Extremists...Terrorists...

[TigerDBR]

Riddle me this:

I have a firm faith in God. In many questions of the recent past, I was confused only by a lack of knowledge. Certainly some things are left to be unknown, after all my mind is only finite. However, a recent realization is a bit troubling, and I know there's some sort of answer or explanation, if only I had time out of my 9-9pm, 8-days a week work schedule to research some more...

OK. Right now, there are extremists, of a particular faith, that believe we are Evil. We as in Americans, for whatever reason. This fuels their desire, and contributes to a morality, that flying planes into our buildings and killing thousands of innocent civilians is OKAY.

Obviously, as a Christian, I feel those that are not of my faith, for whatever reason, should be met with Love, and His testimony should be in my LIFE as I lead it. Certainly, these acts are wrong, pure murder.

However, in the days of ol', God encouraged the killing and complete wiping out of others based on His judgement. This, to me, just seems to make me a hypocrit. Here I stand, saying that it is unfair for them to kill us based on a belief that we are wrong, and to murder, yet (have I read correctly..?) we've done the same for area's and nations of sin? I know, I have justification through absolute truth, as far as my morals and what I know God declares as sin, but weren't some innocent, women & children harmed in the process? Could/Should these people in the past have been allowed to live? What were they doing, exactly?

In my own right, I feel it wouldn't be wrong, or Murder, to take out a terrorist. He is, in fact, about to murder some of my family (already took a friend of my family's... ), and it's more of an act of self-defense in that regard. But I wouldn't kill anyone, or defend any such violence, simply due to a belief that the other side is sinful. We are ALL sinful. I can't approve of any Christian crusade that takes out a civilization who's threat only was that they were "living in sin". WE ALL ARE. Only if, and only WHEN, that nation/people/belief becomes a *threat* to those around them (or us) as far as life itself is concerned, do I believe we have justification for war.

Did God allow/order any such war, led by a Christian leader, that was ordered simply to take out a nation/place of Sin? That wasn't threatening the lives of the leader or order'd Christian nation/people themselves?

Don't take this the wrong way. I am a firm believer of God, the Trinity, and absolute truth. But when you preach love and peace, and thou shal not murder, it should only be compromised when there is no other viable solution: when life itself is threatened. Sure, God may very well know that a whole nation is in sin, while not threatening, will all just die without knowing His name anyways, but for the sake of being hypocritical, why not allow them to die in their own time. Don't wage war based on belief's or morals. I don't oppress my belief on anyone. I certainly live it and debate it to the 150th page of a thread, but I'll never enforce my take on life with violence unless someone else's "take on life" threatens my well-being.

Could someone help me? Were things simply "Different" back then? How and why? I Need answers...

 

[Ledifni]

Riddle me this:

I have a firm faith in God. In many questions of the recent past, I was confused only by a lack of knowledge. Certainly some things are left to be unknown, after all my mind is only finite. However, a recent realization is a bit troubling, and I know there's some sort of answer or explanation, if only I had time out of my 9-9pm, 8-days a week work schedule to research some more...

OK. Right now, there are extremists, of a particular faith, that believe we are Evil. We as in Americans, for whatever reason. This fuels their desire, and contributes to a morality, that flying planes into our buildings and killing thousands of innocent civilians is OKAY.

Obviously, as a Christian, I feel those that are not of my faith, for whatever reason, should be met with Love, and His testimony should be in my LIFE as I lead it. Certainly, these acts are wrong, pure murder.

However, in the days of ol', God encouraged the killing and complete wiping out of others based on His judgement. This, to me, just seems to make me a hypocrit. Here I stand, saying that it is unfair for them to kill us based on a belief that we are wrong, and to murder, yet (have I read correctly..?) we've done the same for area's and nations of sin? I know, I have justification through absolute truth, as far as my morals and what I know God declares as sin, but weren't some innocent, women & children harmed in the process? Could/Should these people in the past have been allowed to live? What were they doing, exactly?

In my own right, I feel it wouldn't be wrong, or Murder, to take out a terrorist. He is, in fact, about to murder some of my family (already took a friend of my family's... ), and it's more of an act of self-defense in that regard. But I wouldn't kill anyone, or defend any such violence, simply due to a belief that the other side is sinful. We are ALL sinful. I can't approve of any Christian crusade that takes out a civilization who's threat only was that they were "living in sin". WE ALL ARE. Only if, and only WHEN, that nation/people/belief becomes a *threat* to those around them (or us) as far as life itself is concerned, do I believe we have justification for war.

Did God allow/order any such war, led by a Christian leader, that was ordered simply to take out a nation/place of Sin? That wasn't threatening the lives of the leader or order'd Christian nation/people themselves?

Don't take this the wrong way. I am a firm believer of God, the Trinity, and absolute truth. But when you preach love and peace, and thou shal not murder, it should only be compromised when there is no other viable solution: when life itself is threatened. Sure, God may very well know that a whole nation is in sin, while not threatening, will all just die without knowing His name anyways, but for the sake of being hypocritical, why not allow them to die in their own time. Don't wage war based on belief's or morals. I don't oppress my belief on anyone. I certainly live it and debate it to the 150th page of a thread, but I'll never enforce my take on life with violence unless someone else's "take on life" threatens my well-being.

Could someone help me? Were things simply "Different" back then? How and why? I Need answers...

My opinion is that life was cheap back then and "God" was a convenient way to justify their actions and keep morale high. But that's because I don't believe in God, and that doesn't apply to you.

You, on the other hand, are faced with a choice. You can decide, against your better judgement and your observations of the real world, that genocide against "sinners" is acceptable, because other, older men from years past said God said it was ok.

Or, you can decide to follow your own judgement and your observations of the real world, and repudiate genocide of any kind for the evil it is.

The question you need to answer is this: Which do you trust more -- your own judgement, or the words of men you do not know who claimed many thousands of years ago to speak for God? To answer that question, you'll need to compare and analyze two sets of evidences: the evidence from reality that you base your personal judgement on today, and the evidence that those men truly did speak for God. If the former is more compelling then you should follow your own judgement, but if the latter, then you should suspend your judgement and take your morals from the Bible.

But my personal opinion is that if I knew God exists, and that he did in fact order that genocide in the OT, I would neither worship nor follow him -- because that would mean he is an evil God.

 

[TigerDBR]

But my personal opinion is that if I knew God exists, and that he did in fact order that genocide in the OT, I would neither worship nor follow him -- because that would mean he is an evil God.

But, you see, my personal opinion before knowing God was that His presence being "All around us" yet somehow we "search for it" is contradictive.

Before knowing God I couldn't understand forever backwards, and forever forwards.

Before knowing God I couldn't fathom Justice couple'd with Grace.

Before knowing God, an "eye for an eye" forever contradicted "forgive your neighbor" without being fulfilled.

But there is only one thing I do know: God. More than what tomorrow may bring, more than what I want to do with my current job situation.

The idea of him being evil is out of the question, but situations and questions like these usually find a way of figuring themselves out, amazingly: God answers my questions.

He'll do so here.

As a sort of disclaimer, I take a lot of things with a grain of salt. There was much to say, research even after following Christ for the sake of not being ignorant. I am making my own judgement, but I want it to be based on facts. The bible was written by man, but God inspired. We can't just use the "A guy wrote it" excuse everytime we read something that doesn't settle right. Usually, I speak to the right person, who's already done the research. Then I can dispute that and move on from there. I'm looking for that type of response.

Thanks for your input

 

[MoodyBlue]

WWJD?

 

[Nightson]

WWJD?

Nah, he wasn't a True Christian, go kill the heathens.