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Are Evangelical Christians Warmongers?
I think I learned a thing or two about Evangelical/fundamentalist Christianity in America. And I’m here to tell you: I don’t like what I see happening these days!
by Chuck Baldwin
I’ve been an evangelical Christian since I was a child. I’ve been in the Gospel ministry all of my adult life. I attended two evangelical Christian colleges, received honorary degrees from two others, and taught and preached in several others.
I’ve attended many of the largest evangelical pastors’ gatherings and have been privileged to speak at Christian gatherings–large and small–all over America. I have been part of the inner workings of evangelical ministry for nearly 40 years. I think I learned a thing or two about Evangelical/fundamentalist Christianity in America. And I’m here to tell you: I don’t like what I see happening these days!
Let’s get this straight right out of the gate: nothing touched by man can be perfect, because none of us is perfect. There is no perfect church, perfect school, perfect mission board, perfect Sunday School class, perfect pastor, perfect deacon, or perfect Christian. Until the afterlife, we are all yet encased in Adamic flesh, complete with human weaknesses and imperfections. And only the Pharisaical among us are too proud to admit it.
That said, I do think it is more than fair to say that, historically, Christians have always attempted to be–and have always publicly taught the importance of being–peacemakers. Historically, Christians have preached–and tried to practice–love and brotherhood. The early church was born in a baptism of love and unity. Oh sure, there were always individual misunderstandings and differences, but, on the whole, the church was a loving, caring, compassionate ecclesia.
Mind you, Christians historically were not afraid or ashamed to defend themselves, their families, and their country. The Lord Jesus, Himself (the Prince of Peace), allowed His disciples to carry personal defense weapons (see Luke 22:36,38). Yes, while some Christian sects were conscientious pacifists, these were the exception, not the rule. The vast majority of Christian believers understood the Biblical, Natural Law principle of self-defense. But believing in the right of lawful, God-ordained self-defense was never to be confused with warmongering.
So, what has happened to turn the most peace-loving institution the world has ever known (the New Testament church) into the biggest cheerleaders for war? I’m talking about un-provoked, illegal, unconstitutional, unbiblical–even secret–wars of aggression. The biggest cheerleaders for the unprovoked, unconstitutional, pre-emptive attack and invasion of Iraq were evangelical Christians. Ditto for the war in Afghanistan, the bombing of Libya, the attacks in Yemen, etc. Who is calling for the bombing of Iran? Evangelical Christians. Who cheers for sending more and more troops all over the world to maim and kill more and more people (including innocents)? Evangelical Christians. Shoot (pun intended)! Most evangelical Christians didn’t even bat an eye when the federal government sent military and police personnel to murder American citizens, including old men, women, and children–Christian old men, women, and children, no less–outside Waco, Texas.
And where are today’s evangelical Christians giving a second thought regarding their fellow Christian brothers and sisters in many of these Middle Eastern countries that are being persecuted, imprisoned, tortured, and killed by the puppet regimes being put in power by the US government–at US taxpayer (including Christian taxpayer) expense? I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but more Christians have been persecuted under the US-imposed regime in Iraq than were ever persecuted when Saddam Hussein was in power. Oh! And don’t forget that it was the US government that was responsible for putting Saddam Hussein in power to begin with. The US government set up Osama bin Laden, too. But I digress.
Evangelical Christianity Disproportionately Represented By Military Chaplains
In addition to the “white” wars (the ones everyone knows about), the US government authorizes some 70 black ops commando raids in some 120 countries EVERY DAY. In fact, the secret, black ops military of the US is so large today it now totals more personnel than the ENTIRE MILITARY OF CANADA!
A recent report noted, “In 120 countries across the globe, troops from Special Operations Command carry out their secret war of high-profile assassinations, low-level targeted killings, capture/kidnap operations, kick-down-the-door night raids, joint operations with foreign forces, and training missions with indigenous partners as part of a shadowy conflict unknown to most Americans. Once ‘special’ for being small, lean, outsider outfits, today they are special for their power, access, influence, and aura.”
To see the complete report of America’s secret wars, go to:
Yet, how much of this knowledge would even faze the average evangelical Christian today? All we hear from today’s “churches” is “bomb,” “attack,” “wipe them out,” etc. Then, at the same time, they get all emotional about sending missionaries to the same countries that they had just cheered-on the US military in raining down missiles of death and destruction upon (to bring salvation to the lucky ones that weren’t killed, I suppose).
