Can a Christian be a Soldier?

 

 

 

 

This is similar to the question, “Can a Christian be a police officer!” The answer here is quite simple: Since God has ordained the civil government to bring justice on the evil-doer (Romans 13:1-5), there is no reason that a Christian should not serve in this capacity to deliver the justice of God. Similarly, the military serves to defend its nation. Similarly, there is no reason that, if the enemy is on its border, the military should not launch a preemptive attack.

To sharply distinguish between the police and the army is ludicrous. The Old Testament is filled with accounts of the legitimate use of the Israelite army. Is there any reason to believe that the armed forces are made defunct by the New Testament. This would be to say that our government can protect its people against murderers and arsonists within its borders but not against bloodthirsty invaders. If the sword of the civil magistrate within the New Testament is legitimate, there is no reason to deprive the army of its sword. Nor did John the Baptist condemn the occupying Roman army:

 Luke 3:14 Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.”

Nor did Jesus ever condemn the occupying Roman army or the role they were playing in Israel. Instead He commended  their centurion beyond that of any Israelite:

 Matthew 8:10 When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith.” 

Was Jesus a pacifist? Did He teach against any use of righteous violence? Instead, He forcibly drove the money-changers out of the Temple. He also sanctioned the use of violence to defend one’s home and family:

 Matthew 24:43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into.

 Jesus even sanctioned capital punishment according to the Mosaic Law: Matthew 15:3–4 He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’”

Nevertheless, the Christian should consult God and His Word before entering the military. Will he be serving a righteous cause, one consistent with the will of God? Would he continue to put God above all other considerations. Jesus had warned us against serving two masters:

Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

Nor can we serve power, approval, self-promotion, or fear. Consequently, even within the military or the police force, Christ must remain our Master. We must always be ready to yield to Christ even if this means great loss to ourselves. However, this also applies to our employment. If we are employed in violation of Christ and His teachings, we must be prepared to leave the job even at the expense of our accruing benefits Christ does not want compromised Christians. Instead, we must trust in Christ alone. Faithfulness must be #1 concern:

 Matthew 10:37–39 “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” 

But we ask, “How is it possible for me to live in such a committed fashion?” The answer is simple. Even the best of us will fail. However when we confess our sins, He will forgive and cleanse us from all the filth of sin, giving us a fresh start (1 John 1:8-9). Even those who are fully faithful continue to fail. However, once we confess our sins and recommit ourselves to our Savior, He delivers us, assuring us that He really loves us.

 

Self-Deception and Awareness

  

“McPherson found that between 1985 and 2004, the number of people with whom the average American discussed ‘important matters’ dropped from three to two. Even more stunning, the number of people who said that there was no one with whom they discussed important matters tripled: in 2004, individuals without a single confidant now made up nearly a quarter of those surveyed” (The Lonely American, 2).
 In another study: “The total estimated number of people living with depression worldwide increased by 18.4% between 2005 and 2015 to 322 million, according to the World Health Organization. Nearly half of people living with depression live in the more highly-populated global areas...

Another study (2013) reported similar findings:...depressive illness is the disease with the second heaviest burden on society, with around one in 20 people suffering...[This] burden increased by 37.5% between 1990 and 2010...(The Guardian)

More recent findings seem to agree with this trend. This should surprise us in view of the proliferation of mental health services. Instead, they speak to us of the failure of secular counseling. Perhaps instead the answer lies in self-awareness as many have claimed? Carl Jung had written: “Your visions will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.”

But do we want to awake to face ourselves? Can we truly be awake of our unquenchable addiction to inflate ourselves? Psychologist Harold Sacheim wrote: “Through distortion, I may enhance my self-image, not because at heart I am insecure about my worth but because no matter how much I am convinced of my value, believing that I am better is pleasurable.”

