tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5111855116191122149.post727277112949253739..comments2023-08-04T11:22:46.501-04:00Comments on Marsh Chapel Vocation Blog: A Question of FaithBr. Lawrence A. Whitney, LC+http://www.blogger.com/profile/08658214891677428143noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5111855116191122149.post-13700284020500690002011-03-31T10:44:58.603-04:002011-03-31T10:44:58.603-04:00As a pacifist, I really would love to say that the...As a pacifist, I really would love to say that the Bible does not condone, justify, or provide opportunity for God-sanctioned violence. But for reasons beyond my understanding, it seemingly does. Ecclesiastes 3 tells us that there is indeed a time to kill, Proverbs tells us that beating your children is the best discipline, and God frequently uses war and genocide to either free His people or to spread His name to other civilizations.<br /><br />When it comes to this topic, I have come to the conclusion that I have to trust God's wisdom, mercy, and sense of justice. If I didn't, I would be constantly angry at God for the violence in His word and the killings that He exhorts His people to commit in war. I can't understand it, but that's the way it is.<br /><br />Another thing I'll say is that when I trot out good ol' Matt 5:38-42 when arguing for self-sacrifice and love in the face of violence on a macro-level (as it applies to wars and other large-scale conflicts), people often make this argument that Jesus is talking about personal relationships. That this idea of non-violence somehow only applies to one-on-one interactions and not to whole-scale conflicts.<br /><br />I obviously think this is absolutely bananas.<br /><br />Anyways. I don't think you can make a biblical argument that an act of violence is a Christ-like action. I just can't see it from His actions or from His teachings. And while Jesus may have told His disciples to buy swords on the night He was arrested (Luke 22:36-37), He also later instructed not to use them (Matthew 26:52-54).Anthony H.https://www.blogger.com/profile/04382732235714330468noreply@blogger.com