Is it justifiable in this day and age for Christians to wage war?

Question

I think it's hypocrytical for christians to be the aggressor in any situation
They have the right to defend and use force
The question is who is the aggressor - in any conflict
The people or countries who wage war are only interested in accumulating and or protecting their wealth and power
The bible says: What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world yet suffers the loss of his soul

Answer 1

NO

Answer 2

If people truly lived as Christians then their conscience would not allow them to make war. It is a difficult question but I honestly believe that true awakening to the truth of what and who we are through self reflection, contemplation and studying the great religious teachers and texts of all faiths is the only way to end warfare.

The buddhist monks that calmly set fire to themselves in protest at the Vietnam war exemplify the kind of approach I am talking about. Through self knowledge these monks had learned that 'they' did not exist, they had learned to detach from their illusory egos and realised their true nature, their oneness with the universe. These things can sound like cliches when stated so baldly which is a pity because infact the experience of enlightenment is available for us all the time, in our ignorance and attachment to illusory thoughts we simply never see the truth that is staring at us 24 hours a day.

If we all worked a little harder on our spiritual development, if only a few were to attain this level of consciousness then the world would be a better place.

Answer 3

I thought religion was based on peace and understanding? So why, are the majority of wars and suffering being caused by religion? That is a more reasonable question if you ask me. Stop quoting the bible, it was written by those in power thousands of years ago in order to control the masses. It has no relevance to what the world is headed for, it was a tool to control the herd, nothing more.

Answer 4

No. No religious group can justifiably be an aggressor in a violent way. Unless of course its part of their religion, in which case they still shouldn't and I know of no religions where waging war is part of their religion.
If a people are being persecuted it is the responsibility of their home law enforcement of government to protect them. It is wrong for the Israelis to unite as Jews and bring war upon the Arabs, just as it is wrong for the Muslims to unite under an Islamic flag to bring war upon others and just as it was wrong for the Pope to send waves of Crusaders from across Christendom to bring war upon the Holy Land.
There will always be war, but it must be a war brought on by a sovereign nation capable of setting military goals and being accountable to the international rules of war.
No mainstream religion advocates war unless it is an extreme situation requiring self defense, but in that event it is counter-productive for a religious group to unite, thereby separating themselves from the rest of their nation and causing instability and weakness.
Religions do not possess the proper chain of command to wage war, certianly not a modern war. It is that problem that has made the militant Islamic fundamentalists so fractured and, for the most part, dissorganized. There are some militant groups that have organized quite well, but for the most part, its just a bunch of militias, loosely connected over great distances. No war to wage war.

Answer 5

have you got nothin better to do than blame christians for everything all the time when you probably know hardly anything about it. lots of people claim to be christians when theyre not actually born again. I am and im not a war wager!!! most wars start for a large number of reasons...........primarily because we're human and didnt go Gods way in the first place


are you also suggesting a country shouldnt defend itself?

Answer 6

No I dont believe it is right to go to war or to wage war against another country. Because greed or power is usually the underlying cause of war, wanting what someone else has, and using whatever excuse they can to invade or cause war.
The bible, says love one another. The koran also says love one another, and im sure that 90% of the religions say love is the best way. Yet I know those in power who claim to be Christian, muslim hindu, or whatever, religion rarely practice what their books teach, you see it in their actions.they may claim to be christian,muslim,etc but dont do as God teaches them. love one another as I have loved you.

Answer 7

So, Vince my brother 'in the Lord???'. How long have you been studying the Bible? WE do not sit and wait to be attacked you MORON. Sorry. We MUST be PROACTIVE. Check out the OT. God never waited for the enemy. He went AFTER them. When you do a lil research, you may be allowed to come on and ask a question that is based on knowledge, not worldy opinion. DO I HEAR AN AMEN????

Answer 8

It is sometimes necessary to wage war against evil.
See the case of Nazi Germany, who were on their way to conquering by force the whole of Europe and then treating their subject nations with terrible cruelty.

Answer 9

Hello,,,, most wars have began because of religion,, and there are plenty of Christians and Non-Christians alike that have fought in these wars...... but I tell you this as a truth,,, I never met anyone that was not a Christian when I was at war!!!!!

go away....and quit twisting things...

Answer 10

Come on everyone, Sing along:

ONWARD CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS.........

What about the Salvation Army????

The bible is full of war. War is as much a part of Christianity, as it is for the muslims.
We're all different cheeks of the same a*se.

Answer 11

That plea to consider how Buddhist monks immolated themselves during the Vietnam War went to my heart.

For Christian Pacifists: Tolstoy interpreted the words in Mathew: It was said to you of old, an eye for an eye, ... but I say unto thee, resist not evil." to mean that if his neighbour set fire to his house he should not put out that fire. Tolstoy did his best to live accordingly.

There's no choice for you: if you want to defend yourself, jettison Christianity!

How come that affluent, consumerist Westerners who shied away from Mid-East poverty (I mean 'ere oil wealth changed that), manage to close their eyes to the dung in the cattle-shed, and romanticise the cross?

Consider, too, the lives of hundreds of Quakers.