Is It okay for a Christian to join the military?

by AiAi 44 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  AiAi

  Chalam and tec, I think you both bring up good points but I have never considered a soldier as judging. he just follows orders and despite any consequences can always disobey ones he thinks are over the line (in theory)

  Wouldn't you say that after 2000 years of 'Christians' being in Armies from nearly all countries and forms of government and forming Church Armies that they

  just do it irregardless of ethos.

  deisgns I also think that just because others do something doesnt provide proof its good or bad. its a non sequitor. when I left JWs they continually asked where I would go since everyone else was 'obviously' worse. I just responded that that did not make them right.

  PSacramento, while I agree that war in the name of god is the stupidist thing ever it is still so easy for people to convinve others that god wanted it. All one needs is the people to believe god is talking to them then they have ample OT evidence to show god is not above having his people fight guesome battles over almost any reason. Imagine those that follow the GB blindly, the GB just has to print a few articles and can have total blind support from the unquestioning members
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  tec

  Chalam and tec, I think you both bring up good points but I have never considered a soldier as judging.

  AiAi - I think we were talking about the governments and leaders at that point... in that just because your government says to do something, doesn't mean its the right thing to do, or that you should do it if it goes against Christ. Sorry we're off-topic.

  Stephen - there's no issue between our beliefs on the taxes. We think the same. When I say Christ conveyed them as unimportant, I meant unimportant to the Kingdom of God... and so just pay them to the ruler of your land. If it is unjust, then that is a matter for God.

  I am also more inclined to believe that we are mistaken in taking Paul's words out of context, than that Paul made a mistake, at least in this instance. But I do not believe that the bible is the inerrant word of God, and I know that those who do believe so have a hard time understanding how I can believe anything else written. But I believe Christ; anything against what He showed His Father to be is wrong, imo... and/or we are taking it out of context and mistaking its meaning.

  Tammy
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  PSacramento

  PSacramento, while I agree that war in the name of god is the stupidist thing ever it is still so easy for people to convinve others that god wanted it. All one needs is the people to believe god is talking to them then they have ample OT evidence to show god is not above having his people fight guesome battles over almost any reason. Imagine those that follow the GB blindly, the GB just has to print a few articles and can have total blind support from the unquestioning members

  When Man follows Man then the results is man fault, period.

  The issue becomes "grayer" when Man professed to speak for God, so the burden of beliefe falls on each individual person who follows or doesn't follow the individual professing to speak for God.

  God's plan is revealed in his Son Jesus Christ, not before Jesus and Not after, but in his LIVING WORD Jesus.

  What does Jesus say about war in God's name? Does Jesus advocate war between humans in the name of God? No, he doesn't.
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  AiAi

  What does Jesus say about war in God's name? Does Jesus advocate war between humans in the name of God? No, he doesn't

  I think it is interesting that Christians will, or at least have in the past, go to war in the name of God and Christ but will ignore all of Jesus' teachings. In fact, they usually do the opposite. Sadly it will continue until people stop just following the teachings that suit them most. Oh and I was not disagreeing with you before just mentioning how easy it is for people to do horrible things in God's name. It definately is not God's fault man does bad things in his name either.

  Tec now that I understand what you meant your points seem even better lol
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  TTWSYF

  Of course it's ok.

  How else could Adolf Hitler have been stopped? How else could nations stand up against the kind of aggression that we currently see in the Koreas? The ethnic cleansing of the former Yugoslavia? These evils and many others, too numerous to mention here, could only be stopped by people joining the military and nations standing up against this kind of aggression.

  That's not to say that I am opposed to people who decide against joining, far from it. It's just that the claim that a Christian should not be in the military is what irks me. That belief is not scripturally supported, yet I hear some [confused] people profess that belief as being a requirement of Christianity.

  DC