War and violence

mathinspiration said:

Should Christians participate War or promote it? They should defend themselves ? Is there such thing as just war or violence that is righteous?

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Yes, I think it was a just and righteous cause to prevent Adolph Hitler from eliminating Jews from the earth and enslaving most everybody else.

mathinspiration said:

Should Christians participate War or promote it? They should defend themselves ? Is there such thing as just war or violence that is righteous?

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There is a traditional concept on "just war." We had a whole thread about it.

Jehovah's Witnesses do not take sides in this world's affairs. They remain separate, maintaining our obedience and our loyalty to Jehovah in this regard. We must take sides in supporting Jehovah's sovereignty.

Daniel 3:16-18 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to worship the golden calf that Nebuchadnezzar set up. They refused to bow down to it, showing their devotion and their loyalty to Jehovah.

True Christians do not participate in politics because we are "no part of the world."
Jeremiah 10:23 tells us that "man's way does not belong to him even to direct his step." Humans were not designed to rule themselves. We give our loyalty to Jehovah and his kingdom,, for it will remove all of mankind's problems. Man-made governments will be destroyed.


QUOTE="mathinspiration, post: 72169635, member: 342773"]Should Christians participate War or promote it? They should defend themselves ? Is there such thing as just war or violence that is righteous?[/QUOTE]

mathinspiration said:

Should Christians participate War or promote it? They should defend themselves ? Is there such thing as just war or violence that is righteous?

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What about the Crusades? It was a holy Christian war against Islamic conquest. There is no reason Christians should oppose such a great and glorious war.

"thou shalt not kill"

very clear

The LORD examines both the righteous and the wicked. He hates those who love violence. Psalm 11:5

mathinspiration said:

Should Christians participate War or promote it? They should defend themselves ? Is there such thing as just war or violence that is righteous?

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This is a tough question I think - here are some quotes from the early church fathers on the subject:

‘Our religion commands us to love even our enemies, and to pray for those who persecute us’ Tertullian

‘Christians were taught not to avenge themselves upon their enemies...They would not have made war (although capable) even if they received authority to do so. For they have obtained this reward from God: that he has always warred in their behalf...On special occasions, some have endured death for the sake of Christianity...However God has not permitted the whole nation [of Christians] to be exterminated’ Origen

‘For we no longer take up ‘sword against nation’ nor do we ‘learn war anymore’. That is because we have become children of peace for the sake of Jesus, who is our Leader.’ Origen

‘If, then, we are commanded to love our enemies, whom have we to hate? If injured, we are forbidden to retaliate, lest we become just as bad ourselves. Who can suffer injury at our hands?’ Tertullian

‘We who formerly murdered one another now refrain from making war even upon our enemies’ Justin Martyr

‘A man cannot give his allegiance to two masters - God and Caesar...How will a Christian man participate in war? In fact, how will he serve even in peace without a sword? For the Lord has taken the sword away. It is also true that soldiers came to John [the baptist] and received the instructions for their conduct. It is true also that a centurion believed. Nevertheless, the Lord afterwards, in disarming Peter, disarmed every soldier’ Tertullian

‘Only understand that [the martyrs] include men and women, both young men and old, both maidens and elderly matrons, both soldiers and private citizens’ Dionysius of Alexandria

Hard teachings - I think we tend to see our more or less Christian way of life in this world as the ultimate good, to be defended by arms against all enemies, but God’s view is clearly different. There isn’t any list in the New Testament of Christian soldiers defeating other armies to contrast this passage, for example:

Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.”

Hebrews 11:35-40 ESV

We defend our way of life because we like it, not because that is what God commands.

Nathan Arnold said:

"thou shalt not kill"

very clear

The LORD examines both the righteous and the wicked. He hates those who love violence. Psalm 11:5

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Some translate that as "Do not murder."

mathinspiration said:

Should Christians participate War or promote it? They should defend themselves ? Is there such thing as just war or violence that is righteous?

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For now we need war to defend ourselves from each other. When we learn to quiet our minds in God's peaceful teachings in which he truly teaches us compared to his other teachings in the bible ultimately speaking meaning eventually to all peace around the world by learning to share and to self discipline ourselves in the wonderful book the bible-we will no longer have war.