See this link:
http://www.zoegroup.org/filter.asp?SID=2&fi_key=138&co_key=995
It’s providence that this subject was touched upon this morning in my Church’s Bible class. The teacher was curious if anyone would be put off. But, I think it was handled near perfectly. The prayer delivered at the end was particularly potent. Of course I would enjoy a full on, put-it-all-on-the-table discussion of the subject- but that is not what is needed in that setting and thus would not glorify. I suspect the topic may come back around. Tact will be everything. In the articles in the link below there are some great points. I was particularly taken by the last article of the four where Camp says:
“…Thus any argument for Christian non-violence must always embody the utmost love for those who articulate a divergent viewpoint; if so-called “pacifists” speak in such a way that they only foster enmity, then they have failed from the start.”
and also:
“So any dialog between “Pacifists” and the “Just War Tradition” (JWT) ought to begin with what these two viewpoints held in common. At the theoretical level, there are fundamental differences between the two, but a great deal of pragmatic agreement also exists between them. For example, the JWT proclaims that vengeance is an illegitimate intention for warfare, and that the means of warfare must be sharply limited. (For example, nuclear warfare, or economic sanctions that result in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Iraqi children, are immoral according to the JWT, because these practices do not respect the “immunity of the innocent.”) If taken seriously, the JWT will often lead Christians to refuse to fight in particular wars.
All such objections flow not from “Pacifism” but from the JWT. For all of these things, the Pacifist ought to deeply respect the Christian Just Warrior. However, the fact that, historically, few JWT adherents make the kind of moral judgments required by their tradition indicates that a great number of Christians are not, actually, adherents to the JWT; instead, many Christians turn out to be nationalists, who arrogantly profess, “it’s my country, right or wrong.” To say “if you don’t love it, leave it”—this is acceptable rhetoric for neither the Just Warrior nor the Pacifist. And so the Pacifist encourages the Just Warrior to have the courage of his convictions, and speak boldly to such concerns.”
Anyhow, you can read the articles for yourself.
Sphere: Related ContentRelated posts:
- Place related post plugin php here...
You must be logged in to post a comment.
