[Mr Rogers]

No. In fact, I cited the New Testament.

The New Testament does not require soldiers to quit their work, nor does it suggest governments cannot arm men to do violence against bad people. In fact, you cannot have a country without the willingness to defend that country, which in turn requires an acceptance of war.

I’ve been in war, as was my Dad (who was killed in his third), and as were my son, oldest daughter, son-in-law and the husbands of both of my nieces. War is not pretty. But war is vastly better than living under Islam, as expressed by the muslims in Afghanistan, or Egypt, or other hard-core muslim countries. If I ever had any doubt, my tour in Afghanistan would have cured them. Perhaps the Pope would like to go preach in the towns of Afghanistan.

And perhaps the Pope ought to look at the Swiss Guard...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swiss_Guard#Pontifical_Swiss_Guard

[NYer]

The New Testament does not require soldiers to quit their work, nor does it suggest governments cannot arm men to do violence against bad people. In fact, you cannot have a country without the willingness to defend that country, which in turn requires an acceptance of war.

I am not questioning self defense. I asked you to show me where our Lord preaches this. Can you cite a tract from Matthew, Mark, Luke or John? In response to the question about the first of the commandments, Jesus says: "The first is, 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.' The second is this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." I am no peacenik but I can't find anything in the gospels where our Lord justifies killing others.

But war is vastly better than living under Islam, as expressed by the muslims in Afghanistan, or Egypt, or other hard-core muslim countries.

Christians and Muslims have peacefully co-existed in countries like Lebanon and Egypt, for centuries. The problems are created by outsiders. That seems to be the case since the US intervened to remove benevolent dictators. In so doing, a more rabid element, like the Muslim Brotherhood,, moved in to take power. IMO, Obama is a shill in Syria, performing the same task.

Perhaps the Pope would like to go preach in the towns of Afghanistan.

Last September, Pope Benedict visited Lebanon. Even the Muslims came out to greet him.