Quote:
Originally Posted by Aquila
I think Christians should be cautious with regards to war. A Christian who joins the military makes themselves a pawn of the government. A righteous government will not engage in unjust wars. An unrighteous government will. And the unrighteous government rarely ever says, "Hey guys, this is an unjust war." Most unrighteous governments lie to their citizens and their military to justify war, when it is in truth only necessary to secure the interests of a wealthy minority. So I caution Christians when it comes to joining the military.
As for self-defense. A Christian can depend upon or use the following tactics without using a gun or using lethal force....
*divine intervention - Depending on God to deliver miraculously.
*escape - Fleeing from the source of danger.
*ruse - Out smarting or using trickery to escape or to be released without injury.
*nonlethal force - Using non-lethal physical force to subdue an attacker to prevent injury to others including the attacker themselves.
*moral disarming - Speaking to the attacker with an appeal to conscience securing safety and release.
*martyrdom - Dying with the word of Jesus on your lips without inflicting injury or harm on the attacker. If threatened with danger, I don't know anyone who would argue that one should do absolutely nothing. |
Again while I love the sound of the pacifist drum I just can't dance to it.
While I certainly believe that God will strengthen me to face persecution and I am willing to lay down my life for Him, I believe He will provide me the necessary strength, when and if that time comes, as he did all the martyrs.
However, as one who has been beaten and worse, I do believe in self defense, and to that end I carry a legal firearm and the skills to use it, and the mental faculties to use it wisely. I do not believe that God requires I leave my husband a widower, my children motherless, and my grandchildren without the opportunity to know me, to give my life senselessly so that some crackhead can have the $12 in my wallet toward his next rock.
If I am wrong, may the Lord's mercy cover me. Amen.
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