Can you be a true Christian if you support the war?

Question

Jesus never lifted a hand to defend himself, even as the Roman soldiers came for him. Christ also prevented his disciples from defending him from the Romans, even though he knew it would cost him his life. "Turn the other cheek", and "blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth" are other quotes I hear espoused by Quakers, Hutterites, and other pacificist Christians. So to be in the true spirit of Christ, should one avoid participating in or supporting violence, even in defense of one's nation or people? Does this contradict the Old Testament adage of "an eye for an eye..."?

I've friends on all ends of the religious and political spectrums, and this question NEVER fails to rile us up. :)

Answer 1

The government does not have a right to wage war at whim. It has a right to wage war only to protect against evil. Martin Luther, an Augustinian monk, discusses this in some detail in his work "Can Soldiers Too Be Saved?" The criterea for just war have been discussed in previously published.

The Confessions of St. Augustine consider Just war as an extension of the government’s authority to use the sword to punish evil. The traditional criteria of a just war (or perhaps better, a justified war) are 1) a war waged by a legal authority, 2) for a just cause, 3) as a last resort, 4) with a reasonable probability of success, 5) with proportionate means, 6) with regard for the innocent.

Martin Luther’s tract “Can Soldiers Too Be Saved?” (1526) remains the classic treatment of the subject of war and conscientious objection from a Christian point of view. (He also deals with the subject in “Temporal Authority” and “War Against the Turk.”) Luther bases his conclusion that Christians can serve in just wars on Romans 13, 1 Peter 2, and John the Baptist’s directions to soldiers in Luke 3, and on the wars conducted by Old Testament saints.

Other appropriate references are the believing centurions in the New Testament church and Psalm 144, “Praise be to the Lord, my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle.”

Luther recognized both the evil of war and its necessity in a sinful world. “When I think of a soldier fulfilling his office by punishing the wicked, killing the wicked, and creating so much misery, it seems an un-Christian work completely contrary to Christian love. But when I think of how it protects the good and keeps and preserves wife and child, house and farm, property, honor and peace, then I see how precious and godly this work is, and I observe that it amputates a leg or a hand, so that the whole body may not perish. ... What men write about war saying that it is a great plague is all true. But they should consider also how great the plague is that war prevents” (Soldiers Too, LW 46, p. 96).

Luther recognized that wars could be selfish and unjust and advised Christians to refuse to participate in wars which they knew to be unjust. It is not just for a ruler to enter a war of rebellion or to start a war. A just war is a war of self-defense in which offers of peace had been rejected by the enemy. If the citizen is uncertain whether the war is just, he should simply OBEY his ruler and leave the ruler’s judgment to God.

Answer 2

I think that peace is the utmost desire and goal for every Christian. At the same time, Christians should be concerned about oppression and injustice. This isn't a perfect world. Sometimes we must take actions to provide justice in this world. Jesus never lifted a hand to anyone because he didn't come for that reason. According to the Bible, he came to eventually "die on the cross". I don't think that relates to Christians today who might have to take up arms to protect themselves, their families, and their children. Otherwise, Christianity could be wiped off the face of the earth. Hitler came very close to exterminating the entire Jewish race. We could never let such a genocide happen again.

Be good.

Answer 3

I am anti-war and violence.
BUT...
There were times in the Bible that God knew war was necessary and He gave His people the ability to defeat their enemies.

He also predicts the great wars coming before Jesus returns, so war is inevitable here. I don't think we should be all for it, but I think there are times we need to protect ourselves and others, but also pray and ask God for guidance in what we should do. Also, ask Him for peace, or solutions. Countries, leaders and common folk, should pray for these things, and then maybe we would have them answered more.

My thought is if we were all peaceful and stayed out of the world's afairs, and continued to be attacked (like Israel was) do yu think we should just "turn the other cheek"?

Answer 4

Sure, the bible and Jesus supported the "turn the other cheek" ideal. But let's not forget all of the people who died because god commanded it in his name. He told people to slay his enemies and to destroy those who did not believe.

The majority of the violence happening in the world today is directly due to religious beliefs. I've never heard of anyone starting a war due to atheism.

So yes, you can be a true Christian and support the war because according to our lovely president, we are fighting a just war in the name of god, to wipe out the terrorist infidels, which puts us in their close company no matter how you look at it.

Answer 5

how many true Christians are there i bet you can count them on one hand. to be a true Christan you would have to be true to the teachings of Christ and not many people are.
i know i am not, but i actually try to be.

i will never fight in a war. i would lay down my life for a stranger. murder is wrong, even in self defense

Answer 6

No, I don't believe that you can. However, you must work to remedy injustice. Therefore, a Christian in Nazi Germany had to find a way (preferably non-violent) to save Jews and other victims of the Holocaust. You can't stand idlly by.

Answer 7

Every religon breaks their most intricate commandments "in the name of God"... Thou shalt not kill the 7th of ten commandentments instrumental in Islam, Christianity, and Judaism, but the crusades were "in the name of God", the war in Lebanon is to protect "the holy land of the chosen people", and the muslim's jihad is what they feel is god's word...

Answer 8

the answer is no, but that doesn't stop most people. look at this website true christian getting angry not turning the other cheek and answering questions with hate

Answer 9

Thou shallt not kill - end of story.
Or am I missing something?
Perhaps the christian apologists have a different interpretation.

Answer 10

Read the Old Testament it is all about God calling His people to fight for their lands. They are still fighting to keep the land God promised them all those years ago. God kept the children of Israel out of the Promised land for 40 years because they would not fight for it!