Michael, I am not arguing that a follower of Christ isn't to be peaceable or kind. To me, pacifism is just another extreme view that takes some off of what the scriptures say and makes an absolute view out of it. Folks do this by denying various other texts, though they don't mean anything by this. Their heart is to do the best for God.
There is a time for EVERY THING...a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up...
My point is that IF we are concentrated on "not" doing the things that "the world does" then we are no different than Moslems, Mormons and whoever that cessates various things for religious reasons. And if we are merely cessating for religious reasons, which view or ideal is any better (or correcter) than the other?
Anybody can stop doing one thing or another... This does not make them holy or godly or right.
In my mind, pacifism only has a message on a backdrop of where fighting and war are the evidence of man's existence. But what do you do when you go to Costa Rica where they don't have a military, they don't fight wars and they are peaceable people? They feel justified in your view, but they are no more justified in God's eyes than the devil. The gospel isn't about being peaceful.
I understand the whole notion of pacifism, but it seems to me an over focus on a non-essential. We can't find anywhere where Christ or Paul went around saying "I'm a pacifist" and "pacifism" is The Way... Thus, if we can't then what are we focused on it for?
