How can Hiroshima be justified from a religious point of view?

Question

I think as an American, while i understand the bomb ended the war, and ultimately may have saved more lives because of it rather than if we would have fought on until 1950. But the ends justfies the means doesn't work with God. So how can a nation under God justify Hiroshima

Answer 1

Obviously, you don't remember Pearl Harbor where the Japs attacked and killed over two thousand Americans on Sunday morning, December 7,1941. Then the Bataan Death March, where thousands of Americans and Phillipinos were killed, tortured, beheaded, and many died from starvation. Then, there was the Rape of Nanking, where over 300,000 Chinese were either raped, tortured, and killed by the brutal Jap military. Today, many "Americans" honor these bastards by buying and driving Jap cars (junk buggies). Hiroshima was clearly justified, and millions of unnecessary deaths were avoided on both sides, the U.S. and Japan.

Answer 2

Your question is an interesting one, although I wonder if it shouldn't have been put in the religion and spirituality section rather than politics. But, I suppose it works here too. Justification from a religious point of view depends on your religion. If you are a fundamentalist and a jihadist then your religion justifies bombing the infidels. If you are a Quaker or belong to the Church of the Brethren you're likely to feel that no war can be justified by your religion and that participating in it is a sin. I believe that most of the great religions teach love and tolerance as a foundation of their faith. Almost every religion teaches some version of "Love you neighbor." However, the discussion then becomes complex and we can argue on all sides of whether there is a "just war" or not, or where we draw the line. Historians differ on the reasons we dropped the bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki and whether we needed to or not. The fact is that ultimately war is political and motivated and driven by humans. So, I don't think we can look to God for justification for bombing or war instead we must examine our own hearts, minds, and souls and try to make the most humane and "loving" decision possible.

Answer 3

I would suggest you read the Old Testament if you believe the deaths in Hiroshima and Nagasaki need to be justified from a religious point of view. I'm sure someone some where has totaled up the number of deaths in the huge battles fought in the name of God. Must have been millions, or at least enough to have set precedent.

Answer 4

Maybe it was Gods way of punishing the Japanese for the horrors they inflicted on the thousands of civilians throughout Asia. And to the moron that said" didn't they already surrender" der, after Hiroshima they still refused to surrender. So we had to bomb Nagasaki. To the men who march on the Bataan death march the bomb was a Godsend. These where not nice people. Try reading "rape of Nanking" We can justify it because we ended the suffering and torture and mass destruction that would have followed if we tried to take the Japanese home island. It wasn't garanteed that we'd win if we didn't drop the bomb. You could be sitting in a Japanese camp right now instead of asking this question. From a religious point of view does it not say in the bible "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth?

Answer 5

Of which religion do you wish to hear and use for justification? At that time, the Japanese believed in Shinto and as such, the rest of the world was of no great significance. The Japanese then, believed themselves far superior AND to die for your god the Emperor was a great honor. How then do you combat such a mentality? To have committed troops to landing on the main island would have been committing all living beings there to death. Every last man, woman and child would have sacrificed themselves to their emperor god.
Even Alvin York (of WW I fame), a devout Christian and conscientious objector found it within himself and his faith to do what he deemed necessary to save lives -- and that was to kill Germans.

Chuck, originally, both "the Bomb" and the B-29 were designed to be used against Germany. Just that the war in Europe ended before we could REALLY deploy either to full effect. -- Several B-29s were actually flown in the ETO, but not a single one was used to bomb Germany. They were just passing through.

Answer 6

I think your arguement is skewed. How did the Japanese Justify Pearl Harbor where more than 2,000 americans died?
How do they justify that religiously. This was an invasion of US territory and the killing of more than 2,000 Americans. War is justified from a religious standpoint if your enemy attacks. for encouragement listen to ttb.org.
Yes the christian scripture does justify war if your territory is invaded and your people are killed. read 1 &2 samuel, and the book of Judges.

Answer 7

The bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki killed far fewer people that the fire bombing of the cities of Germany and Japan prior to them being dropped.

No killing can be justified religiously. Don't single out the atomic bombs. They are just different methods.

Answer 8

You said it yourself it save millions of lives.

You show me in the Bible where G-d sent people into war and told them to make it last as long as possible you may find justifcation.

So how many people should have die in your mind to make it OK before a war should end.

Tell you what justify the Battan death march what Japan did to American civilians and come back to me.

Answer 9

I don't know if it was ever justified, but at the time there was a lot of extreme hatred and loses on both sides which made it easier to drop then it would be in a normal state of mind. Have to remember those were crazy times and every body just about had it up to their ears with going on.

Answer 10

If the war had gone on 7/8th of Japan would probably have died for the Emperor, their God on Earth. A couple of million Americans with some Russians and British would have. I think God probably decided there was killing enough and more than enough and two cities were worth it to end it. Sorta a latter day Sodom and Gomorrah.