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Are Christians responsible for most wars?
RZIM ^
| 02/23/2015
| Ravi Zacarias
Posted on 02/23/2015 2:56:18 PM PST by SeekAndFind
I am often asked how I can believe in God when there have been so many wars caused by religion. The implication is that if only people would leave behind their convictions about the existence of a God the world would be a much better, more peaceful place.
Of course very few people ever reflect on the fact that the very reverse of this was demonstrated in the 20th century, which saw the atheistic communist and Nazi ideologies rise. In fact, that century saw more killing than the previous 19 put together.
None of this is to say that religion has not at times been a cause or significant factor in war. In fact, because of our current context with the rise of Islam and, in particular, of violent Islamic terrorism all over the world, it is true that horrific acts played out on our televisions day after day are religiously motivated.
It may be that someone who is asking questions of us is unable to distinguish between Christianity and Islam and is equating the two. The first task here is to draw clear distinctions between Christ and Muhammad, as well as the Bible and the Quran, on the issue of violence.
It may be important to point to Jesus Himself, as He healed the ear of the arresting soldier when Peter had drawn a sword in defence of Him and cut it off.
True Christian responses
Christians, however, would be the first to hold their hands up and say that violence committed in the name of Christ in history, such as the Crusades or the Inquisition, is certainly not a true reflection of what Jesus came to say and accomplish. In fact, true Christian responses at the time of the Crusades resounded from leaders such as Francis of Assisi and John Wycliffe, who roundly condemned any killing or warfare in the name of Christ.
But what is a Christian view of war, if killing people in the name of Christ is wrong? The New Testament itself does not condemn the vocation of a soldier if the work is carried out in a responsible and lawful fashion (Matthew 8.5, Luke 3.14, Acts 10.1-8 and 34-35).
And yet other passages such as the Beatitudes seem to point towards pacifism: Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called sons of God (Matthew 5.9).
There are broadly four historical Christian positions when it comes to seeking a biblical position on the concept of war:
- Militarism any war, anytime, any place, any cause.
- Selective Militarism only when the state declares the cause is just.
- Selective Pacifism only when the individual thinks the cause is just.
- Pacifism no fighting anytime, any place, on any cause.
Most Christians today would fall into the middle two. However, the early Church response to war was initially pacifism that allowed for the possibility of Christian converts staying on in the army. Pre-Constantinian theologians and Church leaders such as Tertullian took the rebuke of Peter as an absolute position; they spiritualised the battles in the Old Testament and did not allow for any Christian approval of war.
It is the great Christian thinker Augustine who introduces just war theory into Christian thinking. Just war thinking originates in classical civilisation, but Augustine developed it, building on this and the work of the 4th century theologian Ambrose.
The first set of principles deal with reasons for a nation going to war (jus ad bellum): The only just cause is defence against aggression. The only just intention is to restore a just peace to friend and foe alike. The use of military force must be a last resort after all other negotiations have failed. The decision must be made by the highest governmental authority.
The second set of principles deal with the modus operandi or conduct of a war (jus in bello): War must have limited ends only sufficient to repel aggression and redress its injustice. The means must be limited by proportionality to the offence. Non-combatant immunity from intentional and direct attack must be respected. Combat should not be prolonged when there is no reasonable hope of success within these limits.
Most protestant and Catholic churches adhere to these rules about war, and Scripture is clear that war is a disastrous tragedy from which the innocent always suffer along with the guilty. The psalmist laments war, the prophet looks for the day when swords will be beaten into ploughshares and the kingdom of Shalom appears, and the New Testament blesses peacemakers, while Jesus resists being made king by force.
A cosmic battle
From beginning to end, the story of the Bible takes place in the context of a cosmic battle between good and evil, which is introduced to us in Genesis and runs through until Revelation. At different moments in history this war takes different forms.
As Gods chosen people are commanded to enter the physical land that He gives them, they are to displace the evil practices that have gone on there and not allow themselves to be drawn into these things themselves. This happens at a moment in history but does not give a license for any individuals or subsequent nations to go and do likewise.
All of this must also be seen in the light of the reality that God raises up other nations armies to come and judge Israel. They too experience the judgement of God against their sins.
When the New Testament comes, Jesus is the fulfilment of the promises and longings of the Old Testament; He is God come to earth in human flesh.
Jesus conquers evil through His death on the cross and calls His followers to appropriate that victory in their own lives, and to continue the spiritual battle through prayer and a life of service following Him.
When wars occur between the nations of the world, Christians in different contexts must work out their involvement and reaction to those wars using biblical principles. The development of just war theory by theologians and Christian thinkers of previous generations helps the contemporary Church do this in faithfulness to Christ and His word.
TOPICS: Apologetics; History; Moral Issues; Religion & Culture
KEYWORDS: christianity; war
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Written in 2007 but made relevant based on Obama's statement about the Crusades today.
To: SeekAndFind
2
posted on
02/23/2015 2:58:25 PM PST
by
Zeneta
(Thoughts in time and out of season.)
To: SeekAndFind
3
posted on
02/23/2015 2:58:39 PM PST
by
SeekAndFind
(If at first you don't succeed, put it out for beta test.)
To: SeekAndFind
To: SeekAndFind
The left has a bug up their butt about the Crusades. Just like the Constitution, they get the facts wrong.
5
posted on
02/23/2015 3:00:30 PM PST
by
Fledermaus
(The GOP is dead to me! McConnell and Boehner can drop dead!!)