We do not need a psychologist to inflate us with self-affirmation. We already do that quite naturally. Psychologist Shelley Taylor had written:

“Normal people exaggerate how competent and well liked they are. Depressed people do not. Normal people remember their past behavior with a rosy glow. Depressed people are more even-handed…On virtually every point on which normal people show enhanced self-regard, illusions of control, and unrealistic visions of the future, depressed people fail to show the same biases.” (Positive Illusions p.214)

Self-deception is a powerful yet unseen addiction. Nevertheless, it is still pushed in many different forms disguising as self-awareness. Eckhart Tolle, mystic and New Age Guru had written: 

“Wisdom comes with the ability to be still. Just look and just listen. No more is needed. Being still, looking, and listening activates the non-conceptual intelligence within you. Let stillness direct your words and actions.” 

However, Mindfulness Meditation, although exalting self-knowledge, carefully avoids self-knowledge. How? It instructs its practitioners to dissociate from any negative or judgmental observations in favor of the positive. Consequently, the acquired self-knowledge is highly unbalanced. This is reminiscent of the guiding principle of psychotherapy—Unconditional-Positive-Regard—which constrains the therapist to provide only the barest negative feedback but only in the form of probing questions. Sadly, both of these approaches feed our insatiable addiction for affirmation.

They also fill the vacuum created by the rejection of Christian love and forgiveness, which had previously enabled the sufferer to endure their guilt and inadequacies. In contrast, the Bible insists that nothing should remain hidden in our search for awareness

Proverbs 20:5-6 The purpose in a man’s heart is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out. Many a man proclaims his own steadfast love, but a faithful man who can find? 

But who is capable of drawing out what we have studiously repressed? Aldous Huxley, (1894-1963) had written: “If most of us remain ignorant of ourselves, it is because self-knowledge is painful, and we prefer the pleasures of illusion.” (The Perennial Philosophy)

Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) also added : There are three things extremely hard: steel, a diamond, and to know oneself. 

The Roman philosopher Seneca (4 BC-65) stated: “Other men's sins are before our eyes; our own are behind our backs.”

 Why do we run from self-knowledge? It is just overwhelmingly painful. The historian Arnold Toynbee wrote:  “Unless we can bear self-mortification, we shall not be able to carry self-examination to the necessary painful lengths. Without humility there can be no illuminating self-knowledge.” (A Study of History)

We live in the darkness of self-delusion: Proverbs 16:2 All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the spirit.

According to Jesus, we cannot tolerate the truth about ourselves: John 3:19–20 …”this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light of truth and does not come to the light lest his works should be exposed.”

These examples are not to say that self-awareness is not important but just elusive and often impossible and is necessary for everything we do and think. These all require accurate knowledge, like the captain who must know what conditions his ship can tolerate and what he can do in adverse conditions.

The Bible provides several illuminating portraits of how the fear of self-exposure is so overwhelming: That we  flee from the truth even to the point of self-destruction: Isaiah 2:20-22: In that day a man will cast away his idols of silver…21To go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the crags of the rugged rocks, from the terror of the LORD and the glory of His majesty, when He arises to shake the earth mightily.

 Rev. 6:15-16” Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and every free man hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. They called to the mountains and the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!” 

It is Christ who has enabled me to confront my gross self-deceptions—It was only His love and forgiveness that had sustained me through the terror of slowly coming into His Light—the most painful process I have ever experienced.

The Pope’s Ignorance of the Quran and Islamic History

 


The French-language Le Parisien reported that Leo said that Christians should be “less afraid” of Islam, and called upon Christians and Muslims to work on “living together” and establish “friendship.”

Is not the Pope familiar with the teachings of the Quran which forbid Muslims to befriend non-Muslims?

[Quran 3:27] “Let not the believers take the disbelievers for friends rather than believers. And whoever does this has no connection with Allah unless it is done [deceptively] to guard yourselves against them, guarding carefully. 

[Quran5:54] O ye who believe, take not the Jews and the Christians for your friends and protectors. They are but friends and protectors to each other.

 [Quran 60:4] “Indeed there has been an excellent example for you in Ibraaheem (Abraham) and those with him, when they said to their people: ‘Verily, we are free from you and whatever you worship besides Allaah, we have rejected you, and there has started between us and you, hostility and hatred for ever until you believe in Allaah Alone’” 

Is the Pope at all aware of the Quran’s teachings on violent Jihad and world conquest?

