Christianity and War?

Question

I was sitting in World History today and was thinking (we were learning about the Crusades and other Christain wars) and I was thinking: If Christians are so against murder and stuff like that why have they started so many wars/confrentations to "Protect the Faith" said Pope Urban II when he wanted men to fight in the Crusades "Des Vult!" or God Wills It! Again my real question is Why are people in Christianity so against War even though their faith has started so many wars in the past? Also why do Christain support most wars that are "protecting the faith"?

They werent choosing loyalty to the country! The Pope told them to fight and they did! the church induced it!

Answer 1

It's the old saying: If you can't join them, beat them.

Answer 2

Anyone professing that they are Christian and will go to war and kill their fellow Christian or any human is not following the footsteps of Christ. They are only putting on a form of Godly devotion but its proving false to the power of true Christianity.
In short they are counterfeit Christians.
See James 4:1-4, Luke 22:50,
In John 17:14-16 Jesus prayed for God to protect his followers because they were no part of the world. So if no part of the world then they will not be getting involved in war or politics, they won't be killing their fellow man.

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Answer 3

" 52 Then Jesus said to him: “Return your sword to its place, for all those who take the sword will perish by the sword." (Matthew 26:52) "10 The children of God and the children of the Devil are evident by this fact: Everyone who does not carry on righteousness does not originate with God, neither does he who does not love his brother. For this is the message which YOU have heard from [the] beginning, that we should have love for one another; 12 not like Cain, who originated with the wicked one and slaughtered his brother." (1 John 3:10-12) In our century the clergy have been prominent in drumming up popular support for wars, even those of an entirely secular nature.

Referring to the role of nominal Christian churches during World War I, historian Paul Johnson wrote: “Clergymen were unable, and for the most part unwilling, to place Christian faith before nationality. Most took the easy way out and equated Christianity with patriotism. Christian soldiers of all denominations were exhorted to kill each other in the name of their Saviour.”

Religion has done more to kindle war than to nurture peace. In fact, the Bible depicts false religion as a “harlot” who panders to the world’s rulers. (Revelation 17:1, 2) God pronounces her the principal culprit responsible for shedding the blood of all those slaughtered on the earth. (Revelation 18:24) Consequently, Jehovah God will eliminate this obstacle to peace once and for all.—Revelation 18:4, 5, 8.

“The bloodiest and most dangerous disputes today . . . are wrapped in religion,” states the newspaper USA Today. They are also very difficult to resolve.

False religion has shown its rotten fruitage in other ways. For example, though the Bible says to “love your neighbor,” religious leaders throughout the world have zealously supported and promoted warfare.—Matthew 22:39. 10 Throughout the world, religious leaders have preached love, peace, and goodness, but they have practiced hatred, war, and ungodliness. The Bible describes them well. It says: “They publicly declare they know God, but they disown him by their works.”—Titus 1:16.

God’s Kingdom will rule over the peaceful earth. Meanwhile, millions of Jehovah’s Witnesses, who support this heavenly government, have learned to live in peace. Today, moved by their love for God and their desire to “pursue peace with all people,” in 233 lands the more than 6,300,000 Jehovah’s Witnesses refuse to share in the wars of the nations.(Hebrews 12:14; Matthew 22:36-38.) Instead, they are fulfilling Bible prophecy by ‘beating their swords into plowshares’ and ‘learning war no more.’—Micah 4:3.

Speaking about Jehovah's Witnesses, the editor of Holocaust Educational Digest noted: “No Jehovah’s Witness will ever go to war. . . . If everyone in the world in position of power had been of this faith, [World War II] would never have happened.”

Clearly, then, we have sound reasons to believe that wars are not inevitable. Better still, we can look forward to the day near at hand when Jehovah will make warfare cease forever. (Psalm 46:9) He will see to it that there will soon be a world without war.

If you would like further information or a free home Bible study to learn more about the world with no more war, please contact Jehovah's Witnesses at the local Kingdom Hall. Or visit http://www.watchtower.org

Answer 4

true christians would not choose loyalty to country over loyalty to god...including murder

Answer 5

There is a 'Just War' Doctrine at>

http://www.catholic.com/library/Just_war_Doctrine_1.asp