I see it the way Ian sees it.
Specificaly that, Jesus of Nazareth wouldn't do the things a soldier does.
Sniping and certain other types of warfare are so extreme that it makes it easier to get off the fence. It makes the question obvious.
I personaly do not believe in sin.
I do believe in; right and wrong, good and evil, and all shades in between.
It is a Yin Yang viewpoint as I think of it. And there are shades and subtleties at every point.
In the Yin Yang even when perfectly balanced the small circle represents the opposite contained.
So I don't see sin and I don't think soldiers who kill in combat are automatically evil. They are however, participants in the very evil processes of war. But, it may be a situation they are unable to avoid...
Their actions as individuals will fall, wherever they merit, on the scale of right and wrong.
Time and how they process their experiences may influence the rightness and wrongness.
Here are just two extremes on the scale.
When a soldier kills usually he is keeping faith with his buddies, doing what has to be done to survive and prevail. He may not understand at the time but trusts his leaders and maybe even loves his country.
Other times killing is reveled in, exciting, indiscriminate, or emotionless, done because it can be done. No reason is needed any excuse will suffice.
I've seen soldiers who were taken aback, shocked, and saddened from killing and I've seen them elated and full of joy.
One may hope it doesn't have to happen again, while another may lust for another kill.
Most are somewhere between.
If you know your fighting the wrong war, if you think your actions are wrong, you should not do it.
Nor allow yourself to be persuaded to go against your heart.
Soldiers don't really get to make those choices they are sworn to obey another man.
You have to make the choice before the fact.
It isn't always cut and dried and therefore I do not decry or harsh out combat vets.
Because, they were there while we were here.
Still I don't think Jesus would have any good to say for killing his enemies.
The thing that really troubles me is that soldiers have to kill on demand.
It is one thing to pick up a weapon and fend off attackers and quite another to travel somewhere else and wage war because a politician told you to.
For those who just have to believe in sin this should be an additional burden. I doubt that you will be able to excuse sin by claiming you were following orders.
It will be an impossible situation at best, Cest La Guerre.
I don't feel good about trusting many politicians on important stuff like this.
I thought we might have learned a thing or two about that sort of thing but it seems that history isn't for everyone...
We the People have an obligation to use our soldiers wisely.
Rumsfield has said "soldiers are fungible" a sad state of affairs ensues.
I would't want my kids in the military, not because I don't respect even love the military.
But, because our leadership has not been truthful, and big money means more to them than our kids do.
I don't want the horrors of war to be an easy option for any president.
I want a capable, intelligent, deliberate, well intentioned and honest leadership.
At this point I want someone to unify us and work to a resolution,,, no more zealots no more divide and conquer type politicos no more fear mongering.
Lets hope for a Statesman, a stand up patriot.
Like the guys who wrote the Constituion and the Bill of Rights.
The foundation we are so busy avoiding today.
I know thats's a tall order but I'll take what I can get.
PS
If there is a sin in killing the enemy it is on the Governments involved.