I always ask people with this view why Jesus publicly affirmed a Roman soldier’s faith as the greatest in all of Israel.
Jesus knew what he was doing. By failing to attack the Empire he was insulting the majority of Jewish and local populations. Jesus knew very well the politics of the anti imperialism that we see so easily paraded in front of us today. Local thugs promise to throw off the dominant power in exchange for allegiance. These deals have taken humanity to so many prisons, despotisms, and genocides we lose count.
Jesus rejected to sword but did not reject the soldier. The crucial distinction escapes Whitehead and an array of Imperial reactionaries who enjoy the power of Bashing Bush.
Thank you soldiers for suffering with the people of Iraq. John Whitehead is too busy playing politics to bother with such frivolity.
Sounds as if Whitehead has swallowed a lot of Anabaptist claptrap.
It is true that until Constantine the Great’s conversion, all the Church Father’s condemned military service under pagan Rome. Why? Primarily due the fact that all Roman soldiers had to offer an oath of worship, and sacrifices to Caesar as “Lord.” This was something Christians could never do.
Besides, Rome’s wars were more often than not unjust wars of conquest.
Hang out with dogs and you end up with fleas. Whitehead’s been hanging around Anabaptists (Mennonites, and general baptists) too long.