While I certainly don’t think it is the only important issue, I do think sanctity of life has to be the most significant issue any believer must consider in any election since Roe v. Wade legalized abortion in America. If man is truly the pinnacle of the created order created in the image of God (Gen 1) and given special recognition within creation by God (Gen 9), then I think it is hard for a believer to find a more compelling public interest to uphold.
Why is it that my voice always seems to be loudest when I am saying the dumbest things?
Why do fundamentalists and evangelicals oppose only abortion and not also unjust war? Even if abortion is #1 - and a lot of very good arguments exist for why it should be - then unjust war should at the very least be a solid #2. Yet the same theological conservatives who readily cite the need to protect innocent life in the case of abortion are silent in the face of unjust wars - wars fought not for self defense or even for humanitarian reasons (i.e. to stop genocide) but are merely politics by other means (nation building, spreading democracy et al) - and in not a few cases even lend their support to them.
Liberal “Christians” support abortion while opposing unjust war. (Well that is not actually true … they don’t mind unjust war and even imperialism if the goal is to spread leftist governments … many liberal “Christians” even supported Marxist coups during the Cold War.) Conservative Christians oppose abortion while failing to oppose - and in some cases supporting - unjust war. It is a curiosity.
I don’t know any evangelicals who don’t object to unjust wars. Just which of our wars has been for the purpose of “wars fought not for self defense or even for humanitarian reasons (i.e. to stop genocide) but are merely politics by other means (nation building, spreading democracy et al), to use your quote. Seems to me that America has always opposed unjust war — war that serves the purpose of protecting our national interests. Coming to the defense of our allies is certainly in our national interest. That’s what we did in WWI, WWII, Korean War, Vietnam War, Iraq War (Kuwait). A case might be made that these wars have been to protect “innocent ” people, even though some “innocent” people on our enemy’s side were killed too. That happens in war, and it happened in biblical times under King David too. I hardly think that the killing of babies in the womb, where they are most vulnerable and where neither they nor their parents represent to anyone’s safety, can be compared with those who die in war. Sounds to me like you are a pacifist. Or do you claim for yourself the right to determine what is and is not a just war?
I don’t know any evangelicals who don’t object to unjust wars. Just which of our wars has been for the purpose of “wars fought not for self defense or even for humanitarian reasons (i.e. to stop genocide) but are merely politics by other means (nation building, spreading democracy et al), to use your quote. Seems to me that America has always opposed unjust war — wars that do not serve the purpose of protecting our national interests. Coming to the defense of our allies is certainly in our national interest. That’s what we did in WWI, WWII, Korean War, Vietnam War, Iraq War (Kuwait). A case might be made that these wars have been to protect “innocent ” people, even though some “innocent” people on our enemy’s side were killed too. That happens in war, and it happened in biblical times under King David too. I hardly think that the killing of babies in the womb, where they are most vulnerable and where neither they nor their parents represent to anyone’s safety, can be compared with those who die in war. Sounds to me like you are a pacifist. Or do you claim for yourself the right to determine what is and is not a just war? .
BTW, on nation-building. America is probably the only nation in history that has felt the desire to rebuild a nation it has destroyed in war — Germany and Japan, e.g. Seems to be like that is a demonstration of the compassion of the American people.
Discussion
NewWhile I certainly don't think
While I certainly don’t think it is the only important issue, I do think sanctity of life has to be the most significant issue any believer must consider in any election since Roe v. Wade legalized abortion in America. If man is truly the pinnacle of the created order created in the image of God (Gen 1) and given special recognition within creation by God (Gen 9), then I think it is hard for a believer to find a more compelling public interest to uphold.
Why is it that my voice always seems to be loudest when I am saying the dumbest things?
NewJust A Curiosity ...
Why do fundamentalists and evangelicals oppose only abortion and not also unjust war? Even if abortion is #1 - and a lot of very good arguments exist for why it should be - then unjust war should at the very least be a solid #2. Yet the same theological conservatives who readily cite the need to protect innocent life in the case of abortion are silent in the face of unjust wars - wars fought not for self defense or even for humanitarian reasons (i.e. to stop genocide) but are merely politics by other means (nation building, spreading democracy et al) - and in not a few cases even lend their support to them.
Liberal “Christians” support abortion while opposing unjust war. (Well that is not actually true … they don’t mind unjust war and even imperialism if the goal is to spread leftist governments … many liberal “Christians” even supported Marxist coups during the Cold War.) Conservative Christians oppose abortion while failing to oppose - and in some cases supporting - unjust war. It is a curiosity.
Solo Christo, Soli Deo Gloria, Sola Fide, Sola Gratia, Sola Scriptura http://healtheland.wordpress.com
NewWhy do fundamentalists and
Just out of curiosity, which fundamentalists and evangelicals do not oppose unjust war?
NewDon't confuse the issue
JobK…
I don’t know any evangelicals who don’t object to unjust wars. Just which of our wars has been for the purpose of “wars fought not for self defense or even for humanitarian reasons (i.e. to stop genocide) but are merely politics by other means (nation building, spreading democracy et al), to use your quote. Seems to me that America has always opposed unjust war — war that serves the purpose of protecting our national interests. Coming to the defense of our allies is certainly in our national interest. That’s what we did in WWI, WWII, Korean War, Vietnam War, Iraq War (Kuwait). A case might be made that these wars have been to protect “innocent ” people, even though some “innocent” people on our enemy’s side were killed too. That happens in war, and it happened in biblical times under King David too. I hardly think that the killing of babies in the womb, where they are most vulnerable and where neither they nor their parents represent to anyone’s safety, can be compared with those who die in war. Sounds to me like you are a pacifist. Or do you claim for yourself the right to determine what is and is not a just war?
NewDon't confuse the issue -- corrected entry
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Send PM Don’t confuse the issue
JobK…
I don’t know any evangelicals who don’t object to unjust wars. Just which of our wars has been for the purpose of “wars fought not for self defense or even for humanitarian reasons (i.e. to stop genocide) but are merely politics by other means (nation building, spreading democracy et al), to use your quote. Seems to me that America has always opposed unjust war — wars that do not serve the purpose of protecting our national interests. Coming to the defense of our allies is certainly in our national interest. That’s what we did in WWI, WWII, Korean War, Vietnam War, Iraq War (Kuwait). A case might be made that these wars have been to protect “innocent ” people, even though some “innocent” people on our enemy’s side were killed too. That happens in war, and it happened in biblical times under King David too. I hardly think that the killing of babies in the womb, where they are most vulnerable and where neither they nor their parents represent to anyone’s safety, can be compared with those who die in war. Sounds to me like you are a pacifist. Or do you claim for yourself the right to determine what is and is not a just war?
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NewAmerica and nation-building after war
BTW, on nation-building. America is probably the only nation in history that has felt the desire to rebuild a nation it has destroyed in war — Germany and Japan, e.g. Seems to be like that is a demonstration of the compassion of the American people.