And who are the ones that belittle and impugn Ron Paul? Evangelical Christians. Why? Because he tells the truth about America’s foreign policy being responsible for much of the hatred and bitterness erupting in foreign countries against us. I guarantee you that many of the “conservative” Republicans who booed Dr. Paul’s comments to this regard at the GOP Presidential debate this week would identify themselves as evangelical Christians.
See the report at:
The disciples of our Lord were called “Christians” first by the Gentiles of Antioch, because of the manner in which the disciples reminded them of Christ’s nature and teachings. I never thought I would hear myself say what I’m about to say, but the truth is, the term “Christian” today means anything but Christ-like. To many people today, “Christian” refers to some warmongering, mean-spirited, throw-anyone-to-the-wolves-who-crosses-them person, who then has the audacity to look down their nose in contempt against anyone who disagrees with them for even the smallest reason. And the word “church” has the stigma of being simply an enclave of warmongers to many people today. And that, my friends, is one reason so many people are so turned off with today’s Christianity. And I can’t say that I blame them. I’m turned off too!
Am I a pacifist? Absolutely not! Do I believe an individual, a family, a community, or a nation has the right to protect and defend itself? I absolutely do! And the fellow who breaks into my home or who attacks my loved ones will personally discover I believe that! But this blind support for illegal, immoral, unconstitutional war is anything but Christian. Not only is it turning people against our country among people abroad, it is turning our own countrymen against the Christ we Christians claim to love right here at home.
I dare say that the modern Warfare State would grind to a screeching halt tomorrow if evangelical Christians would simply stop supporting it! And the thing that most evangelical Christians fail to realize is that the Warfare State is one of the primary tools that the evil one is using to usher in his devilish New World Order that even babes in Christ know to be of Satan. Hence, Christians are helping to promote the very thing that Satan, himself, is using to enslave them.
Yes, I’ve been an evangelical Christian for most of my life and an evangelical pastor for all of my adult life. And if we Christians do not quickly repent of this bloodlust that seems to dominate evangelical Christianity today (spiritually and militarily), the word that was first used by un-churched Gentiles to describe Christ’s followers will be used as a curse-word to describe those who facilitated the ruination of our country.
Read more from this author here.
Short URL: http://www.veteranstoday.com/?p=141625
Posted by Veterans Today on Sep 17 2011, With 0 Reads, Filed under Corruption, Editors Picks, Government, Living, Politics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
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Thank you so much Pastor Baldwin for pointing out one of the most under reported effects of the war on Iraq: the slaughter, persecution and displacement, probably permanent, of Christians. Some of the oldest Christian communities in the world are found in Iraq and Syria. A slightly modified form of Aramaic-the language that Jesus Himself spoke-is still used by some of these communities. And what do we hear now? That there is war in Syria in the offing. More Christians will become “collateral damage.”
Thank you , Chuck Baldwin
Thank you for referring to the the New Testament church,
I appreciate your post , I also think that combining the Old Testament with the New Testament has been a great error ( intentional and otherwise )
I can appreciate if you were to disagree with that but I have read many of your writings and agree with you on a great many things and many would be pleased to see you write here again,
Do you know about the gnostic Christians who were wiped out by the 5th Century?
how many of those who would describe themselves as Evangelical Christians are actually
Dominionists ? or have gradually been conditioned,taught to be kristianz Zionistz even if they still consider themselves Evangelical Christians or Christians?
Not referring to Chuck Baldwin in anyway.
Thanks again for your most very very needed Post,
Chuck Baldwin a voice of Reason and Sincerity!
Take care, Thanks
What IS NEW, is the modern day concept of the “end
times” that nearly every single preacher in this
country preaches. This belief was made prominent
by the Scofield Reference Bible of 1909.
C.I. Scofield himself, wrote that his NEW
teachings on Bible prophecy had caused much
controversy.
