Why aren't Christians pacifists?
ArmsinaV
Posts: 108
Honest question here for Christians, mainly.
Turn the other cheek when someone hits you. Why is it applicable in personal life and not social/political life?
As a Christian, I'm starting to wonder myself if that's not the best way to approach the world....
Turn the other cheek when someone hits you. Why is it applicable in personal life and not social/political life?
As a Christian, I'm starting to wonder myself if that's not the best way to approach the world....
2000: Lubbock; 2003: OKC, Dallas, San Antonio; 2006: Los Angeles II, San Diego; 2008: Atlanta (EV Solo); 2012: Dallas (EV Solo); 2013: Dallas; 2014: Tulsa; 2018: Wrigley I
Post edited by Unknown User on
0
Comments
I bet it probably looks like some kind of seizure on a brain scan until the brainwashing has completed it's course and the brain has been rewired to auto self justify and rationalize everything by default.
Aside from that, they are either very much insane or just lying to everyone (including themselves).
and reveling in it's loyalty. It's made by forming coalitions
over specific principles, goals, and policies.
http://i36.tinypic.com/66j31x.jpg
(\__/)
( o.O)
(")_(")
God ordered a hell of a lot of killing in there. He's the ultimate mafia don.
for the least they could possibly do
Tis' true. Check it out yourself.
Untill their will grows tired
2. The Old Testament is full of war. Okay, so the New Testament changed a lot of things and made some rules of the Old Testament irrevelant. But, read Revelation...not such a peaceful ending.
Look, you all think we are these hateful people. Well, the Bible says homosexuality is a sin. The church should welcome all people into the church. But when churchgoers repeatedly commit the same sin (not just homosexuality) without even giving a fight or believing it is wrong, they should not be welcome. They would be blatantly spitting in the face of God. It is common sense.
Also, because of the Bible, we believe there is good and evil. So, sometimes you can't talk to evil, you gotta defend yourselves. WWII is a good example. It isn't even a matter about religion. You have to defend yourself.
It seems people today justify anything the media tells them to. Pwned by the media.
back to your plates of hay
and reveling in it's loyalty. It's made by forming coalitions
over specific principles, goals, and policies.
http://i36.tinypic.com/66j31x.jpg
(\__/)
( o.O)
(")_(")
I thought religion was the problem? But it is the media controlling religion? Pick a story and stick to it. And who says "pwned" anymore? You should be embarrassed.
What about verses in the Bible that talk about church discipline and that you shouldn't even talk to a person who claims to be a believer but ignores God's law? The Bible is a large book. You focus on two verses in order to twist things to what you want to believe.
A truly liberal person is conservative when necessary.
Pro-life by choice.
So would you agree that the Bible has something of a conflicted message?
After all, if the Bible can't get its shit straight, how can its followers be expected to?
Your argument is extremely weak. What are the 10 commandments for? folly? kicks?
The media tells you what to think and how to react whether you realize it or not and how that translates and rationalizes in your head.
Especially if you see an enemy before you trying to kill you.
and reveling in it's loyalty. It's made by forming coalitions
over specific principles, goals, and policies.
http://i36.tinypic.com/66j31x.jpg
(\__/)
( o.O)
(")_(")
It IS the best way to approach the world. We are encouraged by Christ to do such. The problem is, many of our Christian Brothers and Sisters like to cherrypick.
i believe it was Ghandi that said something like (and i paraphrase) "you're Christ, I like, you're Christians... not so much". Does that make Christianity bad? No. It's hard sometimes, as a Christrian, to feel like "Christians are way off the mark", but i don't let that have a negative impact on my faith. You shoudn't either, Bro. i hope and pray that you don't.
Christians are just like everyone else. I can't believe someone old enough to post a thread hasn't figured that out yet. As politicians they are just as capable at hypocracy as a non-Christian. They are just as capable at giving into temptation and doing the wrong thing as a non-Christian. They can be nice, they can be assholes. The only real difference between a Christian and an atheist or other non-Christian in public office is that the Christian believes he/she is accountable to God for his/her actions when they die.
when it hits you, you feel to pain.
So brutalize me with music.”
~ Bob Marley
What a pathetic legacy
and reveling in it's loyalty. It's made by forming coalitions
over specific principles, goals, and policies.
http://i36.tinypic.com/66j31x.jpg
(\__/)
( o.O)
(")_(")
Who said it sends a conflicted message? You? What about context?
when it hits you, you feel to pain.
So brutalize me with music.”
~ Bob Marley
So.. then.. the only difference is that theists have a warped ideology affecting their judgement?
Who says theists have a "warped ideology affecting their judgement"? You? Who says that atheists don't have a warped ideology affecting theirs? Me? Its a swinging door argument.
