Does Christian Doctrine support or condemn war?

[Quarkhead]

Do you feel that Christianity preaches a doctrine which justifies war? Specifically, the war in Iraq, and the War on Terror? Why or why not?

[otseng]

Do you feel that Christianity preaches a doctrine which justifies war? Specifically, the war in Iraq, and the War on Terror? Why or why not?

I do not see any Biblical justification on the war in Iraq.

Christianity teaches to love your enemies.

Mat 5:44
"But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;"

Now, if a foreign invader came and blew up some buildings inside the US, what should be a Christian's response? I guess it should be to love them and bless them.

But, I don't know if the individual action to bless can be carried over to the national level.

On the national level, I believe the state has a right to protect itself against attack. And if a nation wages war against ours, we has a right to attack back. However, I can't support that from a "Christian" position. (I guess all the more reason for anarchism. )

[Piper Plexed]

Do you feel that Christianity preaches a doctrine which justifies war? Specifically, the war in Iraq, and the War on Terror? Why or why not?

I voted, I don't know.

I see Christianity in 2 lights.
First and what I consider to be it's purest light is that of Love for all life on this planet, which also includes the living planet. In that light war is never an option. In that light war contradicts all that is intended to be.

In the second and more muted light, I see as the reality of our existence at this point in our evolution. We are self aware enough to sense the existence of our creator though lack the capacity to know it fully and understand. In that light we are on a path (as a species, as a whole) much like the path of life each individual takes. As the individual makes mistakes, causes pain and suffering and atones or learns and strives for enlightenment, so does human kind on it's path, causes pain and suffering and atones or learns and strives for enlightenment.

If war is part of our nature and Christianity is an expression of our path to know God and since God created us it is hard for me to say that war is Anti-Christian.

On a positive note for Christianity, There once was a day, while adorning the cross, sponsored by the church, we killed in the name of our teacher, there also was a day that we killed Protestants cause they were not Roman Catholic. Thank God those days are gone, as far as I am aware. At least it does not happen here in the US.

[Crixus]

Do you feel that Christianity preaches a doctrine which justifies war?

I have to vote no in any case, under the presumption that you are referring to wars waged between men.

I don't believe Christ condoned war in any sense. I believe that a war is fought for earthly purposes and Christ was not in favor of earthly purposes as he told Pilate, "My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence." John 18:36

Though this might seem counterintuitive in the face of horrors such as those of the 20th century, I think that Christ would have his people accept whatever afflictions and persecution they must endure in this life knowing that their true home awaited them in the next.

That however, is a doctrine that quickly fell from Christendom with the rise of Christian empire in the fourth century A.D., and philosophers such as St. Augustine with his "just war theory".

Yet, even though I think that Christ's teaching is clearly peaceful, I also believe that some wars are less condemnable than others. So, while my assumption is that Christ would prefer men to subject themselves entirely to the will and work of God, and fighting in a war would necessarily preclude one from such, I believe that there are wars which would not be entirely condemned by Christ.

Now, if a foreign invader came and blew up some buildings inside the US, what should be a Christian's response? I guess it should be to love them and bless them.

I agree with this.

I guess all the more reason for anarchism.

And of course with this.

Specifically, the war in Iraq, and the War on Terror? Why or why not?

The "War on terror", I think, is an affront to all peaceful teachings around the world. War clearly is terror, so the idea of fighting terror with essentially larger, more systematic displays of terror is about the most horrific and absurd thing I can imagine. It is also, I believe, doomed to failure, and certain to perpetuate more widespread uses of inhumane tactics.

In Iraq I think that there were certainly other methods with which we could have affected change. As a Christian I do not believe that a war is justified but even as wars go I think that this war has questionable motives, which I would say makes it even less legitimate.

[Angry McFurious]

Chrisitanity never condemns fighting to protect your nation either. Iraq war was crap, but if your being invaded your in war and your going to fight to protect your homeland.

[Dilettante]

I would say generally it does not support war. The first Christians refused to enlist in the Roman army. Later this changed, and many Roman soldiers were Christians, among them were those who brought Christianity to my part of the world in the 1st century AD.