To: SeekAndFind
I have heard liberals claim that Nazism was a Christian movement and that Stalin was a devout Christian. How do you argue with insanity?
To: DiogenesLamp
What a stupid question it is.
7
posted on
02/23/2015 3:05:50 PM PST
by
manc
(Marriage =1 man + 1 woman,when they say marriage equality then they should support polygamy)
To: Steve_Seattle
Had the same argument and when you tell them some facts and what NAZI stands for they just shrug their shoulders and walk off.
8
posted on
02/23/2015 3:06:35 PM PST
by
manc
(Marriage =1 man + 1 woman,when they say marriage equality then they should support polygamy)
To: SeekAndFind
During the Crusades Christianity was merely the form through which Western life, expansion, growth and power needs expressed themselves. We were for centuries a living growing civilization. Today we are dying degenerates incapable of resisting those we once governed.
To: Steve_Seattle
You could have thrown Mao and Pol Pot into the argument, but no, you can’t argue with insanity.
To: manc
That’s the main problem with Progressives... facts have no actual value to them. In fact, nothing has value to them. They are total Nihilists. So when you present facts to them it has no impact. And for them there is no appreciable difference between lying and the truth... they are essentially the same thing to them.
11
posted on
02/23/2015 3:26:15 PM PST
by
navyguy
(The National Reset Button is pushed with the trigger finger.)
To: SeekAndFind
If Christains would keep their noses out of people like Hilter's business, there would be fewer wars...but more death.
And if we would have just evacuated the U.S. citizens out of the territory of Hawaii and let Japan have it in 1941, we at have never been plagued with Obama.
To: SeekAndFind
Pretty sure Hitler, Stalin, Zedong, etc. weren’t Christians.
13
posted on
02/23/2015 3:43:49 PM PST
by
Politicalkiddo
("Guard against the impostures of pretended patriotism." -George Washington)
To: SeekAndFind
14
posted on
02/23/2015 3:49:13 PM PST
by
Sergio
(An object at rest cannot be stopped! - The Evil Midnight Bomber What Bombs at Midnight)
To: SeekAndFind
Anytime those atheist filth feel like accusing Christians of “most wars,” here are some numbers (from varied sources) to throw at them...
Killings at the hands of:
Pagan Nazis - 10,000,000 killed
Atheist Communists - 100,000,000+ killed
State Shinto Japanese - 2,000,000+ killed
Muslims - 270,000,000+ killed
15
posted on
02/23/2015 3:51:42 PM PST
by
ScottinVA
(Communism, liberalism and Islam: Kindred ideologies dedicated to America's destruction.)
To: SeekAndFind
Read the Old Testament. There was more than just a little warfare reported there. FYI the Jews were pretty knowledgeable shrewd and damned tough fighters then too. It was all hand to hand and up close and personal too.
16
posted on
02/23/2015 4:02:04 PM PST
by
Don Corleone
("Oil the gun..eat the cannoli. Take it to the Mattress.")
To: SeekAndFind
Jesus noted the centurions faith as the greatest in all of Israel. That probably sealed Jesus betrayal since the locals hated the soldiers— just the way the world preaches hate of American soldiers today.
Witness the silent chill of the oscars toward American hero Kyle.
Soldiers deserve gods honor just as Jesus showed it.
He never criticized the soldiers even as they beat him. He did criticize the Pharisees though.
17
posted on
02/23/2015 4:14:49 PM PST
by
lonestar67
(I remember when unemployment was 4.7 percent / Cruz 2016)
To: ScottinVA
I used to have a friend who tried to add the numbers up.
Not only does religion not kill more people than all the wars it doesn’t kill as many as major diseases.
#1 Cause of death all time = old age
#2 - #9 were diseases I have forgotten the order but Flu, Small pox, various plagues, Cholera, Diphtheria, Measles and so forth
#10 was secular wars
#11 was natural disasters
#12 - #16 Yet more diseases
You didn’t reach religious wars until number #17 and most of those deaths were caused by Islam
18
posted on
02/23/2015 4:20:10 PM PST
by
Fai Mao
(Genius at Large)
To: SeekAndFind
The simple answer to this idiotic claim is that it is FACTUALLY FALSE.
According to what is considered the definitive book on historical conflict, ‘the Encyclopedia of War’ documenting over 1700 wars in recorded history, less than 7% could be traced to religious motivations.
Religion has very rarely been the cause for war. In antiquity, this was even rarer. The Persians, Babylonians, Mesopotamians, Egyptians, etc, never went to war for religious purposes and in fact welcomed their conquered enemies’ gods into their own pantheons! It is true that there have been wars of the monotheistic faiths, but these are few and far between, and typically pretty low on the bodycount list.
Even Islam actually comes out not looking too worse for wear as a motivation when one looks at all the wars fought for secular political ideology, right of succession, territorial conquest, resource grabs, or colonialism.
People will go to war over anything that they care about strongly, and religion falls into this category. However, religion has been a minor factor in human conflicts simply because unlike the motivations listed above, religious impeti for war often carry burdensome resitrictions on how conflicts may be waged and for what purpose.
There is no ‘just war theory’ when your aim is just to plunder gold mines.
To: Steve_Seattle
I have heard liberals claim that Nazism was a Christian movement and that Stalin was a devout Christian. How do you argue with insanity? LOL. Did some idiot actually say that?
20
posted on
02/23/2015 5:40:37 PM PST
by
Ditto
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