how can one support the troops and not be supporting war?

Question

I see alot of emails saying to 'support the troops' but seems like few really think about what that means. So, if you say it then you're not a traitor, as if that's what qualifies.
But then isn't one really supporting war? What about christians and what they feel? Didn't it say at Matthew 26:52: "Put your sword back in its place," Jesus said to him, "for all who draw the sword will die by the sword." It seems amazing to me that some who support the troops seem to forget certain principles in the bible. Isn't that the key?
I see some say it's not the troops fault, that they have orders to follow. Couldn't we fairly say they made a conscious decision to sign up in the first place? As Galatians 6:5 says: "for each one shall carry his own load."

Just to add:
My goal is not to make troops seem negative so that wasn't my intention. I have family that were in the service too.
I wanted to explore the issue I see today and get people's input.
As far as quoting scripture, many people can interpret it to mean many things, but seems that all is needed is to read the context and get the idea of the section it's in. Works the same in any book really, each one has it's own theme or message. That's just my opinion.

Answer 1

I'm not going to use uncontextual Bible quotes to support my answer, but it is 100% possible to love the troops and hate the war. Philosophically, we see the army as defenders of this country and our freedoms. Defenders. When they are called on to attack, especially something we do not believe they should attack, we support them because we do not want to see them hurt but we HATE the fact they are have to go into a battle we know they will lose. You hate the war because it is so pointless, we will acheive NOTHING, and we do not want our boys, kids and brothers hurt over something so stupid. The war is a joke. The troops are not.

Besides, have you seen the recruitment commercials. Not once any armed service commercial does it mention fighting a morally ambiguous war with the possibility of getting your limbs blown off. Not once. Who can blame someone for wanting to go to college or learn an interesting trade?

Answer 2

I am against this war in every aspect..any war for that matter! I do not believe war is a way to solve anything! However I do support the troops. I have a lot of close friends in the military and some family and the only reason they are there is because they cam from poor families in a small town and it was the only way out. They thought that getting into the military would be a great way to get money for school and for some of them it was there only choice because they couldn't get into a college. Now they realize that college and money isn't worth your life..to die for a country that doesn't care about you. I love and pray for every person in the u.s. military and hope they make it home safely and I support them one hundred percent but I do not support this war, our president or our government!

Answer 3

"Jesus" also said "I come not to bring peace, but a sword." I suppose the point is that, as usual, any stance whatsoever on any issue whatsoever can be justified with reference to some cherry-picked scriptural text, as can its contradictory.

But as for the whole "support our troops" thing - the idea is that "our troops" are average guys in a bad situation. You may disagree with BushCo's rationale for the war, or with their handling of it; but you should still support the troops since they're over there anyway.

There seems to be an obvious disconnect here. It's as if we're supposed to believe that "our troops" are mindless automatons who simply do what they're told, and all the responsibility rests on the tellers. I understand that a military has to act on orders, and if a soldier asks "Why?" in a time of war, it's merely weakness. Yet I have to think that on a personal level, a soldier who sincerely objects to a particular deployment on moral grounds, yet goes through with it anyway, is little better than a hypocrite.

Answer 4

Ok, first let me say I am completely against this mess in Iraq. But would you rather we not have a military at all? No one to defend our country should we be attacked on our own soil? Those soldiers make a tough decision to enlist. And while there have been a few very negative episodes where they acted in an inhumane way, most of them are doing what they took an oath to do. I know that sounds contradictory but I have to support our troops. WE aren't the ones over there getting shot at, they are. And believe me when I say if I were told I would have to go to Iraq, I would leave this country for Canada in a heartbeat.

Answer 5

My husband joined the military to support our family and he has been in 11 years. He has been to kosovo and Iraq. He spent a year in Iraq. Even if I do not support some aspects of the war, I will forever and always support my husband and every other troop on this planet. They are following orders and they are doing a job and if Saddam was still in power he could get as bad as Hitler. This war was not over oil. It was shown that Iraq was helping to train terrorists. Our intel was faulty when it came to weapons of mass destruction unless they were carted off before we got there in all those big trucks that were seen heading into Syria. Of course, you could not support our troops and we could let the entire middle east become countries with nuclear weapons and World War 3 could start and you wouldn't be safe even in America. Yes, everyone has free will but don't slander the soldiers for the decisions they have made. At least they are trying to serve our country and not on the streets killing each other in gangs. Just remember you have the freedom to express your opinions because our troops continue to fight to keep America the home of the free.

Answer 6

How about this? Write your member of Congress and ask them to bring the troops home and make sure they are never again sent off to fight a war of choice based on a pack of lies for the profit of a bunch of crony capitalist scoundrels. Ask that we improve the support network and medical facilities to help the 40,000 wounded and the families who've lost jobs, businesses, limbs, eyes, fathers, mothers. Having been a soldier I know that the troops will appreciate that kind of support.

Answer 7

I agree. The US has a volunteer army so anyone that signed up knew what they were getting into. If they did not want to "live by the sword" they would not have signed on in the first place. Sure this war was started under false pretenses by a corrupt and greedy administration but that does not excuse the decision of the soldiers to become instruments of death.

Answer 8

I dont believe the war was a just cause. but i have to receive my neighbors as the same as someone i love.
In vietnam, soldiers came back and were spit upon. when i say i support veterans, I mean i wont treat them like criminals.
but the war is a controversial subject. there is enough evidence that it was prolonged Not in the name of Justice but in the name of the one world government. Although freedom and demacracy became an after thought, was it really a conspiracy to force the United states into conflict?.
There are powers that BE, that have and do manipulate Our Government and i dont believe theyare the Armies of God in heaven.

Answer 9

The same way Christians believe that we should "hate the sin not the sinner"....Support the individual human beings (troops), but fight the governments decisions (war)

Answer 10

It's like all those mothers with children in jail. They still love them, just not the crime they committed.

This is not to say the war is illegal or anything like that, just to point out that the war and the people fighting it are two separated entities.