Serving In the Military--Wrong?

No it is not wrong to serve in the military. I served my 4 years, it is your duty to serve in the military for the US to have all of our rights that we have now. The old testament showed God sending his armies to go out and take over other countries. If your a male in the US you will register. No choice. Remember this, our soldiers die and return crippled to defend our freedom.

 

There are some groups (esp. some Mennonites, Amish, Quakers) that are anti-death penalty that also believe that military service is wrong too.

Personally, I don't believe either one is inherently wrong. I am a 20+ year retired military serviceman (USAF/Air National Guard).

In fact, Bro. Tony, I was saved while I was in the USAF in Arizona (Davis-Monthan AFB, Tucson AZ; April 23, 1966).

 

This is an issue that has been debated in the church for two thousand years. If I remember correctly, the early church was mostly against military service for Christians.

peace to youraying:

 

I always like to bring people to the book of Luke and John the Baptist's confrontation with various groups of "new converts"---read there when you get a chance---Luke 3

There came to him a group of soldiers with the same questions that the other groups were asking which was this

"What shall we do?"

Verse 14, "And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do?"

Notice John's answer was not

"Boys! You've gotta resign your commission! Pronto!!"

"Now, Men! Just go ahead and lay your weapons down and declare your Conscientious Objection!!!-----it was meant to be from God!!!!"

No!!! Notice what he said in verse 14

"And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages."

IOW---he was telling them to do what Jesus would do if Jesus were them!!!!

Nowhere does he say to quit the military

My "Hat" goes off to our US Military might

God speed to the United States Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines

And long live President George W. Bush!!!

 

If someone attacked our country I would hope that we would have a ready military. Certainly scripture uses military terms and speaks about militaries.

 

Ah, but don't divorce the position from the historical context, my friend.

The early church would have served the Roman army, which swore allegiance to a false god.

I think there's a big difference b/t then and now.

Could our nation come to a point like the first century? Sure...but I don't think it's there yet.

 

It seems their opposition was based, at least in part, on the notion it is unChristlike to kill people.

I don't remember my oath being to serve God. It was more about unholding the constitution of the U.S. and the President as Commander in Chief. Maybe somebody has a copy of the oath that the military takes?

peace to youraying:

 

If it's unChristlike to kill people in any situation...is God unChristlike? I recall reading numerous accounts of God ordering the deaths of men, women, children.

 

As I have stated many times before, only God has the Divine wisdom and righteousness to implement the death of someone.

The example that Jesus gave to His followers to immulate is one of perfect patience, compassion and love. Never once are Christians told to seek or support the death of anyone.

peace to youraying:

 

Your idea as to their motivation for opposing military service is conjecture. There is documented evidence to their opposition to serving the Roman army based on the army's sworn allegiance to the Emporer, who was viewed in a deistic sense.

I didn't insinuate that US troops swore allegiance to God. But they don't swear allegiance to a false god, as Roman armies did.

My comparison still stands.

 

not an arugment, just a question:

You've used the phrase "perfect patience" a bunch of times. Where is that found in scripture?

 

I Tim. 1:16

peace to youraying:

 

God, in his divine wisdom and righteousness, has given to man the responsibility and obligation to honor life by capital punishment when the image of God is stamped out in cold-blooded murder.

We should not be more Christian than Christ. That is sin, just as it is sin to be less Christian than Christ.

 

Here is a website. It shows the teachings of the early church fathers and their opposition to military service. There are others that show both swearing of the oath, and the opposition to killing to be major reasons.

peace to youraying:

http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN0195050819&id=oaPRQiPOfDoC&pg=PA65&lpg=PA65&ots=EK3fNMifMr&dq=early+christian+church+and+military+service&sig=ib0WJjZDjeaHsaRlxnrlrNtJl2c

 

If it were given to "man", that doesn't mean Christians have to support it. We are called to be different. We are given different instructions on living.

If it were given to "man", Jesus repealed that responsibility in John 8 when He changed the standards for implementing the death penalty from 2 or 3 witnesses throwing the first stone, (Deut. 17:6-7) to "he who is without sin" throwing the first stone. The only one without sin is God. He alone has the authority to implement the death penalty.

peace to youraying:

 

We are called to be obedient, and that includes even the commands that are personally distasteful. Your own personal issues do not override the commands of God.

And we are not given different instructions on living. We simply obey them, where unbelievers do not.

The issue in John 8 is not the standard of hte death penalty, but the hypocritical standard of judgment used by the Pharisees. Jesus intended to embarrass them for their hypocrisy, and he succeeded. He did not change God's pre-law standard for capital punishment to honor the image of God.

 

Is defense of self and/or loved ones always wrong, in your opinion? If someone broke into your home, would you be justified in defending your family and property? Even if it meant killing the perpetrator?

Ultimately, that should be the military's goal--the defense of one's homeland and ultimately one's loved ones. Let's not get into the debate of how well we fulfill that mission, OK? But...how do you feel about self (or loved ones') defense?

I'm trying to figure out if you're consistent in your pacifism.