Peace and War

[Matthias]

Zabelka speech continued.

”Today the world is on the brink of ruin because the church refuses to be the church, because we Christians have been deceiving ourselves and the non-Christian world about the truth of Christ. There is no way to follow Christ, to love as Christ loved, and simultaneously kill other people. It is a lie to say that the spirit that moves the trigger of a flamethrower is the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ. It is a lie to say that learning to kill is learning to be Christ-like. It is a lie to say that learning to drive a bayonet into the heart of another is motivated from having put on the mind of Christ. Militarized Christianity is a lie. It is radically out of conformity with the teaching, life, and spirit of Jesus.”

(Ibid.)

 

[Matthias]

Zabelka speech continued.

”Now, brothers and sisters, on the anniversary of this terrible atrocity carried out by Christians, I must be the first to say that I made a terrible mistake. I was had by the father of lies. I participated in the big ecumenical lie of the Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox churches. I wore the uniform. I was part of the system. When I said Mass over there I put on those beautiful vestments over my uniform. (When Father Dave Becker left the Trident base in 1982 and resigned as Catholic chaplain there, he said, ‘Every time I went to Mass in my uniform and put the vestments on over my uniform, I couldn’t help but think of the words of Christ applying to me: Beware of wolves in sheep’s clothing.’)

As an Air Force chaplain I painted a machine gun in the loving hands of the nonviolent Jesus, and then handed this perverse picture to the world as truth. I sang “Praise the Lord’ and passed the ammunition. As Catholic chaplain for the 509th Composite Group, I was the final channel that communicated this fraudulent image of Christ to the crews of Enola Gay and the Boxcar.

All I can say today is that I was wrong. Christ would not be the instrument to unleash such horror on his people. Therefore no follower of Christ can legitimately unleash the horror of war on God’s people. Excuses and self-justifying explanations are without merit. All I can say is: I was wrong! But, if this is all I can say, this I must do, feeble as it is. For to do otherwise would be to bypass the first and absolutely essential step in the process of repentance and reconciliation: admission of error, admission of guilt.”

(Ibid.)

 

[Matthias]

Zabelka speech continued.

”I was there, and I was wrong. Yes, war is hell, and Christ did not come to justify the creation of hell on earth by his disciples. The justification of war may be compatible with some religions and philosophies, but it is not compatible with the nonviolent teaching of Jesus. I was wrong. And to those of whatever nationality or religion who have been hurt because I fell under the influence of the father of lies, I say with my whole heart and soul I am sorry. I beg forgiveness.

I asked forgiveness from the Hibakushas (the Japanese survivors of the atomic bombings) in Japan last year, in a pilgrimage that I made with a group from Tokyo to Hiroshima. I fell on my face there at the peace shrine after offering flowers, and I prayed for forgiveness - for myself, for my country, for my church. Both Nagasaki and Hiroshima. This year in Toronto, I again asked forgiveness from the Hibakushes present. I asked forgiveness, and they asked for Pearl Harbor and some of the horrible deeds of the Japanese military, and there were some, and I knew of them. We embraced. We cried. Tears flowed. That is the first step of reconciliation - admission of guilt and forgiveness. Pray to God that others will find this way to peace.”

(Ibid.)

 

[Matthias]

Zabelka speech continued.

”All religions have taught brotherhood. All people want peace. It is only the governments and war departments that promote war and slaughter. So today again I call upon people to make their voices heard. We can no longer just leave this to our leaders, both political and religious. They will move when we make them move. They represent us. Let us tell them that they must think and act for the safety and security of all the people in our world, not just for the safety and security of one country. All countries are inter-dependent. We all need one another. It is no longer possible for individual countries to think only of themselves. We can all live together as brothers and sisters or we are doomed to die together as fools in a world holocaust.

Each one of us becomes responsible for the crime of war by cooperating in its preparation and in its execution. This includes the military. This includes the making of weapons. And it included paying for the weapons. There’s no question about that. We’ve got to realize we all become responsible. Silence, doing nothing, can be one of the greatest sins.”

(Ibid.)

 

[Matthias]

Zabelka speech continued.