For instance, in the
Liberty Commentary of the New Testament by
Jerry Falwell, we look at his notes on
Ephesians 3:19-21. In order to continue the
deception of the “end of the world” message
that he, Billy Graham, Hal Lindsey, Jack Van
Impe, and whoever else you put in there, he
tells his reader what “Unto him be glory in the
church” means. Then he tells his reader what
“throughout all ages” means. But when it comes
to “WORLD WITHOUT END” – he completely
leaves it out as if it isn’t even in the
Bible!!!
AMERICAN CHRISTIANS HAVE BEEN DUPED AND ARE BEING USED TO BRING FORTH THE
NEW WORLD ORDER! THE NEW WORLD ORDER IS
ROYAL- BRITISH-ISRAEL!
ROYAL- BRITISH-ISRAEL IS ZIONISM!
please remove these 2 comments
September 17, 2011 – 12:51 pm
September 17, 2011 – 12:59 pm
and this comment as well,please,thank you
please
“Are Evangelical Christians Warmongers?” Isn’t this a rhetorical question? Isn’t the answer dead obvious? Of course it is. The people supporting the war, from “leaders” to soldiers, are evangelicals.
As a former minister (twenty years), I left the ministry in absolute disgust over what “christians” have become. The bloodlust they exhibit is obvious in every church and every online “discussion” (where they’re not shouting you down).
Christians cannot truly be Christ Like if they reject the Truth. Jesus said to KNOW THE TRUTH, and dig this CHUTZPAH…@ John 8:33 “THEY” {not ashkenazim/not “Sepharvaim”} exclaim “WE’VE NEVER BEEN IN BONDAGE”, meaning that “THEY”, are not Judahites, Not From the Tribe of Benjamin either, and seriously can a “Levite” really be a JEWISH ? The Talmud invalidates Gods’ Law, as Jesus said, and that the Proselytes are two fold the Child of “HELL”, so the Good News is No One on Earth has to be a “Jewish”, and the people you refer to as “Gentiles” are in fact Israelites, and not “Jews”. 90% of so-called “Jews” today are Ashkenazim “Proselytes” to Talmudic Judaism, and the Good News is they don’t have to be Jesus haters at all, they can KNOW the Good News and be free from the bondage of Talmudic Judaism..{an anti-Israelite “RELIGION”}…that is what the Evangel “Good News” is all about the Blood Sacrifice of the Messiah for Israel = 12 Tribes of Israel, – [Deut 32].. none ever “Jewish”!! …= http://www.israelect.com/reference/WillieMartin/ANSWER.htm = Now That is Good News, No One has to be a “JEWISH”…Because the Children of Israel are not “JEWS” !!! Really Good News !!!, now the Evangelicals can stop Lying for the Children of the Devil, and do what a Good Christian should do…Tell the Truth….even to “JEWS”.
I am glad to see this posted here. The military needs a reality check. What is going on in our military?
As a minister and disabled veteran, I agree, almost totally with you brother. I would add how fall we have gotten away from Christ’s admonish to “feed the poor”. Our military complex is taking away vital resources from our own Social Security and from our ability to assist in places like Somali. I believe strongely in protecting our country but remain bewildered at how we allowed “brother” Bush to lead us into a trillion fiasco! It is so dangerous for us as Christians to become cheerleaders for one political party. It fianally forced me out of one political party and the current party in the White House leaves me with no desire to join them!
Thanks Pastor Baldwin for words well spoken. I, too, began in the ministry at an early age and I have had the privilege as well as the obligation to learn, and I’m still learning, who I am in Christ Jesus. I’m just a man who has traveled some difficult but joyous roads in my 64 years. After 50 years in the ministry, I see how much I don’t know or understand. As a matter of fact, I spend so much time and energy trying to keep Jim in touch with God, I have no tiime to try to tell others where or why they are wrong. I believe that falls under God’s scrutiny and not mine. As the time approaches for me to be absent from this world, I become more cognizant of all my failures, my sin, sometimes my absolute refusal to listen to God still small voice but bent on what “I” can do! Such thinking as that has no place in the church much less from the Holy Desk from where we try to preach. I only want a relationship with Christ Jesus, lived in front of others in a way that no words have to be spoken. At this time in my life, I only have a desire to be who God wants me to be and not who I want to be in others eyes. It is in the living of the Christian life that shows to others what is in our hearts. May the peace that passes all understanding be so evident in my life that no one would have to ask me, “Are you a Christian?”. Mark Twain said, “Let me so live that when I die even the undertaker will be sad!!” May the Love of God abide in our hearts….always.
