A lot of the ideas shared here are also being discussed on another topic in the Legal/Political Forums here on TFL. Look for the one talking about Church offerings and guns. The discussion centers around an Episcopal congregation's attempts to force its members to hand over its guns.
I gave my .02 on the subject, but I'll go into a little more detail here, since we're dealing with an issue in the Christian Church.
Brace yourself--entering preaching mode…
There are several passages in the Bible that point out both pacifism (Turning the other cheek, resisting not one who is evil, etc.) and self defense (Exodus 22:2, armed laborer in Nehemiah, Jesus admonishing His disciples to arm themselves). A person could exclusively look to one and try to explain away the other, but the two POVs are not mutually exclusive in the Kingdom of God. Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (The famous "To everything there is a time under heaven" passage) addresses this very thing.
So, it isn't a question of whether or not the Bible emphasizes pacifism or self-defense. It's a question of what God is speaking to you over the matter at this point in time. If God has decreed to a particular congregation that they are NOT to take up arms, then they need to make sure they follow that decree. But they also need to make sure it is God they are following, and not taking that stance on account of someone else's convictions or political agendas. The same holds true of an American Christian exercising his or her right to keep and bear arms, and use them if necessary.
Here are some historical examples I like to look to, in chronological order:
Huldreich Zwingli, south central Europe's counterpart to Martin Luther, died in battle defending his region and his religion against an invading Catholic army (portraits and statues of him show him holding a Bible and a sword). His teachings were largely pacifistic, but he believed it necessary to take up arms as part of God's means of preserving the life of God's work in that region. Your German may not be as good as mine, but at
www.zwingli.ch a discussion is going on about whether or not Zwingli was a real pacifist.
Nathaniel Green was one of our generals during the Revolution. He was also raised as a member of the Society of Friends, akin to the Quakers, who are reknowned in their staunch opposition to taking up arms. Nonetheless, he felt a calling to lead our troops into battle. Needless to say, he came into conflict with his church brothers, and had some personal struggles over the issue (if you can, try to see the Historically-based Outdoor Drama
The Sword of Peace to get an idea of these struggles), but he stuck to his guns (pun intended). Were it not for him, we'd all probably be speaking Queen's English and attending Anglican services.
I need not remind you about
George Washington. I would recommend finding a copy of Peter Marshall and David Manuel's
The Light and the Glory to learn about how God miraculously preserved the life and mission of this man of war who was also a man of faith.
During what John Q. Adams called "The Last Battle of the American Revolution" (The Civil War), both
Robert E. Lee and
Stonewall Jackson were reknowned for their faith. I believe their character and their perspective on war, both attributable to their faith, helped keep the war from becoming more bloody than it was. But nonetheless, they were men of faith who also were professional soldiers.
Finally, at the turn of the century, there was a fella from my old stomping grounds of Tennessee ,
Alvin York, who became a believer around the time of the first World War. He was drafted, but was one of the despised "conscientious objectors" on grounds of his faith and the Biblical commandment of Thou Shalt Not Kill. There was a personal struggle in him as well, between his faith and his duty to serve his country. The old but excellent movie
Sergeant York depicts it fairly well. A fellow believing officer showed him some other passages out of the Bible which helped him resolve this inner conflict. In the end, York was given high honors for single-handedly subduing a large contingent of German soldiers on the battlefield.
Stereotypically, Christians take the pacifist stance for the reason that life--God's creation--is sacred. But throughout history, some very faithful Christian men have taken up arms for that very same reason. It is sacred enough to protect. Furthermore, it seems that the aforementioned men didn't just fight to preserve the biological processes we call life. Many also fought for those aspects of life which aren't seen. Like intellectual liberty, or, more importantly, the liberty to pursue God in whatever direction He has called us.
(Gathering notes, closing Bible, and stepping down from the pulpit). Preaching mode off.
jth
[This message has been edited by Ulfilas (edited November 19, 1999).]