To make an analogy, Many people read shakespeare and don't understand it. Does that make shakespeare bad?
The media has nothing to do with how I view religion. Their must be a conspiracy for someone to think differently from you, right?
The Ten Commandments are from the Old Testament. There were wars fought by God and His people in the Old Testament. Yeah, it is a weak argument that says Christians can support a war. Quit acting and thinking like a child because you are not getting your way.
And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ
Luke 3:23 (King James Version)
And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli,
Jacob = Heli?
John 10:30 (King James Version)
I and my Father are one.
John 14:28 (King James Version)
Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.
Jesus != God?
Genesis 1:25 (King James Version)
And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
Genesis 1:26 (King James Version)
And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
Genesis 2:18 (King James Version)
And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.
Genesis 2:19 (King James Version)
And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.
Huh?
Probably, I personally don't care for Shakespeare
People that profess to be good honest people don't promote violence as a means to solve their problems. Period. However the media has fed it wonderfully to you to rationalize and justify for years now
back to your plate of hay..
and reveling in it's loyalty. It's made by forming coalitions
over specific principles, goals, and policies.
http://i36.tinypic.com/66j31x.jpg
(\__/)
( o.O)
(")_(")
Well, you said yourself (and I paraphrase;)), the Old Testament stars Vengeful God, New Testament stars Peace-nik Jesus. I'm assuming they give out different messages (I must admit, I haven't read the Bible. Shocker.)
And what about context? Does faith have context a lot of the time? (Genuine question.)
I don't know, I was pretty indifferent towards the Catholic church until recently, when I saw a couple of articles in a local Catholic newspaper type thingy.
Links: This thingy and these thingies.
For me, I grew up Catholic until I hit my very early teens, at which point I started questioning a lot of it, and went atheist. Reading this kind of crap (the newspaper stuff, not you guys) just kinda reinforces all my doubts about religious zealotry.
And fuck the church too. It's just bricks and mortar, and money, and power.
There was only one Christian, and he died on the cross. He didn't follow any religion, he didn't attend any church, and he didn't cling to the words in any book. He lived - if indeed any such character ever did live, as there's zero evidence that he did - in order to serve as an example to others.
The first 'Christians', and those who adhered to 'the life of Christ' more-so than any other, were the scattered groups of Gnostics who lived around the red sea area about 2000 years ago. The Essenes were one such group. Their beliefs, as evidenced in the Gospel of Thomas for example, speak of seeking direct contact with God, unmediated by any book, or Church, or religious creed. Real 'Christians' are mystics, and philosophers. These people we see attending Church services, waving the stars and stripes, supporting George fucking Bush, preaching prejudice and superiority, filling the coffers of their local evangelist - these aren't Christians. They're idiots.
Religion aside, violence has solved a shitload of problems in the history of the world. Just ask the Jews who didn't get exterminated after WWII.
for the least they could possibly do
Having said that...I've often wondered how Christians ever justify war or killing or anything hostile whatsoever. I've asked many Christians and none could answer the following question. If Jesus Christ was perfect, and our goal is to build a more Christ-like character...if we're taught to ask ourselves "what would Jesus do?"...then shouldn't we be against war and against killing at all costs, even if it comes down to letting someone kill us, maybe even crucify us?
The way I see it, Christianity leaves ZERO room for preemptive strikes, or even killing in self-defense. Say what you want about anything else in the bible. Christianity is following the teachings of Jesus Christ. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity
Christ, according to Christians, was crucified for a greater purpose (to redeem the sins of mankind). He doesn't purport that all Christians take unnecessary beatings or face death for no reason. Otherwise, there would probably be no Christians left on earth. On certain occasions, in fact, he advocated kicking ass and taking names. Just ask the money changers and the Temple. He didn't just ignore them, gypping the poor. He up and kicked their ass.
There is a Christian principle called "just war." In order for a war to be considered "just" it must meet several criteria. It must have a just cause (either recouping something taken or punishing a wrong). There must be comparative justice (ie, the punishment must fit the crime); It must be waged by a legitimate authority (meaning you or I can't raise an army to go attack Iran or something). There must be some probability of success. And it must be used as a last resort.
Now, we can argue to death whether this current conflict does or does not meet that criteria. That's not the point of this thread, or this post. But to say Christians can't support ANY war at ANY time is not quite accurate under Christian theology.
for the least they could possibly do
Well, I didn't make it up. It's theology that dates back to ancient Greece.
I'm just showing you how a Christian can justify war, under certain conditions.
for the least they could possibly do
Sammi: Wanna just break up?
Most of the war-supporters I know don't think all Muslims are bad. Just the Muslims who keep trying to blow them up.
But then again, I run with a slightly more enlightened crowd
for the least they could possibly do