Soldiers in Iraq?

Question

They've killed people right? And for anyone who belives in a religon that has "thou must not kill" do you think they'll go to hell?

Honestly just curious, or do you think they will be saved because tecnically their following someone else's orders

But you've got to admit, the war has killed alot of natives over there.

Ofcourse there are the bad soldiers, just yesterday I read a story about one who raped a muslim girl and killed her whole family. There's no doubt where hes going (if I belived in hell)

But yea, what are your opinions?Do you think god would support war? With all those deaths or do you think he'd feel like its not our place to punish people but his

Answer 1

I leave that up to God, He will be the judge of that.
Just like all the other things people do today that go against the Bible, and think its ok due to man's explaination and reason for it.
I don't see any exceptions to any of the Ten Commandments.
To take a life is to take a life. And if everything else is literal in the Bible so is that.
But God has the final word on whether the person killing was right, He sees the circumstance and goes by His judgement.

Answer 2

Yeah, it’s “Thou shalt not Murder" or you’d go to hell for killing a fly.

The rape/murder story is probably propaganda. But if it's true, it’s unacceptable behavior that should be punished.

The vast majority of civilian death in Iraq is currently being caused by some very nasty Muslims. These fanatics feel that starting a civil war & causing the deaths of millions of fellow Muslims, is a small price to pay in pursuit of a holy war against the America, who they see as the ‘Great Satan’.

Every radical Muslim death is a step toward a peaceful and prosperous Iraq. Iraq's moderate Muslims are extremely fortunate to have American aid in ridding themselves of these fanatics.

On American TV though, the war has been portrayed as pointless and stupid. This is because a Republican President started the war, and if his political rivals, the Democrats, can convince everyone it was a stupid idea, they can win elections. Most TV news outlets favor the Democrats, so if American soldiers do something silly like making naked prisoners form a human pyramid, it’s BIG HORRIBLE NEWS, but if radical Muslims behead a reporter, cook a man’s child, & bomb a mosque killing hundreds, it's barely a byline. (Or it’s somehow implied that Americans soldiers made them do it)

This tactic has worked really well. The Democrats recently gained control of the House & Senate. (2/3 the government) by promising to cut off funding and pulling all the American soldiers out of the ‘silly stupid’ war in Iraq.

But now the Democrats have to break their promise, because a recent increase in Troop levels has gone better than expected, so there's not enough time for America to lose the war, while Bush (the Republican) is still President. A Democrat might become President in the upcoming election, and if America loses while a Democrat is President, that would help the Republicans.

So now the TV people have to start telling Americans that our soldiers are doing good, and the radical Muslims are actually pretty bad people, and though starting the war was still a big Republican mistake, it might be a bigger mistake to pull out now.

It’s easy to look at war and think it’s a choice between peace or violence. It’s not. War is about who controls the violence.

If a violent man wants to rob you, and you have no violence, you just get robbed. But if you can dial 911, and a violence specialist with a gun comes to threaten or kill the robber, you might not be robbed. Understand?
You can have PEACE only if YOU control the VIOLENCE.

Question. What do you call someone who specializes in violence?
Answer: A Peace Officer.

As for God, if He judges us, it is not in this life. What God thinks of war is not apparent, because it sure doesn’t seem like He ever bothers to stop it.

But if God is here and watching I suspect he’s much like a wildlife warden.
He loves all the animals, including us, but he doesn’t try to stop them from killing each other, because …
….that’s just nature.

Answer 3

christians have always come up with a way around this.

during the middle ages a knight's faith in god was proven (thus the same contradiction exists here, but in a more religious climate than today) by killing people in battle, thus he was rewarded for holy killings with his "cruciform" sword.

however the contradiction (like most religious "retcons") fails on two counts:

1- The "cruciform" sword and crossguard had utalitarian use in combat not only as a hand guard but offensively to lock a blade as well. (e mail me).

2- The sword might have been a symbol, but in reality was nothing more than a back up weapon to the spear, axe, warhammer and mace which were far more effective battlefield weapons.

so unless they carve crosses on thier muzzle, or on every bullet, then even this flimsy excuse doesn't work.

Answer 4

You already have two excellent answers on the correct translation of the commandment. And St. Louis has given an excellent statement on our presence in Iraq which I hear also from the many from our area who have served there.

I would only add so that it isn't lost that you are correct. The soldier who raped the Muslim girl and killer her family. This is not justified killing. If he is found guilty, he has committed murder.

Pastor John

Answer 5

War is Hell. Patton or someone said that a long time ago, and he was right. Civilians get killed on both sides in every war there ever was or ever will be. War killing is different than holding up a bank and killing. Don't worry about it. Happy trails.

Answer 6

I am an American soldier. I have been to Iraq and Afghanistan. When I came home I saw people that would shake my hand and thank me for serving my country and protecting the freedoms we enjoy everyday. I guess you do not wish for us to fight for these freedoms anymore? Is that what you wish for? Yes I know it may not make a lot of sense for the USA to be in Iraq and Afghanistan but like I said, I have been there. I have interacted with the Iraqi people and they feel we are needed and they are appreciateve of the USA. We are containing a disease called terrorism in Iraq and if we leave that disease will spread all over the world. Ma'am I will continue to fight for your freedoms and I am sorry that do not support us in the US Military. God bless you.

Answer 7

True story. My second day of working in DC, I was biking home from the metro, and got hit by a car. I flew through the air and cartwheeled 7 feet off the ground. Guys who hit me? Both Iraqi veterans, one was a Medic who started getting all crazy seeing a body fly through the air.

Great guys, they gave me a ride home afterwards, which was awkward in a 2 door car with a mangled bike and me in the back.

Answer 8

The commandment is "Thou shalt not MURDER.

Murdering someone in cold blood is different than killing someone out of self defense or for the protection of your country in times of conflict.

Answer 9

The biblical commandment is 'thou shalt not murder'. Killing in the course of fighting a war is NOT murder.

The Bible, itself condones and even command killing in certain limited situations. War is one....self-defense is another.

Answer 10

I don't see why you singled out soldiers in Iraq. Soldiers everywhere kill people.