1. Obedience to government – patriotic monkey
Prosecuting war is one of the unfortunate, but necessary responsibilities of government
Romans 13 – Christians
Based in some kind of fairness
Benefit from blessing of government
Doesn’t require any thought
2. Pacifist position – non-patriotic monkey
Emphasizes the principle of non-violence
Requires no thought because the answer is always no
Grounded in the ethic of Jesus
“Those who live by the sword, die by the sword”
Sermon on the mount (turn the other cheek)
Long, deep history in Christian position
3. Just war position – most complex
Requires the individual to do some pretty deep thinking
Must decide whether the war is right or wrong
If it is Just, you must fight
If it is not Just, you must not fight
What makes a just war?
Why? What is the reason?
How? How it is going to be fought?
MUST PASS BOTH
Why?
Action of last resort
Must be for peace, cannot be an offensive war
What has happened in the last five years?
Some offensive wars are Just because of weapons of mass destruction
Pre-emption can be defended because technologies have changed
Cause of war must be Just
Save innocent lives
Cannot be economic gain
How?
Recognized authority that is fighting the war
War must be declared
Targets should be military
Doctrine of proportionality must accomplish more good than mayhem
Playing by the rules
If we are fighting for good reasons and passes why and how
Christians have an obligation to fight
Biblical criteria
God would not support a war that is not Just
PRO-WAR SIDE
Just war for Just cause
Authority – government
Proportionality
Distinguish between military and non-military targets
Civilian casualties are acceptable because the doctrine of double effect – civilian casualties are not the intended outcome
Are not going to war just to fight, but for peace
ANTI-WAR SIDE
Pacifism
Christian ethic – violence breeds violence
Love your enemies
Every war stems from a previous war
War is caused by the power and corruption of government (outside governments with outside interference)
Passive resistance
Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr. (lived by the Jesus ethic)
Always another way to resolve conflict
Wars fought with words not weapons accomplish more in the end
Is it wrong for a Christian to be a policeman, soldier, etc?
How do you protect your family?
Just War – how do you claim peace through violence?
How does Christian love translate for you to kill people?
War is inherent to this world; it is inevitable?
Does god tell us and teach us we should go to war?
Isn’t it idealistic that war ends war?
Is war really inherent to the world?
World will be pretty corrupt, pretty fast if we were all pacifists
Just war is more idealistic because it depends on the government to justify war
The only way to stop men like Hitler, Hussein, etc. is to have bigger guns than them
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