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From: robert@denelvx.UUCP (Robert Sparks)
Newsgroups: net.religion.christian
Subject: Re: What does it mean to be a christian
Message-ID: <29@denelvx.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 15-May-85 15:12:54 EDT
Article-I.D.: denelvx.29
Posted: Wed May 15 15:12:54 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 17-May-85 03:14:36 EDT
Distribution: net
Organization: Denelcor, Aurora, Colorados
Lines: 58

Some recent quotes from the net:
  (referring to Reagans' twisting the words of Jesus)
> Wouldn't the christians and others who admire Jesus Christ's life
> of nonviolence say that this is a travesty of all that Jesus
> stood for.

> Isn't is clear that Jesus, as with all his life and words, is counseling
> Peace rather than War?

> Is war the worst thing that can happen?  Can peace never be worse than war?

> What about nuclear weapons?  How can we justify having them?

> ... I will allow, for the time being, that
> in some extreme situations, morally questionable means (including warfare)
> may be used to accomplish important morally "good" ends, provided there
> are no morally "good" means by which those ends may be accomplished.

>     Personally, I believe that something near the "just war"
> approach is probably the most correct.

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Jesus' life and actions do seem to be very clear in this regard.
They seem to support the following conclusions:

  There is NO SUCH THING AS A "JUST WAR".

  There is NO SUCH THING AS (for instance) A "CHRISTIAN ARMY".

Jesus' life as an example seems to say that we MUST REJECT ALL VIOLENCE !
Perhaps it is only when we reject all violence that we are forced, against
all that society tries to teach us, to find  CHRISTIAN SOLUTIONS !

If you fight fire with fire, you now have two fires.  Both burn, both kill.
If the CIA becomes indistinguishable from the KGB, if the free world becomes
indistinguishable from the communists, then it doesn't matter who "wins".
If two tynanosaurus' are fighting, it doesn't matter to the mammals who wins.
Whichever one is the victor will eat them too.  Only if there is a difference
between the two will it matter who "wins".

After the fall of Indonesia several years ago, Sukarno (if memory serves) said,
that is was not the CIA, KGB, (british, japanese, etc) who toppled him, but
HOLLYWOOD.  What riled the people there, he explained, was not palace intrigue,
but movies showing examples of a better life.  Cars, washing machines, & shoes
may not be christian examples, but it was nonviolent & EFFECTIVE.

It is NOT enough to say violence is wrong. Christians must come up with
SOLUTIONS !    CHRISTIAN SOLUTIONS !      EFFECTIVE CHRISTIAN SOLUTIONS !

Apathy is not an acceptable christian solution.  Ignoring suffering is not an
acceptable christian solution.  Violence is not an acceptable christian
solution.   So what is an acceptable christian solution ?
I am not sure.  I do know that there are christian answers.  Answers which
are not as "soul satisfying" as a "final solution", but which can help.

So I ask you, I challenge you.  What are good christian solutions to central
america, south africa, the middle east, ... ?   The fate of the world, &
our individual peace of mind hangs in the balance.