Why aren't all Christians pacifists?

Question

I just cannot understand this, as to me it seems that Jesus' main teaching was to love your neighbour, to be peaceful and turn the other cheek. He set an example of himself as allowing people to attack him and persecute him but never once did he fight back except with kind words, truth, love and compassion.

I know that people say that we need to protect our country, but there are always other ways, we know this from people such as Gandhi. If you do not yield to new rules/invasion but do not use force, people will realise. There may be deaths but people will realise how futile the fighting is, something they will never realise as long as force fights force.

Answer 1

Good question.

Answer 2

Your questions is a VERY GOOD question. Maybe people who are not pacifists are not really Christians, no matter what they may say. Think of such people as identity theives. If a man steals your identity and opens credit cards in your name, that doesn't make him YOU, does it? Thus, if some individuals and groups say they are Christians, that does not necessarity mean that they truly are Christians. Personally, I believe that individuals or groups that do not believe in or sincerely try to live out ALL the teachings of Christ (as found in the New Testament) simply ARE NOT Christians at all. What are they then? Some of them are people who want to have the reputation of being a Christian. Some of them are people who want to practice a religion, but they want a religion of their own making, a religion that fits their lower worldly impulses (in other worlds, they make themselves, or some other mere human, into their god.) I would suggest you study the Christian churches that are strictly pacifist, and consider the possibilty that maybe one or more of them are the only TRUE Christians, even if they are a tiny minority of all the people who call themselves Christian. I would also suggest that you study the history of the early Christians, from the death of Jesus Christ up until about the year 300. I've been told that all the early Christians were strict pacificts. Most so-called Christian churches will tell you how fighting in wars is really is justifiable in some circumstances, despite what Jesus said about turning the other cheek, and despite Jesus' example of not fighing back. But even if these so-called Christian churches have millions of members and are very popular and famous in you country and in the world, that does not prove that they are right. I recommend that you really study and study the New Testament Scriptures. Then you can decide for yourself what Jesus taught and teaches. I really recommend that you view MOST so-called Christians as being liars, fraud, deceivers, deeply evil people, or, at least, very ignorant (since they have been misled by deceivers.) I do believe that there are some true Christians in the world today, but I think there are very, very few of them. Best wishes.

Answer 3

War should always be the last option -- but that doesn't mean it should never be an option at all.

Remember that war stopped Hitler. War stopped the imperial Japanese from committing atrocities all over eastern Asia. War removed a brutal dictator in Iraq. War ended slavery in America.

War did all these things, after every other option was tried but failed.

War is never a pleasant thing -- but neither is standing idly by while a dictator romps all over Europe and puts people in concentration camps.

Or standing idly by, while a nationalist regime in Japan does things in places like China and the Philippines that make the Nazis look like choir boys.

Or standing idly by, while a guy like Hussein kills people by the hundreds of thousands, and builds himself dozens of palaces while his people are starving.

Gandhi did great things in India through nonviolent means -- but I seriously doubt that his approach would have been worth much to the people liberated from Auschwitz or Buchenwald. Or liberated from Japanese prison camps in Asian jungles. Or liberated from Saddam's clutches.

As Gen. Douglas MacArthur said, nobody detests war more than the soldiers who have to fight them.

But history tells us that, sometimes, it is the only choice -- and for many people, their only hope at survival.

.

Answer 4

excellent question. But in all honesty, how many Christians do you know actually follow Jesus's example?

Instead most chose to be judgmental, equate themselves with God by telling people they will go to hell, and in short being as un-Christ like as you can get. People in other religions act more like Jesus than a lot of Christians, which is why so many people these days have a problem with them.

Answer 5

By "neighbor", Jesus meant "other Jews", not "others who are not Jews". There is in-group pacifism and out-group hostility in Jesus' story, if you care to look at it.

Religion will not bring about peace in this world. The end of religion will. You don't see people starting wars over non-beliefs.

Answer 6

I agree with you that Jesus' teachings revolved around "love thy neighbor", however there are so many flavors of Christianity, and along with it there are an equal number of differences of opinion about how things should be done in Christianity.

Answer 7

"Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword." Matthew 10:34

"He said to them, "But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don't have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one. It is written: 'And he was numbered with the transgressors'[b]; and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is written about me is reaching its fulfillment."
The disciples said, "See, Lord, here are two swords."
"That is enough," he replied. " Luke 22:36-38

The diversity of the teachings are separated from their original contexts. The Sermon on the Mount is in all likelihood a compilation of Jesus' teaching in a variety of settings, not in one place & time. Most of us tailor our remarks to our audience, but we don't have any way of knowing to whom he was speaking, although it's a sure bet it was mostly to other Jews.

^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^

Answer 8

It was easy for Gandhi to talk about love and compassion while the U.S. fought against evil and hatred. Gandhi will soon be a memory while the U.S. still stands.

Answer 9

You would be right, if we followed Jesus' instructions, we Christians would all be pacifists.

However, most of us, follow Paul's interpretations of what Jesus said.

Paul invented this description of what it means to "believe in Jesus"

Jesus came to Earth to sacrifice his life for our sins.So if you will believe that Jesus died for our sins;past, present, and future; then you are saved from Hell, and you will go to Heaven.

So people who follow Paul's description have no incentive to follow the instruction of Jesus. Why bother? We scream "Lord, Lord, Jesus is my saviour" and we will go to Heaven no matter how we conduct our lives. "Once saved, always saved" is the doctrine of my church (Southern Baptist)

When we follow Paul's message, we are so happy, we are saved because we say we are saved by Jesus' blood.

So, none of us feel a need to be a pacifist.

(I am now 63 years old, and now I realize I had better do what Jesus said to do):

"Forgive others for their mistakes"

Jesus warned us, "If you do not forgive others, then, your father in Heaven will not forgive you"

I finally realize, there is no way we can get to Heaven if we hold a grudge or seek revenge. -- Jesus' message; not mine

Answer 10

If Christians get behind a nation, then they have a duty to defend it. If they disown it, they have no duty to it. If you want freedom instead of tyrrany, you have to be willing to fight for it because people are stadning in line to take it away from you. You cannot fight tyranny with pacifism.

Answer 11

Your question turned into a statement. This sort of thing is best for a blog/forum but not on questions and answers.