The problem with this question is that the Gospel seems to contradict itself (sadly, it is not the only contradiction). In one place Jesus says "do not protect yourselves against evil", and in another he says "I come not to bring peace but a sword".

[Biblestudent]

Do you feel that Christianity preaches a doctrine which justifies war? Specifically, the war in Iraq, and the War on Terror? Why or why not?

Yes. The War in Iraq is part of the War on Terror. We are fighting terrorists there.

Romans 13:1-4 states:

"Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers [government, UN, USA]. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resists the power (Saddam Hussein resisted over 15 UN resolutions, killed his own people, invaded Kuwait, etc.) resists the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves condemnation (US led coalition removed him from power). For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Will you then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good and you will have praise of the same (Hussein would not submit). For he (ruler) is the minister of God to you for good. But if you do that which is evil, be afraid; for he bears not the sword (military) in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil."

I do not believe UN resolutions are "ordinances of God." but that God ordained governmental authority and its use of force to punish evil doers.
I do not use this as a blanket regarding every war, but The War on Terror is just. They killed over 3000 of our people. We are not fighting a conventional army like the Germans in World War II. The enemy is not "visible" like hundreds of thousands of troops in formation. I believe this causes people to think that there isn't a real enemy. This is a global war. We live in a different age than WWII. Different methods must be used to defeat the enemy.

[Dilettante]

I'm all for fighting terrorists. Al Quaeda killed 200 of my people too. It's the methods that I find questionable. You are right in saying that this is not a conventional war. So perhaps military force should be secondary and intelligence should be the main weapon. But apparently there aren't enough Arabic translators in the US. There aren't enough American intelligence operatives who can blend into the Arab world.

The invasion of Iraq, however, is not directly related to the war on terror. Unlike the war on terror it was a war of choice. Christian Just War Theory does not justify preemptive war. Perhaps the Iraqi invasion could be justified in other ways, but certainly not from a strictly Christian perspective.

[MagusYanam]

As a Christian, I was brought up on such verses from the Gospel as 'blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy' (St. Matthew 5:7), 'blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God' (St. Matthew 5:9), love thine enemies, do good to those who persecute you, and so on. I was raised Anabaptist, and though I've since left that particular denomination I have held dear the ideal of nonviolence which the Anabaptists retain.

My attitude toward war is this: war is the result of failure of all other means of obtaining a specific diplomatic goal. Once war has been declared, all other means have failed, even if they have not been tried. The war in Iraq is a perfect example. The Bush Administration's attitude toward its fellow nations was arrogant and Machiavellian. The diplomatic routes collapsed when the Administration began issuing ultimata, ergo, the Administration has failed.

There are some wars that are justifiable, but not just. For one example, the cause of the North in the Civil War. Ending slavery was a very good cause - there is no dispute. However, one solution to the issue of slavery that never really lifted off was that the government could have bought all the slaves and freed them, effectively ending the institutionalised racism without loss of life.

True, hindsight is 20/20, but it is my belief that with a little planning, foresight and hard work, we can ensure a humane future and build a stable peace without having to resort to violence. My dad has often pointed out that if the United States government spent five cents on foreign aid for every dollar spent on military expenses, this country could literally change the face of the earth. The root causes of terrorism, namely poverty and desperation, would be drastically alleviated in terror 'hotspots'. If we dedicated more resources to trying to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict peacefully, we could make some real headway and regain some of what we lost after Clinton left the White House. This is the kind of 'war on terror' we should really be fighting.

[Biblestudent]

The invasion of Iraq, however, is not directly related to the war on terror. Unlike the war on terror it was a war of choice. [/quote]

We are fighting terrorists in Iraq. How can you say that it is not directly related to the War on Terror? Did Saddam Hussein not kill his own people with nerve gas? Have we not found rape rooms? etc. What is your evidence?

Christian Just War Theory does not justify preemptive war.

So you are saying that we have to wait and let the terrorists surround our country before we can do anything? Where is that written?


Perhaps the Iraqi invasion could be justified in other ways, but certainly not from a strictly Christian perspective.

You haven't proven where my position violates Romans 13:1-4 which is the Christian perspective on war regarding the state.