I am also grateful for this piece. I have many acquaintances who pray at the table religiously, but never mention even a neutral plea for this madness to stop. They dress their kids nicely and so dutifully attend church sermons every Sundays, but from my indirect inquiries, the pastors never mention or ask for prayers to hope to end these atrocities. Evangelists are vocal proponents, but the rest are not really too far behind. I always assumed the silence of the academicians is due to the ADL’s gestapo brigades in colleges. But what are the deeply believing men and women of god afraid of?
The more WRONG people are, the longer they’ve been WRONG, the more ingrained their daily WRONGNESS is, the more they make being WRONG a habit and build their lives, their communities and friends around being WRONG, the more WRONG they get and the less likely they are to ever repent.
So many Christians and a great many of Churches have made terrible choices for so long they’re beyond help. They’ve pandered to nasty people in order to get members yet refused to tell them they’re sick and in need of help but rather, “that’s OK, brother….. Jesus will forgive you, no matter how rotten you are….”
The Jews (or whatever they are) are far worse, having built their entire Talmudic society, “religion” and thought patterns on nothing but self-serving lies and psychotic pathologies. Nowhere is there any pretense of morality, but rather “the laws don’t apply to me” exceptionalism.
I got news news for all of these idiots. The Law of Karma doesn’t give a damn what frat house you spend Saturday or Sunday in.
oh god, more god crap
wallytron
America would be much better off,immensely so, if Chuck Baldwin was a typical example of the “Christian” Leadership in this Country, there are others like him but increasingly they are a minority.
Chuck Baldwin is a Great American and definitely one of ” the Good Guys” and we could use a lot more just like him instead of what we have now who are frequently self-serving and maniacal and hypocritical & plastic, like John Hagee & Trinity Broadcasting Network for example.
http://www.topsecretwriters.com/2011/01/trinity-broadcasting-network-savior-or-tbn-scam/
wallytron,
cheers!
Just out of curiousity, wallytron, which god do you serve ? Or are you an accidentalist ? Bad Faith just is, http://takimag.com/article/the_boredom_of_whoredom/print#axzz1XsFO5Sce – it doesn’t actually emanate from a source ? So how is it possible that the Non-Hebrew, Non-Semiitic, Non-Israelite “Jewish” state came to be known as “Israel” ?
Because Harry Truman allowed the Zionists to invade Palestine because as he said, “There are more Jewish voters in the United States than Arab voters.” And now the Palestineans are sick of their expansionist bullshit and want their country back.
It’s about time somebody with some stature called out the obvious hypocrisy of any Christian supporting genocide against the people of Afghanistan and Iraq, who did absolutely nothing to us and which is what massacring those innocents by the tens of thousands is, or who supports a federal government that sanctions torture, rendition, and assassination of its political enemies. This government’s atrocities rival those of the worst regimes in history, and there will be hell to pay when this government turns on its own people. We will suffer for our complacency and moral cowardice as the DHS, which really should be renamed the Dept of Homeland Surveillance, transforms the War on Terror into the Reign of Terror, right here on American soil. I would also indict despicable apostate Catholics like O’Reilly and Hannity on Fix NewZ who pretend to be believing Catholics for the purpose of betraying and misleading unthinking Catholics who watch their shows. What kind of Christian can possibly agree with the moral horror propounded on those shows day in and day out? On the handful of occasions I’ve watched O’Reilly lately I’ve seen him twice mockingly ask “What would Jesus say?” as if the application of Jesus’ teachings to the situation at hand were not only irrelevant, but some kind of joke. At least that’s my impression. As for Hannity, watching him gleefully defile the memory of peace activist Rachel Corrie after a relief boat was named in her honor was about as low as low gets. I don’t buy his holier-than-thou altar boy routine for one second.
Right On, DAN.
Christians having a history of being peace loving brethren wrapped in love??? Oh, PALEEEEZ!!!
First of all, all religions are misogynistic cults with no room for women in their hierarchy; ahem, how many female popes have there been? Look around you…with the exception of a few men of color, the “Christian” and all religions are run by men. The Pope lives in the palatial remains of the “Holy Roman Empire” while Mother Theresa lived in the streets of Calcutta “with the least among thee.”
