An eye for an eye only makes the whole world blind.
Mahatma Gandhi
Some people are going to start to think I'm nuts. Maybe I am. I may be nuts but I'm also saddened by all the war/death references I see people putting on Facebook and other places who publicly call themselves Christians but want to take up arms against others. The most recent two were women. Now, I have to wonder if they are planning on enlisting and taking the battle to the enemy or if they want someone else to do it. I did see one post about using unmanned planes but if you are going to go kill someone, isn't face-to-face the way to do it? Just asking...
It is only the dead who have seen the end of war.
Plato
I'm afraid Plato might have it right. I don't know if the fighting and killing will ever stop. Sadly, it's usually not the youngsters who are old enough to be sent into the battle that are rattling the sabers but older folks who will stay at home and bemoan the death toll.
What if we laid down our weapons? What if the "bad guys" won the battle?
What difference does it make to the dead, the orphans, and the homeless, whether the mad destruction is wrought under the name of totalitarianism or the holy name of liberty and democracy?
Gandhi
War may sometimes be a necessary evil. But no matter how necessary, it is always an evil, never a good. We will not learn how to live together in peace by killing each other's children.
Jimmy Carter
Wars will come and it I'm quite confident this country will take up the battle. So be it. What I hate to see is those who say they follow Christ advocating war so staunchly. War is evil and if the first thing from a person's mouth when dealing with someone who has hurt us is war, then evil has won. This applies in our churches, our marriages, our schools, our work and our countries. The day may come when I am placed in a position to defend myself and my children and I will have to make a call on that day. Until then, I hope I will put love first.
So many ascribe to the "kill 'em all and let God sort 'em out" mentality. Jesus' last words on the cross were to forgive for the enemy didn't know what it was doing. Jesus took God's side and allowed God to have the final say. I hope I will be that strong.
Grace and peace to you.
3 comments:
Perhaps it is a sign of how invested we are in the kingdom of America rather than the Kingdom of God.
I once heard a lady who was not shy in her profession of being one of the select few true Christians say that we should just nuke all of the Islamic countries. Sounds just like the Jesus she claimed to have exclusive rights to. Not.
Thank you, Jeff, for this post. It needs to be said. Jesus said it this way, "The law of Moses says,'an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth' but I say don't resist an evil person! If you are slapped on the right cheek, turn the other ,too." That is just one of many references to peace from Christ. If we do HAVE to fight it ought to be with GREAT humility and with heavy hearts. BTW, you are quoting Ganhdi and I am quoting Jesus....what is wrong here?
Amy, that question cracked me up.
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