Laurence M. Vance writing for LRC on Should a Christian Join the Military?
Christian enthusiasm for war is at an all-time high.
Gullible Christians have not just tolerated the stateƒ€™s nebulous crusade against "evil," they have actively promoted both it and the overgrown U.S. Military establishment. Because the Republican Party is in control of the federal government instead of the "ungodly" Democrats, because President Bush is the commander in chief instead of the "immoral" Bill Clinton, and because the "enemy" is the easily-vilifiable Muslim infidel, many Christians, who certainly ought to know better given the history of state-sponsored persecution of Christians, "heretics," and other religious groups over the past two thousand years, have come to view the state, and in particular its coercive arm, the military, as sacrosanct.
Its amazing to me how many "Christians" I've talked to about the conflict in Iraq completely and utterly love this bloody and costly war. The ability of some "Christians" to argue in favor of big government wars and defend George Bush at all costs has taken on an almost cult-like appearance. Its akin to worship of the state and the national executive. However, most of those same statist "Christians" refuse to directly participate in the bloodshed. They can't get their own hands dirty, but hey, its okay if the neighbor's boy dies. He was always a rotten little heathen anyway.
Demanding that others sacrifice their lives and liberty on your behalf, in the name of Jesus, George Bush and the all-powerful State, is anything but Christian-like behavior.
Expecting others to die for you is cowardice and the worship of the state is idolatry. If you want to advocate killing in the name of the Lord, then please – get thee to the nearest military recruiting station. Bloody your own hands this time. There is absolutely nothing noble or moral about screaming for pre-emptive wars that cost precious lives Monday through Saturday, while acting humble and lamb-like on Sunday.
There absolutely isn't.
I know this posting is likely to anger some of my big government conservative Christian readers. So be it. I simply cannot comprehend how someone can advocate killing people as a pre-emptive, while calling themselves good Christians. Killing in self-defense is one thing – like we did in Afghanistan – but our foray into Iraq is completely different. I thought, apparently incorrectly, that the sixth commandmant was "thou shalt not kill." Apparently there is an exemption I've not read that allows such killing as long as an American president claims he's doing it with the blessing of God. And it doesn't hurt if he's a Republican either. The Republican party is God's party, after all. You did know that – didn't you?
Karlton Douglas is a real conservative Christian who gets it. Read his blog and stop cheerleading for war and making excuses for people who send our children off to kill, based on lies. Over a thousand Americans are gone, leaving behind fatherless and motherless children and lonely spouses, yet the arrogant fools who sent them to their deaths still claim nothing is wrong. Further, tens of thousands of Iraqi civilians – many women and children, as well as military and conscripts are also dead. Were they not worthy of Christian charity? Or does God view them as less than equal by virtue of nationality or religion?