I can remember the “Reverend” Billy Graham at the White House with Richard Nixon, a Quaker, praying for the tanks and bombs that were going to incinerate the brown people of N. Vietnam. Ah, bless his soul.
Secondly, the crusades were about what? This little “crusade” into the Middle East isn’t one of spreading Christianity, but of relieving those brown people of their oil/natural resources because our great big old military and economy runs on oil. Sort of like the “Christians” who invaded the North American continent who had no qualms about slaughtering the indigenous people who lived there. The remnants still live on “reservations” with no water or mineral rights, and if any are found, the inhabitants are quickly relocated.
Cloak it in whatever psycho-babble you wish, (ex. “they hate our freedoms,” “fight them there so we don’t have to fight them here”, blah, blah, blah,) religions are little more than necrophilic cults.
If these so-called Christians would only call for the annihilation of ersatz “Israel,” we could probably live with them.
Why not? God had Gen Titus give them a major smackdown in 70 AD ( 37 yrs after the Pharisees arrested Jeshua the Christ in the middle of the night, tried and convicted Him in a kangaroo court and convicted God of “blasphemy” and then marched him off to Pilate demanding that He be crucified ) and it looks like they need another..What with their massacres, terrorism and ethnic cleansing..attack on the Liberty, chiefly engineering 9-11…etc.
Thanks for taking the position that peace is often more admirable than war. I was raised a Catholic and I grew into a tolerant atheist. Religious fervor is used by some Moslems to teach their children that infidels are the enemy and justly should be destroyed. The people you speak of, are just as dangerous as the terrorists we are supposedly hunting down.
It is disturbing to see so many people in America sucked into an ‘us versus them’ mentality with war as the ante. Maybe with articles like yours people will start to wake up.
It is easy to summon the masses to arms when spouting about nationalism and American exceptionalism. The people you bravely speak against do not care for you – the singular thinking man. They anticipate that you are a lessening minority. Let’s prove them wrong.
“When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying the cross.”
- Sinclair Lewis, It Can’t Happen Here.
When God commanded the Israelites to take the lands not theirs, the complied, did not ask questions and executed – the world’s first Marines.
God is pleased with American Christians. Why? They keeps Heaven and Hell full of new arrivals.
In a Church, there is no voting booth and you do what the Good Lord wants you to, or you go to Hell. Those of other philosophy or culture not wanting to submit, go to Hell. Simple as that. God visits destruction upon the un-Holy and it so happens that Israel and America are his bloody tools by which he slays the heathens.
- The magnificent Lumpy Gonnadz
Thanks you for your most very very needed Post,
Chuck Baldwin a voice of Reason and Sincerity and Sanity!
Please post here again sometime
Take care, Thanks
The Catholic Church, almost destroyed by modernists/liberal bishops at Vatican II has still not completely fallen under the Zio-scum spell…however it’s very telling that our most talented and outspoken bishop ( Bp Richard Williamson tells it like is on everything ) is being persecuted by his own traditional order-the Society of St Pius X…Of course, the Superior General of that order Bishop Fellay has a Jewish investment partner…Julius Krah? I think that’s his name..
Should Christians Support Israel?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=GB&v=aSVTDexDejM
Conversation- Billy Graham and Former President Nixon.
If Evangelicals did not support the terrorist state of Israel, Israel may have to behave. The Arab neighbors would not think twice to take out that shitty little terrorist state if evangelical did have Congress ear. 80 million strong the Evangelical is insane, they do not have a clue about world affairs and is unable to think for themselves.
Evangelical pastors bleed the flock dry of cash, instill fears of death and are told to cough it up or burn in hell fire for eternity. Evangelicals are worse than Jews because Jews wouldn’t have a chance if they didn’t have control of the evangelical bozos.
Evangelicals really are a terrorist organization, just waiting for the moment when the country breaks down so they began savaging areas for valuable and lifesaving food stuffs. Those that can’t convince them that Crist is there lord and savior will be executed on the spot and all the victims’ belongings of valuables will be collected for the head evangelical whacko.
They certainly are and do not follow Christian theology at all. They should not be called Christians.
