Devin, FWIW, I agree with your contention to promote peace, love, etc. but you've left out some important facts. Since you brought up the Old Testament, go back and review many instances where God commanded Israel to destroy its enemies.
Here's a viewpoint by Chuck Colson for consideration:
"...loving God and our neighbor may require using force against aggression..."
The War at Home: Terrorism in the United States
I cannot describe how I felt when I heard the news of
the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and
the Pentagon. We are partly and appropriately struck
silent with the enormous loss of life in the collapse
of the Twin Towers, the explosion at the Pentagon,
and the highjacked airliners that were crashed. If
your loved ones perished yesterday as a result of
these acts, please know that you have my deepest
sympathy, and our heart-felt prayers go out to all
involved. As the Bible says, "when one suffers, we
all suffer" [I Corinthians 12:26].
As I listened to the reports, I felt the same way I
did when President Kennedy was assassinated, or when
President Reagan was shot, or when Pearl Harbor was
attacked -- which I am old enough to remember. Such
acts cause grief not just for the loss of life, but
for the assault they are upon our deepest beliefs.
They assault the very soul of America.
Terrorism, the warfare of the new century, is engaged
in for the specific purpose of destabilizing free
societies. The terrorists succeed if free people
cower in fear and begin to restrict their treasured
freedom and liberties. We should never succumb to
terrorist-inspired fear. We can never allow such
people to win. Instead, we must renew our commitment
to the most fundamental liberties and to the rule of
law.
And we must support our government in its response.
God established government to preserve order by
punishing evil and seeking justice. Without this
restraint on human sinfulness, the strong will prey
on the weak, and seek to impose their will on others.
What is true in relations between individuals is also
true in relations between nations. As St. Augustine
wrote 1600 years ago, loving God and our neighbor
may require using force against aggression.
And this brings me back to yesterday's events.
Christians believe that government has a special
duty to punish those who, in effect, invaded
our soil and committed these dastardly acts. But we
must do so in a just manner.
As Augustine's Just War theory teaches, any military
action must have a reasonable chance of success. In
our context, that means being fairly certain as to
the identity of the perpetrators. We can't simply
strike out for the sake of "doing something" or in a
blind rage.
We need to also make sure that our targets are
military ones. Civilians, even those who applaud the
terrorists' actions, should never be targeted.
Finally, our response should be proportionate. After
an event such as yesterday's, we are understandably
tempted to lash out with every weapon in our arsenal.
But we must be careful not to let our response to the
harm we have suffered lead us to commit an even greater
harm -- something that our technological superiority
makes possible.
But quickly respond we must, lest the world -- and
more importantly would-be terrorists -- view us as a
paper tiger. We either respond appropriately -- with
the sword -- or invite more of the same.
I am sure that President Bush is weighing right now
all the intelligence available to him to find out who
is responsible, if any governments are involved, and
how quickly the U.S. can retaliate. I have confidence
in the President and Secretaries Rumsfeld and Powell.
They and those who serve with them are competent
leaders who find themselves in a time of tremendous
crisis. I urge you to pray with me, for those who
grieve and for our enemies, but especially for our
leaders as they fulfill their awesome responsibility
in this dark hour. May God help us. |