Quran (2:191-193) - "And kill them wherever you find them, and turn them out from where they have turned you out. And Al-Fitnah [disbelief or unrest] is worse than killing...but if they desist, then lo! Allah is forgiving and merciful. And fight them until there is no more Fitnah [disbelief and worshipping of others along with Allah] and worship is for Allah alone. But if they cease, let there be no transgression except against Az-Zalimun(the polytheists, and wrong-doers, etc.)" (Translation is from the Noble Quran)

Quran (2:216) - "Fighting is prescribed for you, and ye dislike it. But it is possible that ye dislike a thing which is good for you, and that ye love a thing which is bad for you. But Allah knoweth, and ye know not."

Quran (3:151) - "Soon shall We cast terror into the hearts of the Unbelievers, for that they joined companions [like Jesus] with Allah, for which He had sent no authority".

Quran (4:89) - "They but wish that ye should reject Faith, as they do, and thus be on the same footing (as they): But take not friends from their ranks until they flee in the way of Allah (From what is forbidden). But if they turn renegades, seize them and slay them wherever ye find them; and (in any case) take no friends or helpers from their ranks."

Quran (8:12) - "I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve. Therefore strike off their heads and strike off every fingertip of them."

Quran (9:5) - "So when the sacred months have passed away, then slay the idolaters wherever you find them, and take them captive and besiege them and lie in wait for them in every ambush, then if they repent and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate, leave their way free to them."

IMMIGRATION JIHAD: Quran 4:100 He who forsakes his home in the cause of Allah [Jihad], finds in the earth Many a refuge, wide and spacious: Should he die as a refugee from home for Allah and His Messenger, His reward becomes due and sure with Allah. And Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful. 101. When ye travel through the earth, there is no blame on you if ye shorten your prayers, for fear the Unbelievers May attack you: For the Unbelievers are unto you open enemies. 

The Pope also stated: “Perhaps we should be a little less fearful and look for ways to promote authentic dialogue and respect. I know that, in practice, this has not always been the case. I know that fears persist in Europe.”

However, the Pope seems to be unaware of the great efforts made by the West to receive and honor Muslims despite their overriding record of terror, rape, and mass murder. Should we be less fearful of Islam or more vigilant? The West has already majored on indulgence, even to the point of criminalizing anyone who warns of the dangers of Islam. In the case of Hitler, the West had little indication of what he would do as they tried to placate him. However, in regard to Islam, we have centuries of carnage and the bloody boasts by knowledgeable Imams to testify against the Pope’s ignorance.

What is Mental Health?—Feeling Good about Self?

 

 

From a Biblical perspective, mental health is about connecting to Christ--believing and living in accordance with His truth. Why Truth? Truth transforms:

 

Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed [into Christ-like-ness by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

 

The Bible is a roadmap to guide our beliefs, commitments, and actions into the peaceful channels. Primarily, it teaches us to become Christ-like by understanding God and also ourselves. What should we understand about ourselves? We are broken, unworthy, and need our Lord to direct all our steps. A faulty roadmap will not serve us well. Neither will an improper understanding of God. If we believe that God will always heal us or always make us happy, we will quickly become disappointed with such a God.

 

Of what does our blessedness consist? Jesus began His sermon His Sermon on the  Mount by teaching His radical, but Biblical message on blessedness:

 

Matthew 5:3–6 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”

 

Blessedness is not a matter of being pain-free or morally perfect but of recognizing our need for the God who loves us: Ephesians 3:19…know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

 

 

Secularism seeks the reduction of painful symptoms, usually by building self-esteem and self-confidence through positive affirmations and unconditional-positive-regard. However, the Bible’s solution is the opposite:

 

Luke 14:11 “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

 

However, a number of secularists would agree that the preoccupation with our performance and self-trust must be tempered. Carl Jung wrote: “Your visions will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.”

 

However, can we truly awake from out unquenchable addiction of inflating ourselves? Psychologist Harold Sacheim wrote: “Through distortion, I may enhance my self-image, not because at heart I am insecure about my worth but because no matter how much I am convinced of my value, believing that I am better is pleasurable.

