Don:
I really think the above quote was right on. The "professional" soldier takes an oath before he enters the military to obedience to the constitution, the nation his superior officers, etc. While I understand that has to be done to maintain military order, you still have to look at what is involved.
A Christian's allegiance is to God, not the state, and when you have people practically worshipping the flag way more than God it makes you wonder. I don't think soldiers go about thinking about worshipping Mars, but that, in effect, is what happens in alot of cases. I've seen nationalism have a much stronger effect on people than the worship of Jesus Christ. It the majority of cases the "nation" or the "country" is placed at a much higher value than God. Otherwise why would people choose to obey the state over obedience to God?
It is the whole attitude that is a problem. From training, or boot camp all the way through, the attitude is one of killing the enemy and (which of course is the objective of the military) win the victory. Chaplains, of course, are there, among other things, to tell the individual that "God is on his side" and if killed in battle he will go to heaven for dying for his country. And we all know that is totally false. You go to heaven because God regenerated you and gave you the give of faith and wrote your name in the book of life, and that, before you were born.
Here's a Marine Corp recruits' marching song, used a few years ago that drew alot of attention for it's absurdity:
I saw a bird with a yellow bill
sitting on my windowsill.
I coaxed him in with a piece of bread
and then I crushed his little head.
A mean Marine,
a lean Marine!
I guess I'm just a mean Marine!
Really cute and intelligent, don't you think??
Then there is the whole attitude that when in the military and on leave or whatever, one can pretty much justify any type of actions by the boys, because, you know, boys will be boys. Here is a quote that made me want to vomit. The topic was the handing out of condoms to soldiers. Of the Armed forces the Navy is the heaviest user of condoms, buying neary 14,000 gross in 1987, according to Lorraine Netzki, a contracting officer for the Defense Personnel Support Services in Philadelphia, Pa. According to that report the Army picked up slightly more than 13,000 gross of condomns and the Air Force bought 6,700 gross and the Marines trailed with just 3,944 gross. Although the Navy could not comment, a Marine officer said: "I WOULD LIKE TO THINK MY MARINES WOULD NEED MORE THAN THE NAVY." Now, that is a real christian attitude, don't you think? And these quotes show the totaly lack of morality and the boys, will be boys attitude. Go into town, wear the uniform, and pick up what you can, because you deserve it, after all, you are fighting for freedom and you are just doing what comes naturally. I don't think anyone can deny this happens alot around the big bases, especially overseas.
I bring all this up to show the other side of what really goes on. Sure some think it is not disobedience to Christ to die for the "fatherland" or for the "country" or for whatever. But where in the world did anyone get the idea that it is a Christian's business to swear allegiance to a country instead of obedience to God?
I know this will upset some people, and that is not my intention. I just think people need to look at this subject a little more seriously. Augustine came up with the so-called "Just War Theory" to change the whole Christian attitude of christians and war. Before Constatine (sp) made Christianity the State Religion it was forbidden for a Christian to be in the military. After that unholy decision, it became forbidden for a Christian NOT to be in the military. Thus all the mental compromising and justifying and terrible intrepertation of scripture to make the bible say it is ok to kill your enemy even tho the bible says to pray for your enemy. Some have even said, "Well, I do pray for my enemy--before I shoot him between the eyes, ha, ha." I am not judging ANY military person, believe me. I know it is a hard subject to deal with, and each has to follow his own drummer. (Hopefull leaving the condomns alone). But why just a "Just War Theory"? If we are going to reinvent the 6th commandment, why not a "Just Adultery Theory"? Or a "Just stealing theory"? etc.
God is in control and if some 7th century lunatic jumps out from behind a bush and kills me, or is so grossly retarded as to fly a plane into a building, then so be it. I would rather die in obedience to Christ than to die for the "fatherland." After all, if you are a born again christian, like alot of people in the World Trade Center and the other places on Sept 11, they are in glory in heaven. Not a bad place to be. For all the others, well, just points out the need to make sure your relationship with Jesus Christ is what it is supposed to be. And that is being regenerated by the free gift of grace by God, then believing, then faith and then the growth in the Christian life.
So, what is the most important value to you? Is it a life of obedience to Jesus Christ, or a life of obedience to your superior officers? I don't see how it can be both because they conflict in a whole lot of cases. I pray for the military and everyone else to come to a saving knowledge in Jesus Christ, because like Jesus says, NO one can come to the Father except through ME.
By the way Don, should we have chaplains in the military? Good question. What is their main function. Is it to tell everyone that what they are doing is ok and God is on their side? Kind of like what the chaplains on the other side tell their people. God is on MY side, not the other side. I mean, come on, that just doesn't make alot of sense. Should there be chaplains in whorehouses, gambling establishments, drug dealers houses, etc. I don't know, but I don't see what service to Christ that would be rendering.
Remember now, I'm not judging anyone's salvation or relationship with Christ, or their spiritual growth or whatever. The question was should a Christian be fighting and killing the enemy. My answer is NO!!!!
And please, don't bring up the Old Testament, and Romans 13, because those subjects have been dealt with over and over again, and have been answered over and over again.
1 Peter 2:21-24: "For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an EXAMPLE TO FOLLOW in His steps, who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; and while being reviled, suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; and He himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by his wounds you were healed."
James2
