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Old 02-19-2008, 10:55 PM
Scaramouche
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DILIGENT

Thanks for coming back to this thread. I missed your input.
I'm going to have to read your article later. It's too late now but I'll get to it tomorrow.
With that said I'll only address a couple of your points as I don't have your complete view (without reading the article, that is).

"As for war: God has said that he will call nations to war."

I agree, but that doesn't mean we Christians need to be a part of it. If nations wish to wage war (as they have) then so be it, but I don't have to agree or support war efforts. Neither in word nor deed.
I'm not just talking about my democratic freedom but rather my Christian obligation, as I see it.

"The New Testament also clearly requires us to be in subjection to our government, and when our government calls us to war, we have to obey unless there is something exactly contrary to God's word about what we are being told to do."

I guess here is the main point we disagree on.
Your statement "...we have to obey unless there is something exactly contrary to God's word about what we are being told to do" seems to hold the most tension as I feel that the destruction of another human being (made in the image and likeness of our Savior) is beyond the scope and reason of any Christian.

"(I also can not find any reference in the NT were a military man is told to quit his service because it is incompatible with Christian living.)"

True statement. However, I believe with everything else that Jesus, Paul, John, et al told us about loving our neighbor and being kind to those who persecute us, I find it difficult to hold to the view that because the government said it's ok to kill them, then it must be so.

Folks, I'm going to bow out of this discussion because I feel like I'm simply repeating myself at this point.
I didn't mean to offend anyone so if I did, please accept my apology and forgive me. I simply responded to a question with, what I believed to be, the correct understanding of scripture.

Should anyone want to continue this discussion with me I would, provided they read the entire thread (only so I don't sound like a broken record!) otherwise, God bless you all.

I look forward to "meeting" with you all again on different threads where I'm sure we'll find we actually agree more (on doctrinal and theological issues) than disagree.