Re: War, is it for Nation or for God?
May God forgive us.... Amen
Good Evening Salim,
I think to understand and come to a conclusion as to whether a war is just or not, one must view the entire contents of the situation, including events that lead up to that "war".
The debate on War and Pacifism is more of a paradox, than a contradiction, when viewing such from a scriptural perspective. On one hand we are told that murder is murder, whether against one's own society, or against that of another. On the other hand we are told that there is such a thing as a "just war", and we are obliged to participate to one extent or another in serving that cause.
Abraham (then still Abram), normally a peaceful man, did go to war against the four kings who abducted his relative (Lot). He not only defeated the kings armies, he destroyed their cities and stripped them of all their riches. Extreme? Perhaps, yet God called him blessed, and sanctified his actions against the enemy.
Joshua, the people and the priests with the aid of God, knocked the walls of Jericho flat. They then put to the sword every man, woman, child, and animal within that city. They burned the city to the ground, took the riches and then cursed the ground that the city once stood on.
Extreme? Yes. But God gave specific instructions on how the war was to be conducted. And there were specific reasons as to why the wars were to be so devastating not only to the armies of the enemy, but to the citizens as well as the very land they "owned".
The spirit of the vanquished had to be broken, or else they would come back again and again, and there would be no end to the fighting.
Spin up to modern times. In the 1890s forward, both the Kaiser's Germany, and the Emporor's Japan, had expansionist ideals. In 1905, Japan fought and won a limited war with Russia, resulting in the loss of several Islands under Russian sovergnty to Japan. They didn't stop there. China was invaded over and over again. Chinese citizens were if not raped and tortured, made slaves. Korea suffered at the hands of the Japanese Imperial Army as well. Anyone the Japanes conquered were considered second class humans, and treated worse than animals.
The Kaiser's Army decided that France, Belgium and other Frank countries should fly under the flag of the Prussian double headed Eagle. Though the US was not directly involved in the fighting, it was providing logistical support to the British and French. The Kaiser decided to teach America a lesson, and sank the Lucitania (killing American Citizens and destroying American property). So the American "dough boys" stepped into the fray, and didn't stop until the war was over.
Jump to world war II. Hitler did not want America to get into the war, and went to extremes in the beginning to avoid it. He wanted the US to be an Ally at best, and neutral at worst. But Japan had other ideas. Japan wanted to rule the Pacific Rim, and figured with the US Navy out of the way, they'd have carte blanche, plus, they wanted the Aleutian Islands of Alaska for their own. They attacked a sleeping nation. When this happened, Hitler had no choice but to declare war on the United States (in support of his Japanese ally).
City and country farm boys of America metamorphasised into what the German soldiers called "The devil dogs" (US soliders and Marines).
Towards the end of the war, both nations were putting 13 to 15 year old children in uniforms with guns or airplanes. Old women were building bombs in back yards.
The orders to the two nations were to fight to the death, every last man, woman and child. No surrender,
for a war they started.
Skip up to the 21st century. In the twelve years preceding 9/11, this country was attacked at least 6 times, and we did nothing but maybe fire a couple million dollar missiles into an empty tent and hit a camel in the ass. We kept saying "don't do that, don't do that."
In 1988, Sadam Hussein bombed the USS Ward, and then said "oops my mistake". In 1990 he decided he was going to take back Kuwait, against that nation's wishes. After the fall of Kuwait, Saudi Arabia was next, and that would have put 43% of the world's oil reserves in the hands of hostile intent. In 1991, he destroyed his own citizens because they did not agree with the way he ran the country. In 1993 two of our embassies were leveled, the Twin Towers were bombed in New York, and we kept saying "don't do that to us". Then 9/11 dawned.
I'm not talking ideology, or religion here. This was madness, plain and simple. Did these people really think we would let that go by unchallenged? Do you really think we are going to stop, and go home? Get out of our land, that is what we are told...and we don't shoot those who are so frustrated to say that, because they know we won't.
So I guess freedom of expression is beginning to work, where once it meant death.
Oh, we've pulled some serious blunders, to be sure. We had no business being in Somalia, or the Baltic states. We messed up by thinking that we had to work with the United Nations, only to find out that the UN is one big cesspool of self serving idiots, with no regard for anyone but their own interests. But we learn quickly.
I am amazed sometimes at the short sightedness of the rest of the world when it comes to Americans. We are you, afterall.
Americans are the best and the worst the world has to offer.
Despite our bickering and other troubles, we are still one nation, under God (don't let American media fool you).
Like my son once said, "America came in like a lamb, and will go out like a Lion". And he is right.
The most dangerous animal on earth is a wounded pacifist, who finally picks up a sword...
That's about it.
v/r
Q
There, but for the Grace of God go I...so here I go.
