Just heard this, ironically, on BABYLON FIVE (Sci Fi).

No matter what our religious beliefs, our goal, I think, should always be love whenever possible. How we get there will always be matter of dispute. But get there we must or destruction will prevail.

Jesus spoke of two commands that we must obey. We must love God, and we must love each other. When the Moses brought the Israelites to the promised land, it was already occupied, but the people there did not love God. Instead they worshipped idols; they committed abominations such as human sacrifice. So God instructed the Israelites to destroy them.

In our era, people have not changed much. The Nazis and the Communists murdered tens of millions in concentration camps. Their leaders said that God was not important or that he did not exist. These men worshipped power. They worshipped themselves. They demanded that we worship them. Such men offer the choice of submission or death.

We cannot submit. If we did, our conquerors would insist we become complicit in their crimes. However, if we refuse to submit, we will be tortured and killed. Moreover, everyone we know and love will be given the same choice.

So torn between evil choices, we choose to fight and kill before those we love are murdered.

Consider again the fifth commandment. In the King James version, Exodus 20:13 is translated as “Thou shalt not kill”. Today’s New International Version provides a better translation: “You shall not murder” (from here).

It is not wrong to kill in self-defense or in defense of the innocent. What is wrong is murder.

I submit that many of our neighbors around the world could easily conceive an objective, rational argument using your definition of fanatic to complete the sentence above as follows:
“… in positions of great power working in fill-in-the-blank U.S. administration.” (In my judgment it is true of almost all of them since 1813.)

(Most) American’s grow up with the concept that killing an innocent person is wrong; yet killing thousands of innocent people with cruise missiles, precision-guided weapons, cluster bombs, and through demolition of their country’s infrastructure is seemingly acceptable to Americans if it is for a ‘justified’ war.

You read “the bible” and consider yourself a Christian from what I have read in your blogs.
I do not know where you stand on the issue of war as it is implemented in this era – meaning post WWII.

I once had a conversation with a man who considered himself a Christian. He attended his church at least once a week, read the bible regularly, and believed Jesus Christ to be his (our) savior. He professed that the killing that occurs in war is acceptable to God – and presumably Christ. He “knew” this to be true because of bible teachings he had learned over his life.

I do not presume to know where you stand with the issue of war. (Please note that I did not bring this topic up as a gateway to discuss the war in Iraq and its justifications be they right or wrong.) My desire is learn how one can hold the teachings of Jesus Christ in his head and heart and not be conflicted with our country waging war. Why does it seem that many if not most “true followers” of Christ in this country are not adamantly against any and every war to the extent that they actively condemn war and the support for war?

The reason I had put “the bible” in quotes earlier, is because my belief is that the Old Testament can provide numerous passages that attempt to justify war, killing, hate, etc. My understanding of the New Testament is that Jesus taught us to love, not hate, treat one as you would want to be treated, turn the other cheek, and so forth. Perhaps I missed the parts where Jesus condoned killing and that he would accept men killing people (they judged “innocent” or “guilty”). As men and women do we have the right to judge that many innocent people must die so that a small number of ‘evil’ people can be “justly killed”?

I would truly appreciate any clarifications/answers that you can provide.

thank you,
Jeff

I do hope the gun is not real, and the picture is just a gag. Nonetheless, there are monsters who seek to turn children into ravening killers.

…………………………….”Well, believe this,”
No ceremony that to great ones ‘longs,
Not the king’s crown, nor the deputed sword,
The marshall’s truncheon, nor the judge’s robe,
Become them with one half so good a grace
As mercy does”….

Isabella pleads for Claudio’s Life.
MEASURE FOR MEASURE, Act II, sceen ii

Best regards,
GUNGA DASS