Christianity has been hijacked by judaism.
To Evangelicals, their saviour is not Jesus Christ but instead a jewdified version called Jebus, the golden haired son of god and an American who used to be killed by Jews, until the Jews controlled the church. Now Jebus loves everyone except racists and whoever the Jews (the chosen ones) don’t like.
Jebus loves war and sports and is always on our side.
Killing is wrong in the bible, but not when it’s the enemies of the Jews, then you can kill them because they are evil.
Being a republican Evangelical and a Christian are the same thing.
To an Evangelical Jews are the chosen people. This is strange of course to the thinking man or ‘human’ as Evangelicals are the only Christians who worship those who have killed and still hate their so called ‘savior’.
Evangelicals are armchair bullies.
Evangelicals are real life cowards.
Evangelicals are child like.
Evangelicals worship their oppressors.
Evangelicals think facts are anti-American.
Evangelicals think they are respectable regardless of ever having proven that they are to be respected or not.
In groups Evangelicals become dangerous.
You’re right Vox..”no salvation outside the Republican party” and “if you contradict what my Friends on Fox are saying you must be a filthy commie-or a terrorist..”
At some time in the future, it will be determined that Middle Eastern Monotheistic Mythologies will be seen as a major contributing factor to the demise of western civilization.
I’m still waiting for churches and christians who claim to follow the Bible to take a stand against the banks and the practice of usary. Guess they don’t follow the Bible that closely – just the parts they pick and choose.
E.C’s, the zionists fools
Are nothing but zionist tools
Spouting their dogma night and day
while the innocent die
there will be a price to pay as
the bombs fall on their enemies
of jebus
Too late
It’s much too late
Go back to your game of the week
Peace and justice are only for the meek
For the meek will inherit nothing
I got mine and
god is on my side
Let me take you down
’cause I’m going to…..
Iraq’s killing fields
Nothing is real
except for the bullshit
you preach every Sunday
Your religion is dumbed down
Like the rest of the crap
they fill your head with..
everyday the zionists play
with your mind and your nuts
You’ll be praying till next Tuesday..
the endless whining sound.
And man did lean heavily on his god
and saw that it was good
And the unsung western hero
killed a muslim or two
made his name in Hollywood
to set the white man free…
Jesus save me
If Jesus saves , then he’d better save himself
from the massive herd mentality
it’s foul rotten breath of inhumanity
reeks from shore to shore
I can see it now..
packed in like sardines…
in the church of final thunder and no redemption
sweating, coughing, moaning to the music
Play that country music white boy
After the show I feel so much better
Ed Sullivan never put on a better show
Not even when the Beatles played
French war criminal Sarkozy bombing and invading the sovereign and independent nation of Libya on what ground? Libyans didn’t want to go to France and steal anything. its France who is the parasite here; occupying Libya to feed its arms and banking industry. this middle aged backward mentality of wars create millions of refugees. this is why north Africans end up in Europe. they don’t really need to be in Europe and be a slave. they can live a more dignified life in their native country where they are not humiliated, profiled and psychologically tortured for being a Muslim. west likes to paint Muslims as backward. well, it’s the west and US who is behaving as if we are in middle ages. how do the “civilized world” justifies the barbaric bombardment of an independent nation?
How is it these E.C.s ignore the plight of their fellow xtians in Lebanon, Palestine and Libya? Not to mention Iraq? Because they’re A-Rabs!
Useful idiots for zionism, stoned on their own self importance and smug religious hypocrisy, and religious zeal to destroy all those who do not subscribe to their religious view of the world.
How far has it gone? Consider the xtian dominionists whose theocratic zeal nearly started WW III….ever considered who might have attempted to steal 7 nuclear tipped missiles from the bunker in Nebraska? Was Boynton behind this or some of their minions inside the Pentagram?
It’s a no brainer these religious fuck-tards want a nuclear Armageddon, especially in the middle east.
What’s that? Armageddon…and rapture?
Only in their twisted, warped minds.
>> Historically,…on the whole, the
>> church was a loving, caring,
>> compassionate ecclesia.
