xandrewx

Martin Luther King, Jr. once urged Christians to do what Jesus would do and avoid war. In similiar fashion, I have asked Christians the question, "Would Jesus bomb Iraq?" Do you think that Christians would answer this question straight. Nope, because it reveals a contradication of many evangelicals: the Bible's teachings and the belief that everything the government does is right.

During one debate at my alma mater in Minnesota, I asked my opponent "Would Jesus bomb Iraq"? Her response was, "We are not suppose to say what Jesus would do." She is the type that wears those WWJD bracelets.

One day while talking to this same person. I told her Jesus would not act like drill sargeants (yelling, calling names, insulting). Instead of saying this was a good point, she said that the drill sargeants are trying to build people up, and thus are acting Godly. Why can't she think and criticize authority when it is needed?

Some time ago, this one fundeamentalist dude named Gunnar Dieckermann (spelling?) came to our school and I asked him the same question. Instead of answering it, he changed the topic to all the weapons of mass desctruction Sadaam has. He then said, "We Christians are different" implying Christians don't care about social affairs, even though earlier he bragged about how most every great cause of justice has been led by Christians. It seems that whenever supporting social justice serves his purpose, he invokes, and when it doesn't, he avoids it.

Why don't Christians answer these questions? Deep down, they probably fear the truth

THX1138

True, some Christians were at the forefront of social change in the past. The irony is that practically all of the Christians who were involved in these changes are folks that evangelicals would reject as "good Christians":

MLK (who was well read in Paul Tillich), Dorothy Day, Thomas Merton, Bonhoeffer, the Quakers (Susan B. Anthony, et al), Christian Socialists, etc..

These were Christians that struggled against other Christians (like evangelicals) on various social issues! Christians like these are claimed only when convenient. But theologically, they would likely consider them heretical.

J

mightyjoemoon

I think the shift has come in WHICH Jesus they are following. The Jesus of the Gospels would clearly not bomb people. But there has been a shift since the 60's when people were social activists, following the Gospel Jesus, to the 80's into today when people (like G.W. Bush) are following the Jesus of Revelation. THAT Jesus is going to come down in a righteous ass-kicking fest and slay his enemies mercilessly. So what you're dealing with now is a disconnect in the mind of Christians who on the one hand believe in the Jesus of the Gospels, but lean more toward the Revelation ass-kicking Jesus that suits the government's purposes.

Rev Prez

MLK doesn't speak for Christ. Damn, that was easy.

Rev Prez

TollHouse

Yeah, that job's taken.

Sauron

Except that MLK is correct. Christ never advocated war.

If you think otherwise, "Reverend", then be my guest and show everyone.

sbk123

I believe this is one of the most important reasons Christians have a god with multiple personalities. They invoke Jesus when they need a peaceful and loving god. They trot out the God of the OT when they want to kill people and feel good about it.

Your challenge to show where Jesus/God advocated war can be met by randomly opening the OT.

erimir

What an incredibly vacuous response. You totally ignored the rest of the post.

You realize that quotes are often given just as an introduction to the topic?

This thread isn't about MLK, and so your response is irrelevant and just another example of the Christians the OP refers to: one who responds by avoiding the question.

I'd like to hear your answer to the question then. Would Jesus bomb Iraq?

Rev Prez

The rest of the post was based on the premise that Christ forbid war.

Rev Prez

Rev Prez

Your challenge is to show where he condemned it.

Rev Prez