Why isn't the USA, a country with a Christian leader and a very high percentage of Christians...?

Question

Leading the way in finding non-violent solutions to conflicts?

Is it just me or is the new testament of the Bible (You know, the new covenant and Jesus. The bit relevant to Christians) strictly against violence?

Yet the USA, with it's majority of Christians, contributes 47% of the world's total military expenditure (which is around $1 trillion). As I type this the USA is involved in an armed conflict in Iraq, which seems to be unsuccessful.

To me, this doesn't sound like the typical behaviour of a majorly Christian nation. Surely that money would be better spent on feeding the homeless, schools, ending world famine or countless other causes, which to me, sound more consistant with the teachings in the Bible.

I know that the USA is not officially a Christian nation, but surely the huge majority of Christians, and the Christian leader could have a lot of influence in reducing the military and in posing opposition to armed conflicts.

So could someone please explain this to me?

Answer 1

It nothing to do with the leaders being Christians, but because the leaders are greedy, right-wing bastards with non-existant morals.

Answer 2

Christianity is not exactly a very peaceful religion. Christians have a desire to save all other people from going to Hell. The missionary went to a foreign land, and the army followed. The Christians may think they did other people a big favor. Who wants to be controlled by someone else? After World War II, America became the successor of the British Empire. Nobody does anything without considering his own interest. USA attacked Iraq to establish a puppet government friendly to USA, because Iraq has oil.

Answer 3

Although it is true that George can heal the sick, turn one loaf into many, walk on water and forgive the murderers of our fellow Americans, he can not do any of these things with out the consent of us his devoted and obedient apostles. We are a republic, and he must get permission from all of us followers to perform any miracles, or do any forgiving. You posted one of the stupidest questions I have seen on here in a great while. what makes you think that Christians follow him. What makes you think that the ideals of caring for the poor, the sick, and forgiving are democratic Ideals. What makes you think that a republican can't hold the same ideals? Go back to the DNC and discuss a better strategy to discredit the republicans and the president of the United States, then come back here and present your idea in a well thought out manner., without besmirching, Christians, republicans or anybody who hold the values that you presented in your question.

Answer 4

The Iraq war is not about religion, neither is the war in Afghanistan. America was attacked on 9/11 and we are taking the fight to them rather than have it brought back here. Should we sit and wait around and continually be attacked over and over again as Osama Bin Laden has promised to do? We are not at war with Muslims. This is NOT a holy war, it is a war about freedom...the same reason men have always fought, and will always fight as long as there are extremists in the world.

Answer 5

Can't explain it. Wars have been waged for many a century, some even in the name of christianity. It appears to be human nature, christians included. And yes the money would be better off spent improving the world rather than destroying it.

Answer 6

oh my friend...this gets into some very deep ground...might want to look up Agustine and his writings about "just war".

Not going to take a side one way or the other on the conflict in Iraq...am going to say this...no matter how Christian the nation, can it every avoid all war? No.. I don't think so.

Which is where I start exploring...what is a "just war"...does this apply to what my national leader is asking me to committ to.

See...it's never going to be a simple straight forward cut and dry answer.

Answer 7

Christians have historically killed with a passion, the crusades is a great example the USA is not ruled by its religion. its 1 of founding fathers main concerns . we choose to kill right now on Georges quest to protect the USA from terrorists. the different factions in the mid east have been killing each other since the time of Christ and before that even

Answer 8

I do believe that the majority of Christians in this country are good-hearted people. They really do mean well.

Unfortunately... they are more than a little bit gullible.

What has happened in this country is that the right-wing fascists, which sometimes call themselves the Republican party, have catered to Christians, and have "allied" themselves with them, supposedly upholding their moral fiber, etc.

This party paints anyone who disagrees with them as un-Christian, immoral, unpatriotic, etc. And the majority of Christians out there, that really are peaceful people, swallow it up because they don't see any viable alternative.

Unfortunately, the "liberals" have not countered this tactic. They have allowed the right-wing to paint them in this light, and have allowed the right-wing to turn Christians against them, even though the "liberals" actually represent more of Jesus' teachings than the right-wing do.

It is this unfortunate scenario that allows people like George W Bush to rain violence down upon anyone in the world that he disagrees with, justifying it by some sort of "Christian" morality. His phrase "axis of evil" is a good example of the way his party tries to demonize governments that disagree with us.

Right or wrong, (and I'm not siding with the muslim theocracies here) our politics are dishonest. And it's a shame that the Christians today have allowed themselves to be represented by people like this. (See Jerry Falwell...)

Answer 9

Read Mark 4 ,only 1 out of every 4 people is a Christian.
Matthew 7:13-14 also,only a few find the truth

Answer 10

The day a Christian overtakes the White House is the day we will become like Iraq, festering in religious dogma and killing people who are not Christian. Long live Democracy. Keep religion in it's place--in the church, and not in the government.

Answer 11

You are labouring under the massive misapprehension that christianity is a religion of peace. Nothing could be further from the truth if you examine history.

To cite just a couple of examples, when christians fought the ottomans in spain, the streets ran inches deep in blood as they killed man, woman, children and every animal. This was done to preserve christianity in the region - ie directly in the name of the religion.

And fundamentalist christians picket the funerals of american military dead from Iraq in the name of their christian morality because they do not agree that the military should employ gay people and a few other groups they consider undesirable.

History clearly teaches us that christianity is vastly more likely to be part of the problem than part of the solution.