmen are ordered to fire, and they all do, killing every single church member. As far as these wicken men could tell the christians had been defeated. But what they didnt realize is that one of the gunman began to have nightmares every night of the event. "How could they die with such peace", he asked himself. Being tormented by his conscience he goes back to the church and finds a bible and secretly begins to read it. Soon he finds Jesus, and cannot contain his enthusiasm and begins to tell anyone who will listen. Most refuse to listen, but some believe. Over time the church begins to grow in that village again, and spreads to other villages. The name of Christ is spoken of throughout the land, but his words are remembered, "Love your enemies".
The pastor and his church’s story was widely told and the community around respected and feared the Christians, knowing they were not going to take any harassment from anybody. The members were exhorted to carry concealed weapons at all times and use them to defend their own lives against the Marxist, the Muslims and anybody else. Those who could not afford weapons were given weapons as well as training. Membership in the church grew as locals sought the security it offered, and soon the church had to erect a new building to accommodate the growth. Of course some came only for the fleshly reasons, and were not truly regenerated. From time to time one of the church members in the villages would attempt to burglarize other Christians in the community. Those false Christians usually did not last long in the community as the true believers would exercise their god given right to self defense. Soon the church ordered new pew bibles, but there was something different about them. They were a little thinner than the old ones. Upon opening on, it was found that the four gospels had been removed, as well as portions of the epistles, portions of the psalms and proverbs, and in their place just before Geneses there was a manifesto titled, “A declaration of the right of Christian self defense”
The security of the church community brought peace and prosperity for its members. The wealth of the community became widely known, influencing many to join, and inciting many others to jealousy. Soon after the midnight attacks started, as local gangs surrounded the community, burning down homes, robbing, and killing. The community erected a garrison wall all around, and put together a patrol of armed guards to patrol continuously. The attacks still continued until it was decided that a retaliatory attack on the gangs village was necessary to prevent another attack, and recover stolen goods. Pastor Dort’s army delivered a devastating blow to the enemy, killing many and taking others as prisoner.
The community continued to thrive, now with its powerful army, and prosperous economy, and booming population. An intelligence group was assembled to gather information of other local villages and their capabilities to attack the Christian community. It was determined that there was another village nearby stock piling weapons, bombs and even had armored vehicles. This village was preparing for war, and had the capability to inflict serious harm to the Christian community. Pastor Dort ordered the formation of a stealth team of fighters to infiltrate the village at night and poison the well. The stealth operation was successful, killing the entire village. Afterwards as Dorts army was spoiling the village, they found in a church building pew bibles identical to their own. Perhaps they had been stolen in one of the former midnight raids and sold to this village.
Being emboldened by their success the church decided to take the good news of Jesus to all of the land, near and far. They church sent missionaries escorted by armed men waving banners inscribed with a verse, Deuteronomy 7:2, "thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them".
Pastor Dort’s church grew and prospered, increasing its wealth in land, gold, and other stores. The name of Christ was spoken of throughout the entire land, but his words were forgotten. “You have heard that it was said, “Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.” But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.”
This story is obviously fabricated and ridiculously extreme. But I believe by taking our beliefs to their most extreme possible outcome we can better judge the validity of those beliefs. How the fictional Pastor Dort reacted to the violence threatening himself and others in his church in this story is only one of many ways he could have reacted. Those that advocate the "right of christian self defense" often enjoy taking the belief in christian non-resistance to one of its possible most extreme conclusions telling stories of men bursting through their door at night and raping their wife and all ten children, then murdering them one by one as you watch and then are finally killed last. Is that a possible conclusion to non-resistance, yet, but I believe it is very unlikely. The story I have presented here is no more unlikely than self defense proponents stories.
Let me suggest another outcome of this story, that is also extreme, but ends completely different. Pastor Dort kneels to pray, and he prays that his soon to be murderers are forgiven, and find Jesus. Then the pastor slowly walks up to the nearest gunman and calmly places the barrel directly on his forehead, and looks at the gunman squarely in the eyes and says, "I love you, and I forgive you. And I hope you learn the way of Jesus so I can great you in heaven." The gunman then pulls the trigger and pastor dort falls to the floor. Seeing Pastor Dorts courage, the church members begin to slowly line up to be shot as they face their murderers. In the few seconds they have, they look at the gunman in the eyes, and smile. Some are praying out loud. Others begin to sing. The gunmen are ordered to fire, and they all do, killing every single church member. As far as these wicken men could tell the christians had been defeated. But what they didnt realize is that one of the gunman began to have nightmares every night of the event. "How could they die with such peace", he asked himself. Being tormented by his conscience he goes back to the church and finds a bible and secretly begins to read it. Soon he finds Jesus, and cannot contain his enthusiasm and begins to tell anyone who will listen. Most refuse to listen, but some believe. Over time the church begins to grow in that village again, and spreads to other villages. The name of Christ is spoken of throughout the land, but his words are remembered, "Love your enemies".
