http://www.lewrockwell.com/vance/vance135.html
by Laurence M. Vance
February 25, 2008
Is there any reason a Christian who was opposed to the war in Iraq
could in good conscience still join the military? I have previously
explained why Christians have no business joining the military, even
to serve as a military chaplain. I have also expressed my opposition
to the National Guard. But what about a Christian joining the
military to be a witness for Christ or to serve his fellow soldiers?
What could possibly be wrong with that? My short answer is that one
would be an accomplice to murder, that's what wrong with it. My long
answer follows below.
Because I often write about the incompatibility of Christianity and
military service, I receive many e-mails from servicemen who wish to
get out and young men who wish to get in. (For the record, I also get
e-mails from super-patriots calling me a traitor or a communist
because I dare question the activities of the military.) For those
desiring to separate from the military or become a conscientious
objector, I refer them to James Glaser, a Marine Corp Vietnam
veteran, or to Mike Reith, a retired Air Force major. Because they
recognize that war is the health of the state, both of these veterans
discourage young men from following in their footsteps. For those
thinking about joining the military, I try to answer myself because
of how strongly I am opposed to not just Christians, but anyone
enlisting in the military.
Here is a note I received recently from a sincere young man who is
thinking about joining the military. He opposes the war in Iraq, and
is concerned about having to take human life. I have omitted his name
from his letter, which is reprinted below in its entirety with his permission:
Hello, I am a self-professed Christian (to better define my
Christianity: I am a firm believer in Christ, and my faith dictates
my actions, and I strive to better myself in my walk, and live a
Christ-centered life). I am also looking towards the military to
become a navy corpsman (a field medic attached to a marine unit). As
a medic, I would not be fighting for my country (because I cannot
fully agree with the reasons we are at war), but rather I would be
there for my fellow soldiers who do in fact believe in the cause. I
would view my job as serving the troops, and applying my skills of
medical aide to help the troops. I also am very missions minded, and
would view my deployment as a mission field, and a way to share the
gospel with troops and/or whoever I come in contact with as a witness
of God's love. Anyway, I have not joined yet, but am seriously
considering it. I am a high school grad, almost 18 years old from
California, just trying to seek the opinions from intelligent and
respectable people before I make my decisions. I would appreciate a
response with any information, verses, or insight you may have. Thank
you so much for your time. God Bless.
P.S. I know that I would be in a defensive position as a medic, and
would only shoot to defend myself or others, but what if I was given
a direct order to kill (or cause death), I still am thinking about
things like this. Again, thank you.
Dear ____:
I am not sure if you have read my book, Christianity and War and
Other Essays Against the Warfare State, or any of my articles on this
subject archived at LewRockwell.com. If so, then you probably have
some idea of the negative things that I am going to say about
Christians joining the military. Either way, I would encourage you to
read the fourteen articles I have written specifically about
Christianity and the Military.
You have expressed a desire to be a medic to take care of your fellow
soldiers. On the surface that seems like a noble thing to do. There
are, however, some things you ought to consider.
First of all, there is no guarantee that by joining the military you
would be assigned to care for wounded soldiers in Iraq (or
Afghanistan). Don't listen to what the recruiters tell you. You can't
trust them. They have been caught lying too many times. There is no
way they can guarantee that you will wind up a medic in a war zone.
Second, even if you did wind up in Iraq, there is no guarantee that
you would stay there. Military personnel are constantly moved from
place to place. You may be placed in a situation where you will be
doing anything but helping wounded soldiers.
Third, although you have acknowledged that the troops in Iraq have no
good reason for being there, there is more too it than that. The
troops are not merely neutral observers caught in a crossfire. The
troops in Iraq are responsible for death, destruction, and genocide
against the Iraqi people. If you think that genocide is too strong a
word to describe what is happening in Iraq, see Lew Rockwell's "None
Dare Call It Genocide." To serve as a medic so you can help your
fellow soldiers means that you would be an accomplice to murder. What
would you think of a physician who was willingly employed by a
criminal gang to patch up the gang members after they were injured in
the course of committing crimes? What is the war in Iraq if it is not
a crime against the Iraqi people? Although he was not a Christian,
Mahatma Gandhi did make a scriptural statement when he said:
"Non-cooperation with evil is as much a duty as cooperation with good."
Fourth, if you didn't serve as a medic in Iraq then someone else
would. Over 181,000 people joined the U.S. military last year. It's
not as though U.S. troops would be going without medical care just
because you didn't enlist.
And fifth, if you really want to attend to people that need medical
care, then you should consider helping Iraqis wounded by American
bombs and bullets. After all, the United States invaded Iraq, not the
other way around. Now, don't get me wrong. Even though I don't
support what the troops are doing in Iraq, I don't want to see any
U.S. soldier injured or killed. But I also don't want to see any
Iraqis injured or killed either. It would not, of course, be wise for
you to actually attempt to treat wounded Iraqis. The U.S. government
would label you as an enemy combatant and ship you off to Guantanamo
Bay. And right or wrong, the Iraqis would try to kill you because you
are an American.
You have also expressed a desire to share the gospel. Your attitude
of viewing your deployment as a mission field is one that all
Christians should have. You sound like a clean young man who is
committed to serving our Lord. Joining the military will corrupt you.
Yes, some Christians emerge unscathed and remain faithful to Christ,
but many more do not. You should not enlist because "no man can serve
two masters" (Matthew 6:24). Joining the military means that you will
be expected to unconditionally follow orders. You will be pressured
to practically make a god out of the military. Because the purpose of
the U.S. military has shifted from defending the country to
intervening in other countries, the role that the U.S. military plays
in the world is an evil one. To enlist would violate the admonition
to "abstain from all appearance of evil" (1 Thessalonians 5:22).
Remember the words of Bob Jones Sr.: "It is never right to do wrong
in order to get a chance to do right."
You mentioned in closing that you would only shoot in self-defense.
Joining the military means that you may be put into a position where
you will have to kill or be killed. But is it really self-defense if
you kill an Iraqi who is trying to kill you? How can it be considered
self-defense when American soldiers travel thousands of miles from
their homeland to invade a country that not only never attacked their
country, but was never even a credible threat to their country? Is it
self-defense if a thief kills you because you catch him with a gun in
your house in the middle of the night and you fire your gun at him?
You indicate that you are hesitant about following an order that
might result in the death of someone. Since U.S. troops are the
invaders, you should be just as cautious about justifying the
shooting of someone in Iraq with the self-defense excuse. You are the
one who is ultimately responsible for the people you kill, not the
president and the secretary of defense. Not only will you have to
live the rest of your life with the memories of the people you killed
(or think you killed), you will also have to give an account of
yourself to God at the judgment (Romans 14:12).
Don't enlist; don't be an accomplice to murder.
--
Laurence M. Vance [send him mail] writes from Pensacola, FL. His
latest book is a new and greatly expanded edition of Christianity and
War and Other Essays Against the Warfare State. Visit his website.
http://www.vancepublications.com/
.
No comments:
Post a Comment