”The bombing of Nagasaki means even more to me than the bombing of Hiroshima. By August 9, 1945, we knew what that bomb would do, but we still dropped it. We knew that agonies and sufferings would ensue, and we also knew - at least our leaders knew - that it was not necessary. The Japanese were already defeated. They were already suing for peace. But we insisted on unconditional surrender, and this is even against the Just War theory. Once the enemy is defeated, once the enemy is not able to hurt you, you must make peace.

As a Catholic chaplain I watched as the Boxcar, piloted by a good Irish Catholic pilot, dropped the bomb on Urikami Cathedral in Nagasaki, the center of Catholicism in Japan. I knew that St. Francis Xavier, centuries before, had brought the Catholic faith to Japan. I knew that schools, churches, and religious orders were annihilated. And yet I said nothing.”

(Ibid.)

 

[Matthias]

Zabelka speech continued to the end.

”Thank God that I’m able to stand here today and speak out against war, all war. The prophets of the Old Testament spoke out against all false gods of gold, silver, and metal. Today we are worshipping the gods of metal, the bomb. We are putting our trust in physical power, militarism, and nationalism. The bomb, not God, is our security and our strength. The prophets of the Old Testament said simply: Do not pit your trust in chariots and weapons, but put your trust in God. Their message was simple, and so is mine.

We must all become prophets. I really mean that. We must all so something for peace. We must stop this insanity of worshipping the gods of metal. We must take a stand against evil and idolatry. This is our destiny at the most critical time of human history. But it’s also the greatest opportunity ever offered to any group of people in the history of our world - to save our world from complete annihilation.”

(Ibid.)

I don’t necessarily agree with everything that Zabelka said in his speech but I agree with the sentiment he expressed about Christian participation in, and attitude toward, war.

 

[Matthias]

“The doctrine of the Just War can deceive a person into thinking that because a war is just, it is actually a good thing.

But behind contemporary war theory lies the idea that war is always bad. A just war is permissible because it’s a lesser evil, but it’s still an evil.”

BBC - Ethics - War: Just War - introduction

The Just War theory specifies conditions for judging if it is just to go to war, and conditions for how the war should be fought. Although it was extensively developed by Christian theologians, it can be used by people of every faith and none.

www.bbc.co.uk

Participation in an evil - be it war or some other activity - is incompatible with the Messiah’s teaching.

 

[Matthias]

“It is a God-like thing, though we are wronged by others, yet to be the first in seeking after peace.” - Thomas Brooks

 

[Matthias]

“Prayer is an antidote against every evil.” - George Whitefield

 

[Matthias]

“You people speak so lightly of war; you don’t know what you’re talking about. War is a terrible thing!” - William Tecumseh Sherman

Jesus instructs his disciples to do good, not terrible.

 

[Matthias]

“I hate war as only a soldier who has lived it can, only as one who has seen its brutality, its futility, its stupidity.” - Dwight Eisenhower

Brutality. Futility. Stupidity.

Those are not words that describe the life the Messiah calls his followers to live.

 

[Matthias]

Which response to evil will you endorse, Christian reader?

Uncle Matthew / Jesus / nonviolence or violence?

 

[Matthias]

“He that preaches war is the devil’s chaplain.” - John Ray

 

[TrevorHL]

Greetings Matthias,

“He that preaches war is the devil’s chaplain.” - John Ray

God has used war in the past to Judge and Purify His People. He raised up Assyria and then Babylon for this purpose.

Isaiah 8:5–8 (KJV): 5 The LORD spake also unto me again, saying, 6 Forasmuch as this people refuseth the waters of Shiloah that go softly, and rejoice in Rezin and Remaliah’s son; 7 Now therefore, behold, the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the river, strong and many, even the king of Assyria, and all his glory: and he shall come up over all his channels, and go over all his banks: 8 And he shall pass through Judah; he shall overflow and go over, he shall reach even to the neck; and the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel.

Kind tegards
Trevor

 

[Matthias]

Greetings Matthias,

God has used war in the past to Judge and Purify His People. He raised up Assyria and then Babylon for this purpose.

