Secularist Culture
True or False: War is only a last resort for disputes.
False
True or False: The Bible never once is against a christian serving in the military.
True
What belief is Pacifism?
The belief that violence and war are always unjust and that conflicts should be settled by peaceful means.
Interpret this quote: "Scripture is clear that God's people aren't to admire men of violence and are to put their trust in God, not in their weapons" (Myers, 419).
Answers may vary:
Ex. The quote is good for summing up what Christians should look towards. In this culture people are all about having the ability to protect themselves without any consequences. While this is something good to have we shouldn't look to weapons as our main way to protect ourselves. God will never let anything we can't endure happen to us.
While violence is never a good solution, we can still equip ourselves with God's armor which is:
Breastplate of rightousness, helmet of salvation, belt of truth, feet fit with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace, sheild of faith, and the sword of the spirit.
(will also except the verses Eph 6:10-18)
What is the convention that created the rules for war crimes?
Geneva Convention
While the church is responsible to spread shalom or God's word, it must restrain itself from...
taking over government.
Define Force.
Strength or power used to influence or oppress others.
When it comes to spiritual force, we face lifelong battles against sin. But Christ's death and resurrection secure...
our triumph.
Out of all the different beliefs about how Christians should handle the idea of war, what is the most lined up with the Bible? Why?
Just-War Theory because it is the belief that war is justifiable only if a certain set of criteria is met.
War has gotten so bad that we have what for when people do something comepletly imoral during it?
War crimes
Explain why the pasifist route is not the best one to take when looking at war from a Christian perspective.
When it comes to the pacifist route I think they have things going in the right direction, but took a wrong turn. They don't want violence and that is good. However, they take it to such a extreme that it takes away all the good in the intentions. Instead it is just another way for the evil to seep in and attack.
What are our primary battles in the form of? Spritual or Physical?
Spiritual
How much of the history of humanity is war seen?
The history of humanity is that of near-constant war, punctuated by brief periods of peace.
What is the best mindset for Christians going into service?
Christians should know the line between protection and revenge or unnessesary violence.
Name all five different views on war and when it should happen.
Pacifism, Nonresistance, Just-War, Preemptive war, and Preventive war
Ephesians 6:12 speaks of what our true battle is and
"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but...
against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms"
Eph 6:12 NIV
Lex Talionis is the priciple that...
a wrong should be righted with a retributive act equal in degree and kind.
Pacifists focus on not commiting evil, but...
part of making peace is refusing to endure and resist evil.
While Christians are allowed to serve in the military, what must they do first before just immediately jumping into the fight?
They must be proactive in doing everything in the name of God and not abusing our power.
War eradicates many people's sense of...
forgiveness.
What is the biggest flaw of Herman Hoyt's Nonresistance perspective?
Herman Hoyt believed that it is not the Christian's job to protect and fight in times of war. They can be nurses and chaplains instead, working on the sidelines to help the injured and be a light of God.
This seems counter intuitive. The whole purpose of the Christian faith is to save all the lost sinners in the world, but if Christians aren't meant to fight then how would a country of completely believers protect themselves from outside harm? Yes if everyone in the world were believers then there would be no room for believers, but that just isn't relistic.
What is our protection against the spiritual battle called?
The armor of God
Fill in the blank: Scripture is clear that God's people aren't to ___ men of violence and are to put their ___ in God, not in their ___.
admire, trust, weapons.
Give examples of how Christians can minimize the amount of violence they partake in on a daily.
Answers may vary:
Ex. One thing Christains can do in our everyday life is to stop going for the violent option. Instead of picking a fight we should talk it out or simply drop it. The second option is a tad ill-advised because it can leave bad blood between people, but sometimes people need time to cool off or blow of their steam.