Does Christianity have to be violent?

Question

I'm a pacifist Christian and so I refuse the use of violence. Why are there so many (85-90%) Christians who justify the use of violence when Jesus CLEARLY states that we are to love our enemies and to not-resist evil?

Christians support violence in a number of ways.
- by being silent when their politicians lead us to the battlefield.
- by accepting and joining the blind patriotism in times of war.
- by paying taxes that support our military.
- by allowing our nation-state the authority to tell us who our enemies are.

I could go on...

Answer 1

Almost everybody is violent, if not in their actions then in their words. Christians along with any other religion claim to be non- violent but just look at how everybody hits each other kills each other, even parents spank their own children now and then.
sorry, my pacifist friend, but the fact is that the whole world is non-pacifist.

Answer 2

Hey, great question. And it's a hard one to answer.

(BTW, I think the "Jesus clearing the temple example" misses the mark; that act in its outcome and its motivation isn't really the same as *killing* one's enemies. Most telling is the fact that, while Jesus could have led a violent physical revolt such as the Zealots at the time desired, he refused.)

It's a hard question. It's basically a toss-up, as many have said, between loving individual enemies (as Jesus specifically instructed) vs. preventing the spread of destructive evil.

What happens in a situation where an innocent person is about to be killed unless you somehow stop (and possibly kill) the perpetrator? What is most loving? Most people would justifiably "love" the victim and let the perpetrator deal with the ramifications of his sinful behavior.

[For example, suppose an intruder breaks into your home and holds a knife to your child's throat. You have no doubt that he will kill your innocent, crying, terrified child unless you do something. You have a gun. What do you do? THAT is a real "rubber meets the road" moral decision. I think most parents have no real doubt over what they would do in that situation, and would not second-guess themselves later.]

In any case, in these situations, "loving" one person automatically means allowing harm to come to another; it's inescapable, and you can't "opt out" by claiming pacifism. You're part of the situation, whether you choose to interfere or not; Christianity is a social, relational gospel, and we're held accountable for how we involve ourselves, for good or ill.

I really DO agree with your comments about how Christians have "supported war" (usually by silence, or paying taxes, or supporting the people in power who are making these decisions).

I've been very bothered by how easily it seems to be for Christians with firm moral opinions to allow violence to fall on people they think deserve it. Perhaps that stance can be justified, but the accompanying attitude is usually less loving than it should be, and to me attitude is the most important thing.

I think that we should be mourning EVERY life that has been taken in Iraq, for example -- whether an enemy or a friend. We can mourn the innocent people who have suffered; and we can mourn the people who could not overcome their own bitterness and hatred, and thus destroyed themselves and their positive contributions to humanity.

It is a loss to lose both the innocent AND the foolishly destructive -- things COULD and SHOULD have been different, and war is a tragedy. Killing is always a terrible thing, no matter why it is done -- and even if sometimes we feel that we have no other recourse and any choice we make is flawed.

In any case, I can admire pacifists who are willing to suffer the violence of others out of love for their enemies; that's not something to be put down. At the same time, I can still admire people who intervene to protect the innocent from the violence of people who have chosen evil and will not be dissuaded.

It's an imperfect world. Ideally, enemies could be loved without fear of being killed by them. Realistically, often we have to settle for loving whom we can love and have to make decisions about which evil is the "lesser."

Answer 3

Violence is everywhere in the Bible. Just read Judges in the Old Testament. That was when God was vengeful and wiped whole populations off the map. Christ did teach love. He advocated righteous anger. We have the right to be angry and upset with SIN, but not with the SINNER. Hate the Sin love the Sinner! Difficult to do though. Parents spank their kids to discipline them and keep them from wrong. This is not violence in that it is not an act of hatred, anger, or vengeance when done PROPERLY. To many people do take spanking to an extreme where a child is "spanked" when the parent is angry with the child and it is not done to discipline but release rage.

I'm a Christian, and I'll follow God. I don't believe God is calling me to be violent toward people, but he is telling me to fight against evil.

Answer 4

Where did you get your statistic that 85-90% of Christians justify the use of violence?

Answer 5

Christianity doesn't, but many Christians are for violent behaviors, having been too easily led by wanna-be Pharisees - all of whom have something in mind OTHER than following the teachings of Jesus Christ.

Fortunately, they make themselves known by their efforts to FORCE their beliefs on others under various forms of governmental action......such as, say, amending the greatest constitution in use by ANY past or present nation.

Answer 6

It's wonderful that you peace. Yes we are to pray for our enemies but we are to fight wickedness as well. The Bible doesn't tell us to shy away from warfare, it even likens the spiritual life to battle in Ephesians. In a perfect sinless word there will be peace and I really look forward to it.

Answer 7

I am not a Christian, but I was unaware that Christianity is violant. Looking at the world, it seems that Islam needs a bit of work.

Answer 8

How do you explain Jesus' action against the thieving money changers? Dont you call that violence, vandalism, taking the law into your own hands????

Answer 9

I am a Christian and have never heard another say that violence is okay. I do not believe that violence is okay but I do believe it when God said that vengence is His.

Answer 10

I thought that we were supposed to resist evil?

Love you enemies sure, but resist the evil they bring to the world.