The above statement could be debated. Compassionate within denominational lines, perhaps, but long periods of Christian history have shown how “Christians” hated and persecuted those who do not pronounce “shibboleth” correctly. Examples: Catholics vs. Protestants, Protestants vs. Catholics, both groups vs. Anabaptists, Trinitarians vs. Arians, Christians vs. Jews, the “Church” vs. “heretics”. In America’s own history, one can point to the intolerance in the 13 colonies. As Erasmus pointed out:
What country, in which the earth has not been fertilized with the blood of christians shed by christians? What river or sea, that has not been discoloured with purple tide of human gore?
>> Mind you, Christians historically were not
>> afraid or ashamed to defend themselves…
>> their country?
Perhaps this is part of the problem. Does anyone recall the Israelites defending Egypt, Babylon, or Media-Persia in the Bible? Does anyone recall reading about Christians defending themselves against Nero, or Domitian, or Diocletian, in the first 3 centuries of Christianity? Does anyone recall Jesus defending himself? Does anyone recall the disciples defending themselves with the sword (other than Peter’s attempt in the Garden of Gethsemane and which he was correctly rebuked for)?
>> The Lord Jesus, Himself (the Prince of Peace),
>> allowed His disciples to carry personal defense
>> weapons (see Luke 22:36,38).
You may wish to read the passage in question. One would then see that this was for the purpose of fulfilling scripture: “For the time has come for this prophecy about me to be fulfilled: ‘He was counted among those who were rebels.’” If these weapons were for self-defense, then why is there no mention of the disciples using the sword in the Acts of the Apostles, as they were beaten, imprisoned and threatened by the Jewish religious leaders and the Roman authorities? They surely had plenty of opportunity to whip out these swords and defend themselves after Jesus’ ascension, as they preached the gospel throughout the Roman Empire.
>> Yes, while some Christian sects were
>> conscientious pacifists, these were
>> the exception, not the rule.
Mr. Baldwin is overlooking the first 3 centuries of Christianity, where it was the rule to be a pacifist, and the exception not to be. For the first three centuries no Christian writing which has survived to our time condoned Christian participation in war. We have no record of any Christian of that time entering, either voluntarily or otherwise, upon military life after his conversion. Early Christians’ could not be convinced that it was lawful on any occasion to shed the blood of their fellow-creatures, either by the sword of justice or by that of war, even though their criminal or hostile attempts should threaten the peace and safety of the whole community.
>> The vast majority of Christian believers
>> understood the Biblical, Natural Law
>> principle of self-defense.
When did the Bible become an instruction book for “Natural Law”? Actually, if one were to do a thorough study of the Bible, one would find only one single passage that deals with PERSONAL, INDIVIDUAL self-defense: Exodus 22:2–3. Interestingly, if a person defends himself against a thief in broad daylight, and kills the thief, the self-defender is deemed by the Law of Moses as a murderer!
>> So, what has happened to turn the most
>> peace-loving institution the world has
>> ever known (the New Testament church)
>> into the biggest cheerleaders for war?
It has been overtaken by pastors and priests like Mr. Baldwin, who preach: “Am I a pacifist? Absolutely not!” These same words were repeated by the priests and pastors of the churches prior to every war involving Christians. Is it any surprise then that the Church has grown fangs and it’s garment is stained with the guilt of bloodshed?
I would strongly recommend such teachers of the people to educate themselves on this topic by reading a book, appropriately titled, “Blood Guilt” (see http://covenant.nu ) As the priest who blessed the 2 atomic bombs that were dropped on Japan later confessed: “Let’s face it, we priests, pastors and bishops have been justifying the butchery of war in the name of Christ for a long time.”
If you want an answer as to why “Evangelical Christians are Warmongers,” it’s because their pastors are not pacifists. Like priest, like people.
