http://www.covenantnews.com/selbrede090201.htm
If Dr. Selbrede is correct then one serious implication of his article is that it would be counter productive to the interest of King Christ for Christians to go into the military in order to support a Empire-State that is seeking to advance what amounts to a Christ-hating Christian destroying agenda.
Look, there was a story recently where American military chaplains were destroying bibles in Afghanistan so as not to offend our Afghan “hosts.”
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2009/05/bibles-destroye.html
Why would any Christian think it is acceptable to support a military and government by their involvement in supporting a policy that forbids witnessing for Jesus and burns Bibles that were printed in the language and local dialect of the Afghan people?
The State is the current closest approximation to the Anti-Christ. When Christians do anything to support the state on the scale that enlistment into the Military reflects, they are at the same time not supporting the Kingdom of God.
Scripture commands that Kings are to kiss the son but we American Christians lend our support to a state that refuses to Kiss the Son by turning a blind eye to our sons (and daughters) enlisting into the military.
I don’t get it, and I don’t get why such reasoning is that difficult to understand OR agree with.
Your reference to the Afghanis as “our hosts” is by far the most hilarious thing I’ve heard in a while. I didn’t even pay any attention to what you were writing.
I guess they’ll have to start referring to that dead, mutilated baby here in Texas as its mother’s host rather than her victim.
Careful there jetbrane, your blog is getting closer to being banned every day…
Read up on Smedley Butler and I think many things will start to gel if you did not already know. You seem like a well read man but a few of the other popular ‘Christian’ blogs I have posted his name on have not made it through moderation. Granted he is not speaking directly about Christians in war but he talks about the true motives of war (read: War is a Racket, free pdf on the web) and his disgust with his participate after winning two Congressional Medals of Honor.
Joe,
I’ve read Gen. Smedley Butler. It’s part of the reason that I have the convictions I have. I was also mentored by a College Professor that was convinced that WW I and WW II were huge mistakes on the part of America. Dr. Glenn Martin taught that the only thing WW I will be remembered for in 200 years was that it allowed communism to become a nation state power. Dr. Glenn Martin then taught that the only thing WW II will be remembered for is that it allowed Communism to go international. I agree w/ him.
Buchanan makes a similar point about WW II in his “Unnecessary War.”
Christians moan about the welfare state but they fail to realize that the welfare state always comes in tandem with the warfare state.
p.s. — I am sure it was a slip up by you, but I can assure you that my blog is hardly numbered among the popular Christian blogs, and frankly with what passes for Christian these days I’m not sure I’d want it do.
Thank you for showing a diversity in Christian thought regarding the illegal invasion and occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan. Unfortunately, the church was used as a political pawn by the Bush Administration. (See David Kuo’s book, Tempting Faith, an expose by Kuo, #2 honcho in the faith based initiative programs.)Rallying nationalism and fervor for war is not new. Hitler did it. As did the Kings of Spain during the Inquisition.
Unfortunately, with the dearth of solid news (the corporate news is owned by companies like GE who have a huge Weapons contract with the DOD), many Christians look to authority figures like their Pastors, and Christian newscasts, as well as “Conservative” journalists. Unfortunately, these aren’t always the best sources of news. Pastors should keep politics out of the pulpit for the very reason Kuo wrote on. “Liberal” and conservative mainstream ‘news’ doesn’t provide enough info for people to make informed decisions.
Whether the occupation is just or not is determined by what a person knows about it.
As for whether God would favor an illegal occupaton and the death of 1.32 million Iraqis (half of whom were children) is a matter of a person’s conscience. We walk in the light we have.
I would hope we’d be good citizens and seek investigative journalism through TruthDig.org, DemocracyNow.org, or a number of news sites. Not “Christian”, but news.
Remember, the Germans thought they were doing the right thing. That the majority of Christians approve of torture leads me to think we are close to a similar scenario.
Sinclair Lewis said it best, When fascism comes to America, it will be waving a flag and carrying a cross.
May our hearts be right with God. And our curiosity about our world make us good and empowered citizens, just like a democracy.
Thanks Flowerguerilla for a very good response.
I can only disagree on one matter and that is that the idea that religion and politics do not mix. There is enough information out there on issues if people really want to dig. The problem is that before we get to the point of digging for the facts we have to have a worldview that will be faithful to the facts we find. IMO this is the problem w/ the pulpit. Most pastors don’t think in a Christian worldview in any realm save possibly theology proper — and even that is questionable.
Service to the “State” in any war is justified only if the war is not in conflict with the Holy Word of God. Obedience to God is always justified. Conversely, disobedience to God is always unjustified.
We should seek approval for all our actions from the only real source of truth, the Bible. God invented government to be a righteous tool to guide mankind in making correct choices that lead to life. Only when government mirrors His Word will we have the good guidance and justice necessary for us to make the proper choices. All other choices lead to death.
When you support Jehovah God you always “support our troops”, for God loves everyone even while we are all sinners. That means the people of all nations, all races, and all political influences. What greater support can one offer to their fellow man than to witness the truth of Christ by their actions so that all may observe and learn the way to eternal life.
All war conducted outside obedience to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, is a witness to Satan and promotes his lies, savagery and death. Just as he was defeated by the cross, all his followers will experience the same deserving end.
Our “standard” should not be a flag or a country or the might of a rich empire with all the modern killing devices and a willingness to throw its weight around. Look to God for your standard and His awesome power and justice and wisdom and truth will be your ally in all you do. Look to man and fail!
Travis,
God does not love everyone. Scripture teaches that “God hates workers of iniquity.” Scripture teaches that God hates the reprobate (Esau I have hated).
I stand in error. I confuse the fact that God wants all to be saved as an act of love and generalize that loving nature to my misstatement that God loves everyone.
I would not love God so much if He were not just. I’m thankful for His justice and love so great as to sacrifice His Son, who was without sin, to cleanse me of my sins. I’m so sorry that I made that necessary. I know how undeserving I am of that love.