Path: utzoo!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!bcm!dimacs.rutgers.edu!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: lindborg@cs.washington.edu (Jeff Lindborg) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Christianity and war Message-ID: Date: 5 Mar 91 03:51:04 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: University of Washington Computer Science Lines: 31 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu In article EFL0@ns.cc.lehigh.edu (Ed Lamb) writes: > If we look into the old testament, we see that God sometimes called >his people to go to war. Sometimes it was a way of bringing judgement >about, others to claim land. Since this is the case, I feel it is safe >to say that war, although it is never desired, is sometimes necessary. >God chose Israel to represent him on the earth in the old testament, >and sometimes allowed other peoples to know his wrath through him. > Also, another argument that I have heard against war is the >commandment "Thou shalt not kill." The original text had the meaning >of "thou shalt not murder," I don't know why the change was made. My Judaism professor says that this may not have been the "right" translation. In the english version of the Tanak that I have it uses the word "kill". >Even >secular people realize that during a war, if you kill someone, you are >not held responsible for their death. Being a "secular person" I'd have to disagree with that. The only time its "ok" to kill someone is in defense. The taking of a human life is wrong. When you make exceptions you become what you despise. Unfortunately most of the wars waged by the Israelites in the old testamtent were agressive in nature (ie to take the land). This is curious. If God wanted to give the land to His people, why didn't he simply instil a sudden feeling of restlessness in the Canaanite peoples and make them want to move? I guess violence was more fun or something... Jeff Lindborg