Is it really true that violence, naked force, has settled more issues in history than has any other factor?

Question

One girl told him bluntly: “My mother says violence never solves anything.”

“So?” Mr. Dubois looked at her bleakly. “I’m sure the city fathers of Carthage would be glad to know that. Why doesn’t your mother tell them so? Or why don’t you?”

They had tangled before – since you couldn’t flunk the course, it wasn’t necessary to keep Mr. Dubois buttered up. She said shrilly, “You’re making fun of me! Everybody knows that Carthage was destroyed!”

“You seem to be unaware of it,” he said grimly. “Since you do know it, wouldn’t you say that violence had settled their destinies rather thoroughly? However, I was not making fun of you personally; I was heaping scorn on an inexcusably silly idea – a practice I shall always follow. Anybody who clings to the historically untrue – and thoroughly immoral – doctrine that ‘violence never solves anything’ I would advise to conjure up the ghosts of Napoleon Bonaparte and the Duke of Wellington and let them debate it. The ghost of Hitler could referee, a

and the jury might well be the Dodo, the Great Auk, and the Passenger Pigeon. Violence, naked force, has settled more issues in history than has any other factor, and the contrary opinion is wishful thinking at its worst. Breeds that forget this basic truth have always paid for it with their lives and their freedom.”
Additional Details

6 hours ago
Quoted from the excellent book, Starship Troopers, by Robert Heinlein.

What do you think? Is violence God's primary tool for problem resolution?

Answer 1

GOD does NOT use violence to settle issues with humans. GOD has no issues to settle. GOD has set a standard to follow - let humans know what it is, and watched as humans either work together to live as GOD wants or dispute against each other on petty human generated differences.
Humans use violence in an attempt to settle issues. This of course does not work, it only begets more and more violence. The convert or die stratagy of the past proves violence does not work.
The amount of human generated rules to follow the rules GOD set up is one reason Jesus came here - humans were NOT doing what they SHOULD; but writing, rewriting, editing, pushing for more RULES!!?!?! To confuse people, thus keeping power. Humans love power.

Answer 2

no i don't think that violence is God's primary tool for problem resolution. For e.g. India got his freedom from United kingdom through non violence struggle. however some people say that they could get freedom more early through violence. thus we can achieve target easily & more faster through violence but that doesn't means that there aren't any way to solve the problems

During the wars so many people are killed. & they build the feeling of hatings again each other. it also give rise terrorism.
ya i agree that battle of waterloo ( between Napoleon Bonaparte and the Duke of Wellington ) has ended the threatning of nepolian in europe. but is it also not right that people of britain & france are still not so frankly to each other??

Thus violence may be the solution of problem but it is temporary not permanent.

Answer 3

I wouldnt say it's Gods primary tool, but He does use it effectively. In nature there are many painful ways to die, and there are probably more in human warfare. In Exodous, there are a few instances where God informs the israelites to kill every inhabitant in one or another particular city thats on the way to caanan. Violence, if properly administered, leads to peace. That is due to all your enemies being dead. Violence which is used half heartedly or used "just to show the other side we mean business" leads to more violence. If you are to be violent, do it quickly, efficiently, and thoroughly.

Answer 4

Yes, violence does settle disputes, but you can't know in advance how it will turn out, and better solutions can usually be found without it I think that's the real point.

Even Rome fell to ragtag insurgents, and history may be repeating itself.

Answer 5

Well there was the great flood and Sodom and Gorrorah,. In both cases giving society that followed a clean start.

Answer 6

No, violence is man's primary tool for problem resolution.