[Victor K]

I know there are Christian and other religious leaders who believe it's right to fight to save innocent life, to free the oppressed and restrain evil. But to tell you the truth, I hear very few of them speaking openly and with conviction these days. This troubles me a great deal. I know that the God of Mercy is spoken of often. But He is also the God of Justice. To fail to protect and save the innocent and the helpless is a terrible crime, as well.

This verse has stuck in my mind for many years and I think also applies in considering what to do in our present circumstances.

“10 If you falter in times of trouble, how small is your strength!

11 Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter.
12 If you say, ‘But we knew nothing about this,’
does not he who weighs the heart perceive it?
Does not he who guards your life know it?
Will he not repay each person according to what he has done?” (NIV, Proverbs 24:10-12)

What will those who say they believe in the words of this book do? I know there are many of the hundreds of thousands of our best young men and women who aren't going to stand by and do nothing. I think the rest of use need to do what we can to do the same.

[gettingreal]

I vaguely recall in one of my Bible excursions some instruction from God to some early Israelis or their ancestors to wipe them out, only to see the disobedience that left a few. It seems that some of the world's troubles are at the hands of the descendents of those not eliminated thousands of years ago...

There are lots of folks with a mushy view of God. Agreed He is just, and expects justice, even though His patience is enormous. Thorough study will reveal, like in Habbukuk that God even uses hostiles to accomplish His justice where it needs being done.