On war and killing

I'm about to write on the most difficult topic of the ages: What about the Christian and war? Should we participate or be conscientious objectors?

Someone ask me if I had been alive during the Civil War, on whose side would I fight. My answer was "Neither. I'd be in hiding!"  The Civil War would not be enough to make me fight. Both sides had good points and bad, and war is not moral when there is an alternative. In the Civil War there was an alternative... the U.S. Federal Court System. I don't consider Lincoln a hero as most people do because his flagrant violation of the Constitution caused the war. Seven-hundred thousand lives were lost in what Lincoln believed was to be an overnight skirmish. No U.S. President has ever been more wrong!  The U.S. Civil War was an "immoral war", the war as bad as slavery itself!

What is a just war?  It's military action warranted for legal or moral reasons. For me "legal reasons" is not enough to justify a war. Although the United Nations uses "legal reasons" as cause for a justifiable war, I don't. It may be justifiable, but not moral. Diplomacy or non-violent means are often enough. Murder is evil! Killing is different than murder! Killing is putting to death. Murder is breaking the law and killing with premeditated malicious intent. "Murder" is a specific way of "killing". The Bible says much about taking a life:

Exodus 20:13 (KJV) "Thou shalt not kill."
Exodus 20:13 (ESV) "“You shall not murder."

Which is it... murder or killing? The English transliteration for the Hebrew word is ratsach. The Hebrew word means to "murder" or to "kill". Not much help there, but if one looks at the uses of ratsach in the Bible, it is most often used in a "murder" context. Hence, my perception is that "You shall not commit murder."

"What difference does it make?", being a rabid quote from Hillary Clinton. The difference suggests that at times it's okay to kill, but never to murder! The key differences being the legality of the killing and the malicious intent, since even a soldier at war is premeditating to kill another who is trying to kill him!

Romans 13:1-14 "Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience."

We are rightfully subject to governing authorities. While I would never volunteer to fight a war, especially if I had been alive in the 1860s, I am scripturally required to fight if I'm conscripted. In 1863 Abraham Lincoln signed into law an act "drafting" men into military service. It was the first time a draft was instituted in the U.S. People were excused for health or vocational reasons, but not for moral objection. However, a person could pay another to substitute as did Abraham Lincoln himself, although he was exempt from service because of age. If the government requires Christians to fight, fight they must, unless in a sect which specifically forbids killing of any kind. Then, normally some type of service can be substituted. However, that wasn't always the situation!

Let's take an extreme case. Were Christians "subject to governing authorities" when Hitler was in power? Hitler, according to scripture above, was included in "For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God." You mean Hitler the  Fuehrer was in power because of God? "Yes". If it wasn't God's will for Hitler to be Fuehrer, Hitler would not have been Fuehrer. Why in the world would God allow Hitler to be so powerful? He had his reasons, but if we look at the end result, "good" came of it!  People are much less prone to kill others since they've seen the horror of the halocaust! We are now more "loving" since we faced our hatred in the face! Perhaps that's why God allowed Hitler to be Fuehrer!

One might think "Hitler was the most evil man alive! These passages shouldn't apply to him!" Caesar and Herod the Great  were as evil as Hitler,  and Paul was inspired by God to write that scripture although he was a contemporary of the evil Roman Empire!  Yes, those passages applied to Hitler and even with the foresight of being written to the Jews! God knew what was to come!

Regardless of what we think of those in authority, we are subject to them! I don't like that, but that's God's truth!  It sickens me to think that I owe allegiance to an anti-Christ, Obama, for if you're not for Him you're against Him. However, I have an obligation to obey his laws, even if it was to go fight!

Let's suppose that my government ordered me to abort a baby. As a doctor (pretending) am I obligated to obey? What do you think given the servitude I owe authorities? I must follow God's law over civil law. That's included too:  "there is no authority except from God". God is the highest authority and he told me that I shall not murder! That's where "legality" in the definition of a "just war" is meaningless. Natural Law (God's Law) supersedes civil law. When ordered I cannot commit murder. Killing a baby is murder because of the innocence of the infant. It's against God's moral law!

However, let's suppose that the government (the army) ordered me to shoot an enemy soldier. Is that okay? If there is any malicious intent in our hearts leading to murder! If I'm protecting self, family or country; it's justifiable.

I was speaking to a Mennonite whose belief is that they do not kill for any reason. He told me "I would never kill because God will take care of my family for me!" My response was "What if you are the instrument God chooses to protect your family?" He made no response. We may not like it, but God does use Christians as a means to propagate the "greater good" or the "lesser evil" if you want to look at it that way.

Let's look at justifiable war. Christians were right to disobey Hitler because his murders were in violation of God's Laws. Caesar did it too! Were the Christians of Paul's day to stand idly by? Paul did and "good" became of it. Most of the world today is Christian because of Paul's persecution by the evil Roman Empire. Personally, I believe it was God's intent for Christianity to spread even if it took evil to make it happen. Would Hitler being successful brought more to Christ? I don't see how!

Now for the ultimate war. The war to end all wars. The "War of Armegeddon". That's when Christian nations fight all the evil empires of the world. Is that God's will? Blood will flow to the depth of horses heads. Millions will die. Is that God's will? It's God's will because God is in authority. He will allow that to happen and we're expected to fight for him and to kill for his glory if required! It's not a loving activity, but it's in God's plan!

How about fighting Islamic terrorists? Should we go there to kill or stay here and wait for them to come to us? Is Islam a righteous religion or is it evil? Islam IS a religion of hate. That's the definition of murder. They don't fight in defense, but for control. Their goal is to subjagate the entire world in a Islamic Caliphate. This empire will be in total opposition to Christians principles. Those who seek to destroy (murder us) are justifying a war of defense. It would be stupid to wait until they are at our doors when their intent has been so well-defined. By killing now more lives will be saved! That's the same justification Alvin York got from God when he prayed about the same issue in World War II. He was taught "not to kill", but came to realize it was "not to murder"!

Exodus 21:23 "But if there is harm, then you shall pay life for life..."

Yes, for those trying to kill us we are authorized by God to make restitution. Killing is justified in war. Murder is not. The difference is in motivation. We don't desire to kill others because of hate, but we must kill even though scripture tells us to love:

Luke 6:27 “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you..."

Wars are seldom won by doing "good" because "good" doesn't exist in the enemy. After the war Japan was ready for reconstruction and peace. America did "good". As with our help using the "Marshall Plan" in Europe we reconstructed Japan. By doing "good" with Japan our enemy is now our friend. But what did it take to get to that point? A hydrogen bomb! 900,000 died that more shall live! Love is a curious thing.