How can a Bible believer join the military?

by Open mind 14 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Terry

  True Christians love peace. They stay completely neutral in the world’s military, political, and ethnic conflicts. But, strictly speaking, they are not pacifists. Why? Because they welcome God’s war that will finally enforce his will on earth—a war that will settle the great issue of universal sovereignty and rid the earth of all enemies of peace once and for all.—Jeremiah 25:31-33; Daniel 2:44; Matthew 6:9, 10.[

  How intellectually dishonest can you get!!??

  BEING pacifist is an identification of a person's own performance in a state of conflict---not how they view another person's right!!

  If I am standing in the parking lot of a shopping mall and see a man beating up his girlfriend and I do nothing about it----am I being a pacifist?

  Or, by failure to act ON BEHALF of a weaker person in jeopardy---am I morally culpable for the damage done to her by violence?

  (I acted, by the way---I ran over and yelled at the guy point blank. The coward turned tail and ran!)

  A failure to act is as much a contribution to violence as the actual participation in the deed in my view!!

  To allow other people to die FOR YOU---and reap the benefits is pretty disgusting.

  I feel shame about the fact I contributed nothing to the welfare of my fellow man while in prison. It was simply WASTED LIFE!
• 

  Terry

  I think nuetrality is the only good Witness thing

  Depends alot on how you define "neutral".
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  Bring_the_Light

  Well I read the bible twice in basic training and it soon became clear that God was a bigger fan of the military than I was at the time. (LOL) No impression of passivism in the bible whatsoever. Stupid concept if you read the whole bible. Cesar's things to Cesar, God's things to God. "you can give your heart to Jesus, but your ass belongs to me!"
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  belbab

  NWT Math 5:41 and if someone under authority impresses you into service for a mile, go with him two miles.

  One commentary says:

  THE SECOND MILE.
  A. Common custom in ancient world.
  1. Soldiers could command you and compel you to carry baggage one mile.
  B. Principle - not only do what is required of us, but in spirit of Christ go beyond.

  I believe the Watchtower also applies this to soldiers enforcing others to carry their baggage.

  I do not see why theWT forces young men to waste away in prison, and not accept alternative service when asked to do so. Jehovah's Witnesses in prison under Hitler and also Stalin were forced to work, and not just for a mile.

  Their policy is burning their children in fire, all for the glory of Molech, aka Jehovah.

  belbab
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  heathen

  I still find that hard to believe that the WTBTS says that since jehovah is the God of war they cannot claim to be pacifist .Jesus said happy are the peaceable for they shall be called sons of God ,love your neighbor as yourself ,be not part of the world as I am no part of the world. Jesus himself is called the prince of peace since he seems to be appointed over the church would tend to tell me that peace and love are the answer and only evil people actually benefit from warfare .I think helping others in need is a matter of conscience there is a difference between apprehending a violent person and killing people over politics .I notice that some on this board claim they wish they would have just gone to war other than doing alternative service or going to prison ,of course the bible doesn't say anything about alternative service but rather commands the church to prison because they must not murder .