Can you be a Christian and support the use of Cluster bombs?

Question

I could use a thousand different examples really but cluster bombs is as good as any.
How does a Christian "Thou shalt not kill" reconcile this command from God with raining down slaughter on Iraqis?

Let me just head off one dead end.

Some will say that it's in the name of freeing Iraq from a greater evil Sadam Hussein. To that I say the soldiers of Iraq were not Sadam Hussein and neither were the tens of thousands of dead civilians.

So "thou shalt not kill" doesn't say any more than that. No ifs or buts. If God didn't mean exactly what he said then there would have been ten stone tablets and about another ten thousand others containing ammendments and special exceptions.

Rev Albert Einstein: just so that nobody get's the wrong idea. There is no way that you are my Pal.

Answer 1

We keep hearing about "true Christians" I would imagine that a "true Christian" could never support cluster bombs or any other type of device whose main purpose is to kill others.

But "true Christians" seem to be a lot like Yeti. You keep hearing about them but never actually run across any.

Answer 2

Excelent question!

Most of the war supporters during Vietnam were Christians. Back then they seemed to think that being against the war would be against the troops, and the only way to honor them was to support the war effort.
That whole way of thinking was planted by the Pentagon to keep people willing to put up with this stuff.
The reason they made Audie Leon Murphy a war hero was because he had religious issues with killing and resolved that going to war was the right thing to do.

For those that think otherwise but believe scriptures:

Mat 26:51 And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out [his] hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest's, and smote off his ear.

Mat 26:52 Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.

Mat 26:53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?

Jhn 18:36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.

We can't FIGHT for God. We can Live for God and we can die for God.

Answer 3

I'd like to share a practical example with you.

Joe Sixpack goes to church every Sunday
He takes the wife and kids
He is generous with his tithing to reserve a seat on the train that's coming
Pickin' up passengers from coast to coast
All he needs is faith to hear the diesels hummin' . . .

Joe Sixpack goes to work for the defense industry
The defense industry makes money from building cluster bombs
If you don't drop them, you can't build more cluster bombs, Tomahawks, laser guided bombs, you name it.

Always, always follow the money. I believe god did say thou shalt kill the Caananites, didn't he? Don't need no provisos. All you need is faith, to hear the voices in your head
Smite all the heathens until they be dead.

(This truthlet is not necessarily but possibly the opinion of the author. Any resemblance to reality is strictly conjectural. No pixels were harmed in the typing of this answer.)

Answer 4

Ahhh but the thing you do not realize is that the commandments are merely guidelines and the church leaders DO amend the commandments as they see fit.

The tablets now read "THOU SHALT NOT KILL"... and etched in small letters below it says "Unless you REALLY need to!"

If you read the OT bible many of god's rules revolved around killing people as a consequence for misbehaviour.

Anyone who strayed to another religion was to be killed..... children who disobeyed their parents should be killed..... the list of offenses worthy of death is rather large..... which is quite amusing considering the fact that one of the biggest commandments is thou shalt not kill.

It would seem that any form of killing is alright so long as you are doing it for the god of your chosen religion.

Answer 5

If you are a "George W. Bush"-type christian, then the use of cluster bombs is not only allowed, its considered holy!

Answer 6

Read The Sermon on the Mount (in Matthew) and you will have your answer.
There are not very many Christians in the world, if you define Christian as one who follows Christ's teachings.

Answer 7

Thou shalt not kill/murder is a command to individuals and has nothing to do with the actions of governments. Obviously God could not tell a government "thou shalt not kill/murder" and then send the Israelites into the promised land and order them to kill all of the inhabitants.

Here is the passge that describes God's role in working through governments as agents of his will coming to pass here on earth.

Romans 13:1Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. 4For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.

As to the morality of using cluster bombs or nuclear bombs for that matter a Christian can object to the use of such weapons and if called to serve in the military state their religious beliefs and ask to be assigned to a non-combat role like a medic or something like that. But the Bible doesn't give any rules about soldiers holding trials and finding out who should or should not be killed during combat. Each individual has to do as their conscience guides them knowing that at the end of their life each one will have to give God an account for what they did and why.

2 Corinthians 5:10For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

Answer 8

I do not agree with war, ever, unless it is necessary.

Thou Shalt Not Kill, correct. But if someone is threatening to kill you, your family, your entire country -no, your entire WAY OF LIFE-, I believe it is OK to defend it.

Answer 9

Absolutely not! That is barbaric, you are a monster for even thinking of a question like that, I hope some righteous christian reports you for being a heretic! (Hisssssss....)

Answer 10

"Thou shalt not kill" is one of God's most misunderstood commandment...When God said it he meant not to kill out of anger, jealousy, envy, out of anything that offends him.