if you want to object to a draft, can't you be a C.O if you're christian?

Question

one of the ten commandments say that "thou shall not kill"

then how come i never hear about christian conscientious objectors? this way a lot of ppl can dodge drafts...

Answer 1

I found this across the Net and it sums up what I believe is an accurate answer to your question.

"The sixth of the ten commandments reads, Thou shall not kill. The New International Version translates it, Thou shall not murder. This is more accurate because the Hebrew word so translated does not refer to killing in general but to malicious and unlawful killing.

Neither accidental killing (Numbers 35:22-25) nor justifiable homicide (Ex. 22:2) are a breaking of the sixth commandment. Neither killing in war nor capital punishment are necessarily forbidden in this commandment since God required both in certain cases (Ex.21:12). So the preferred translation is, You shall not murder.

Answer 2

There were plenty of conscientious objectors during World War 1 and subsequent wars on the grounds of their Christian beliefs. Before 1970, conscientious objection in the US had to be on religious grounds before a Supreme Court ruling.

Members of the Historic Peace Churches are pacifist by doctrine. Jehovah's Witnesses, who, while not pacifist in the strict sense, refuse to participate in the armed services on the grounds that they believe Christians should be neutral in worldly conflicts. The term historic peace churches refers to Church of the Brethren, Mennonites and Society of Friends. Christians can also object on the grounds that it is not a just war under Christian doctrine.

Answer 3

Yes you can be a C.O. but that does not mean that you will not be assigned to another task or put in prison. My grandfather spetn 2 years in prison for not going to war even though he had a wife and little children.

Answer 4

Christianity has always had an "out" for self-defense.

True CO's won't kill even to defend themselves.

[BTW, there is no draft]

Answer 5

for some reason, most christian religions focus a lot more on sin, hell, and sexual taboos than on the actual teachings of love, peace, and forgiveness that christ supposedly stood for. that isn't to say there aren't peaceful christians, but peace isn't the usual focus, thanks to the christian leaders.