Isaiah 8:5–8 (KJV): 5 The LORD spake also unto me again, saying, 6 Forasmuch as this people refuseth the waters of Shiloah that go softly, and rejoice in Rezin and Remaliah’s son; 7 Now therefore, behold, the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the river, strong and many, even the king of Assyria, and all his glory: and he shall come up over all his channels, and go over all his banks: 8 And he shall pass through Judah; he shall overflow and go over, he shall reach even to the neck; and the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel.

Kind tegards
Trevor

“But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”

(Acts 5:39, NIV)

The context is different but the idea is the same.

War is God’s righteous judgement on evil. Yielding to God, yielding to his judgement, repenting, is the Christian response.

Taking up the weapons of man, fighting against God, resisting his judgement, is folly and futility.

 

[Matthias]

“Take my word for it, if you had seen but one day of war, you would pray to Almighty God, that you might never see such a thing again.” - Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington

 

[Matthias]

“What a cruel thing war is ... to fill our hearts with hatred instead of love for our neighbors.” - Robert E. Lee

 

[TrevorHL]

Greetings again Matthias,

“What a cruel thing war is ... to fill our hearts with hatred instead of love for our neighbors.” - Robert E. Lee

And yet Robert E. Lee was thoroughly immersed in the American Civil War, while a few faithful refused to blow the brains out of their fellow brethren in the north or south and were granted conscientious objection status.

The front page of the regional newspaper announced that they are going to build a Naval Missile Factory in our region and it is a reminder of the sad news that before the peace that will be established as a result of the return of Christ as stated in Isaiah 2:1-4, that the opposite will be evident, that the nations will prepare war:
Joel 3:9-10 (KJV): 9 Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up: 10 Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong.
God will judge the nations and individuals that delight in war and many will suffer as a result of the impending conflicts before the Kingdom of God is established. This time of trouble seems to be approaching soon.

The Australian Defence Minister is our Regional Federal Government representative and he was pictured on the front page of the newspaper, inspecting a naval missile and the next page showed a missile being launched. I like the contrast between the events of Uzziah's reign, a king who invented many clever weapons and yet personally failed and Hezekiah's deliverance from the Assyrian through the prayers of Hezekiah and Isaiah, and Isaiah 53 is based upon his experience. Australia will suffer many things as a result of their involvement in war.

Kind regards
Trevor

 

[Matthias]

“War may sometimes be a necessary evil. But no matter how necessary, it is always an evil, never a good.” - Jimmy Carter

War may be necessary, but it is never good

Swearengin is an author, emotional and spiritual well-being coach, podcaster and content creator known as Pastor Paul.It seems quite a disconcerting time in the world. If only people wore white hats and black hats, like the old Westerns, so we could easily identify "good guys" and the “bad”...

thefulcrum.us

“To man he said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom. To depart from evil is understanding.”

(Job 28:28, WEB)

”Depart from evil, and do good. Live securely forever.”

(Psalm 37:27, WEB)

”Don’t enter into the path of the wicked. Don’t walk in the way of evil men. Avoid it, and don’t pass by it. Turn from it, and pass on.”

(Proverbs 4:14-15, WEB)

”Don’t turn to the right hand nor to the left. Remove your foot from evil.”

(Proverbs 4:27, WEB)

”By mercy and truth iniquity is atoned for. By the fear of Yahweh men depart from evil.”

(Proverbs 16:6, WEB)

”The highway of the upright is to depart from evil. He who keeps his way preserves his soul.”

(Proverbs 16:17, WEB)

”Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

(Romans 12:21, WEB)

”Abstain from every form of evil.”

(1 Thessalonians 5:22, WEB)

”Let him turn away from evil and do good. Let him seek peace and pursue it.”

(1 Peter 3:11, WEB)

”Beloved, don’t imitate that which is evil, but that which is good. He who does good is of God. He who does evil hasn’t seen God.”

(3 John 1:11, WEB)

 

[Matthias]

I heard this played on my car radio yesterday.

Does it make the hearer think? Does it make the hearer feel? If it does, what does it make the hearer think and feel?

Christians killing Christians -> Would it cease if Christians heard / remembered Christmas bells everyday?

Christians killing non-Christians -> Would it cease if Christians heard / remembered Christmas bells everyday?

What good is it for believers to suspend killing fellow believers and non-believers for a day, only to resume it for all of the other days of the year?

Does it make the hearer act?