[...] John Hagee is willing to go to war with Iran to prevent an attack on Israel. He is intent on defending a nation/religion that does not even acknowledge Jesus is the Son of God and the Savior of the world. Hagee is deceived about Israel as are most Zionist Christians. Israel has innocent blood on its hands just like America. While we should love and accept any Jew/Israelite that has come to Christ as our beloved brother in the faith, we should not blindly support the nation of Israel. Remember, God has no earthly kingdom. It is not Israel and it is not the U.S. John Hagee is right that there will be attacks on America, but his reasons are flawed and his theology is tainted with American hubris. “The biggest cheerleaders for the unprovoked, unconstitutional, pre-emptive attack and invasion of Iraq were evangelical Christians. Ditto for the war in Afghanistan, the bombing of Libya, the attacks in Yemen, etc. Who is calling for the bombing of Iran? Evangelical Christians. Who cheers for sending more and more troops all over the world to maim and kill more and more people (including innocents)? Evangelical Christians. Shoot (pun intended)! Most evangelical Christians didn’t even bat an eye when the federal government sent military and police personnel to murder American citizens, including old men, women, and children–Christian old men, women, and children, no less–outside Waco, Texas.” —Chuck Baldwin, Are Evangelical Christians Warmongers? [...]
This alliance of the American “Christian Right” with the Likudniks. At the intersection
of politics and religion, the author suggests that the Anglo-American
financial interests who published and promoted the Scofield Reference Bible,
(1909) were ultimately interested in the Oil of the Middle East. The “notes”
in the Scofield Bible are extra-biblical, and heretical – the “spin” on
“prophesy” contained in them might actually have been a devious long-term
scenario – under the cover of “fulfilling prophesy” – for an eventual grab
of end-game Oil…
EXCEPT, this Scofield Bible nonsense has become a much greater Beast than perhaps originally intented , End the Scofield Zionistz madness
,
“My opinion of Christian Zionists? They’re scum. But don’t tell them that. We need all the useful idiots we can get right now.”
Israeli Binyamin “Bibi” Netanyahu
Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), et al.
http://chuckbaldwinlive.com/home/?page_id=49
BEAMISH, HENRY H. 20th century British publisher.
“There is no need to be delicate on this Jewish question. You must face them in this country. The Jew should be satisfied here. I was here forty-seven years ago; your doors were thrown open and you were then free. Now he has got you absolutely by the throat – that is their reward. ” (New York speech, October 30, 1937)
http://www.jewwatch.com/jew-references-gentile-whatotherssay.htm
Henry wasn’t wrong!
Attacks on Christian minorities
During this 10-month political vacuum, a period that also saw the end of US combat operations in Iraq, violence against minorities continued. The UK’s Guardian newspaper called 2010, ‘the worst year since 2003 for Iraq’s Christians’, stating that more Christians fled in 2010 than any other year since the US-led invasion began. In the second week of February, ten Christians were killed in Mosul, in five separate incidents. The USCIRF 2010 reported that this caused 43,000 Christians to flee the city for villages in the Nineveh plains, the Kurdistan Regional Governorates and Syria. Christian news websites reported that four people had been arrested for the crimes in early March.
On 31 October, the Christian community suffered its worst atrocity since the conflict began in 2003. According to international media reports, five suicide bombers passed through police and military checkpoints, and attacked the Our Lady of Salvation Syriac Catholic cathedral in Baghdad. The attack took place during a Sunday evening service when about 100 worshippers were at the church. Gunmen held siege to the church for four hours, and witnesses reported hearing explosions and shooting. One hostage reported that worshippers were beaten by the militants. The BBC said many of the worshippers were women. Many were injured, while 56 Christians including two priests were killed, along with 12 others. The al-Qaeda linked group, the Islamic State of Iraq, claimed responsibility for the attack.
International and national political and religious leaders, including Pope Benedict XVI and Grand Ayatollah Sistani, Iraq’s highest Shi’a cleric, condemned the attacks. But in November the group continued to terrorize the minority community, detonating 11 roadside bombs in three Christian areas of Baghdad. Five people were killed. Finally, on 31 December, international media reported that two people were killed and eight injured in bomb and grenade attacks on Christian homes across Baghdad, by militants linked to al-Qaeda.
Numerous Christian and Yezidi businesses, particularly those thought to be selling alcohol, were targeted and attacked during the year. Mandaeans, who are traditionally goldsmiths, reported that their shops continued to be targeted with threats and bombings.
http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/docid/4e16d36e5f.html
We appealed to Tony Blair during the Iraq War to offer protection to the Christians of Iraq, he promised that he would do all he could.
It’s become apparent, that was Nothing!!
Too busy brown nosing Gadaffi it would appear!
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/libya/8771192/Libya-Tony-Blair-and-Col-Gaddafis-secret-meetings.html