 

Self-flattering is a drug that we cannot do without even though it is strongly associated with normalcy as Psychologist Shelley Taylor had written: “Normal people exaggerate how competent and well liked they are. Depressed people do not. Normal people remember their past behavior with a rosy glow. Depressed people are more even-handed…On virtually every point on which normal people show enhanced self-regard, illusions of control, and unrealistic visions of the future, depressed people fail to show the same biases.” (Positive Illusions p.214)

 

Ironically, if the depressed recover, they become just as self-deluded as are the “normal.” Surprisingly, self-delusion is considered normal and even beneficial. Why then the popular optimism that accurate self-knowledge can be achieved? Eckhart Tolle, mystic and New Age Guru had written: “Wisdom comes with the ability to be still. Just look and just listen. No more is needed. Being still, looking, and listening activates the non-conceptual intelligence within you. Let stillness direct your words and actions.”

 

Mindfulness Meditation, although exalting self-knowledge, carefully avoids self-knowledge. How? It instructs its practitioners to not negatively judge anything they observe about themselves. In contrast, the Bible insists that nothing should remain hidden:

 

Proverbs 20:5-6 The purpose in a man’s heart is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out. Many a man proclaims his own steadfast love, but a faithful man who can find? 

 

We live in the darkness of self-delusion: Proverbs 16:2 All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the spirit.

 

According to Jesus, we cannot tolerate the truth about ourselves: John 3:19–20 …”this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light lest his works should be exposed.

 

Are we capable of honestly facing ourselves? Not according to many philosophers:

 

Aldous Huxley: “If most of us remain ignorant of ourselves, it is because self-knowledge is painful, and we prefer the pleasures of illusion.” (The Perennial Philosophy, (1894-1963)

 

Benjamin Franklin: There are three things extremely hard: steel, a diamond, and to know oneself. (1706-1790)

 

Roman philosopher Seneca (4 BC-65): “Other men's sins are before our eyes; our own are behind our backs.”

 

Why do we run from self-knowledge? It is just overwhelmingly painful. The historian Arnold Toynbee wrote:  “Unless we can bear self-mortification, we shall not be able to carry self-examination to the necessary painful lengths. Without humility there can be no illuminating self-knowledge.” (A Study of History)

 

The Bible provides several illuminating portraits of how the fear of self-exposure is so overwhelming: That we  flee from the truth even to the point of self-destruction: Isaiah 2:20-22 In that day a man will cast away his idols of silver…21To go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the crags of the rugged rocks, from the terror of the LORD and the glory of His majesty, when He arises to shake the earth mightily.

 

 Rev. 6:15-16 Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and every free man hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. They called to the mountains and the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!” (Why terrified? No repentance?)

      

The evidence for the pervasiveness of self-deception is more than abundant. Here is a simple set of examples: “In one study of nearly a million high school seniors, 70 percent said they had “above average leadership skills, but only 2 percent felt their leadership skills were below average.” Another study found that 94 percent of college professors think they do above average work. And in another study, ‘when doctors diagnosed their patients as having pneumonia, predictions made with 88 percent confidence turned out to be right only 20 percent of the time.’” (Abcnews.go.com; “Self-images Often Erroneously Inflated,” 11/9/05)

 

Psychologist Shelley Taylor wrote: “Normal people exaggerate how competent and well liked they are. Depressed people do not. Normal [?] people remember their past behavior with a rosy glow. Depressed people are more even-handed…On virtually every point on which normal people show enhanced self-regard, illusions of control, and unrealistic visions of the future, depressed people fail to show the same biases.” (Positive Illusions p.214)

 

We all need hope, but once we reject the God of the Bible, we are left with little recourse but to hope in ourselves. This requires us to embrace self-deception and to continually demand affirmation from others to maintain our self-esteem. Eventually, the narcissist will drive others away. Relational disagreements cannot be resolved in view of our conflicted self-constructed realities. Besides, wise management depends on accurate input and feedback. However, once self-knowledge is rejected, lies are certain to fill the vacuum.

 

How much better to humbly accept ourselves the way we are and to finally take off our false face so that we can even laugh at ourselves and our foibles. This draws others to us, while the narcissist drives them away.

 

However self-acceptance ends the struggle to impress but is only possible with the assurance of God’s love, care, and oversight. If He accepts us, then we can begin to accept ourselves.