If Jesus was a pacifist, why did so many of his followers in the middle ages and beyond kill in his name?

Question

The Witch Trials, the Spanish inquisition, the crusades. What on earth happened?

Answer 1

Perhaps because, in the words of the great K (Men in Black)...

"A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky, dangerous animals and you know it"

A person can understand and even accept that Jesus told us to love each other, especially our enemies...that we should turn the other cheek. However, when a person feels threatened, he will seek protection in a larger group of people. If those people also feel threatened, they turn in to a mob and individual intelligence and personal values go flying right out the window.

People, especially uneducated people, can also be deceived by a more intelligent person that knows how to "cherry pick" the bible to convince them that his beliefs are true. How many of Jesus' followers in the middle ages could even read...what they knew about the bible is what they were taught by religious authorities. Some king/dictator wants to increase his kingdom (his wealth especially), he convinces some religious leaders that a country/people he wants to conquer are a threat to their "holy authority"...they work together to deceive the necessary followers (e.g., soldiers) into believing they are doing "God's work". Voila, the Crusades (and many other so-called "holy wars").

Answer 2

The Crusades were fought in response to repeated Muslim invasions of Europe, in which entire peasant populations, men, women, and children, were wiped out--except those who converted to Islam, of course. The Spanish Inquisition and the Salem witch trials were examples of people whose fanaticism made them vulnerable to false teaching.

You said "so many" Christians, but even the aberrations you mentioned represent only a microscopic fraction of all Christendom. The vast, vast majority of Christians have followed, and continue to follow, Jesus' teachings faithfully. Countless schools, farms, hospitals, missions, and humanitarian services around the world bear witness to this fact.

Answer 3

The same thing that happened to all the Christians today who support or fight in any war:

People are stupid. They like the idea of ideas like pacifism but don't have the courage to follow through. They make up whatever excuses they need to reconcile war, violence, and killing with their religion so that they can go on getting their revenge and proving their physical strength without feeling all the icky feelings that go along with such actions.

People are really good a justifying their actions no matter how illogical and who gets hurt. We're just too darn stupid to realize that violence only ever begets more violence no matter how many times history has tried to teach that lesson. Even gods don't seem strong enough to help us realize it.

Answer 4

Our wars have always been about religion one way or another. Check your history. The Romans ruled most of the world when they were strong and promoted their gods and destroyed Christians. Islamists tried to rule the world and destroyed all who didn't believe and still are trying. Catholics and protestants still have a problem living side by side in Ireland. Germany tried to promote an Aryian philosophy against Jews and turned the world into a war to stop them. Peoples try to protect their faiths but use them as a factor to kill others. Jesus didn't intend for anyone to war, only gave people the choices to determine how they would use their faith. People make bad choices in the name of their gods. People mis-understand their scriptures and mis-interpret to their own ends. It's not rocket science. It's always a means to an end for those who want to do what they want and choose to name it in God. It is not. It is a selfish end to a selfish choice.

Answer 5

The dictionary lists a pacifist as someone who does not believe in using violence as a means to solving disputes and someone who opposes war. Jesus did loose his temper in the Bible and was forceful (maybe not violent) at times. He picked up the tables in the temple and turned them over in anger when people were selling and making a profit there. He did show frustration with his disciples when they fell asleep in the garden of Gethsemane. He chose to focus his life on teaching people a better way of living. Living a life that honored God and loving your neighbors were cornerstones of his teachings.
Many people do things in the name of God that are not right. People go off on their own to solve things the wrong way. They use the name of Jesus to defend/justify their wrong behavior. You see many Muslims doing this today. They use Allah to justify their hatred and killing of others.
War on the other hand has been used since early Biblical times and was at times sanctioned by God. He gave David the strength to kill the giant and Joshua the intelligence he needed at Jericho. There were many other men of God that he showed favor to when war or battle were the only options.

Answer 6

Man happened, that's what.
Constantine needed an army, and found a ready group if he claimed to be Christian. Once he gained control, they knew persecution would cease.
Later, folks like Luther claimed there was such a thing as a "just war."
It's mighty hard telling people about the pacifism, because they don't believe you. Especially us ornery Baptists. Well...I'm not Baptist anymore.
I am non-denom., but leaning towards Mennonite theologically in some respects.

Answer 7

The struggle to come to an understanding of our world and how it works, how societies function and thrive, and the fact that everyone and his dog was trying to take over the world, I think points to a human ideal to be one, not just with the world, but with each other. We struggle to make each other agree, to be the same, to believe as we believe so that we are all together on something, and that some sort of harmony and peace may be attained.

Sometimes, evil ideals attempt to take over and run with it. We have yet to realize that there is not one amoung us who is worthy to lead, to teach others, to show perfectly the way to be with one another. Yet we still seek that leader, and that perfect society.

Answer 8

Because they are religious zealots.
Even today the Iraq war is the Muslim extremist against George Bush's Christian theology.
People take believing in God way too seriously.

Answer 9

Misinformation and corruption. These were not TRUE Christians. TRUE Christians are peaceful pacifists.

Answer 10

Jesus also said to slay his enemies....seriously! Luke 19:27 read it!