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Date Posted: 03:04:45 10/08/04 Fri
Author: Mike K.
Subject: Standing up for the Truth?
In reply to: Tom F 's message, "Re: Biased media? Part 1" on 13:12:00 10/07/04 Thu

However, I will restate what I said previously: peace is not maintained through pacifism, but through action.

This fact, yes, can be true.
But what kind of action? Do you establish peace through war?
Do you create genuine peace at arm's length?
Peace can only be established if there is a change of heart, and a war usually does not do that. Even in Germany, I can testify that it was much less the destruction through American airplanes that made Germany a peace-loving nation, but their realization what kind of a monster they had created in letting Hitler become all-powerful.
This kind of a change of heart NEVER comes from being bombed out, much rather bombs create alienation and hostility in the victim's mind. Especially when the bombs hit innocent people.

It is my understanding that the context of this verse is not to just take someone's abuse for the purpose of showing love alone, but to allow it to happen so that they will see the wrong they have done and repent because of it?

Yes, but once again I will quote: "What differentiates us from our enemies if we use their methods?".
And this is why you will NEVER win the war against terror by bombing (such as Afghanistan), assassination (such as Israel is doing it) or repression (such as happening in Iraq).
If you want to show people that what you bring them is better, then please bring them something better, but no one will experience American freedom as long as they have to face looming death every minutes of their lives, even when they have nothing to do with the terrorists involved.

America did the right thing in Germany back then, Hitler initiated WW2 and Germany got it's dues, and when they saw their error, America let them live in liberty.
But please realize that neither in the Afghanistan nor in the Iraq war, the respective country was an aggressor. They were threatened by America and refused to give in to that threat. And as such, they were attacked. They acted in self-defense. Germany was a whole different story. Germany was the aggressor. Because of this, the situation is different.

What goes through the mind of every German is that as soon as any nation dares to publically state that America may be doing things the wrong way, they're considered "the axis of evil" and just MIGHT have to face becoming America's next target. Even when Germany (as a whole) stated that they thought there was not sufficient proof to justify a war against Iraq, Bush didn't take a single day of declaring Germany as another potential harbor for terrorists (and with the Afghanistan experience, that might immediately make Germany another potential target for U.S. military action).
Much bootlicking was done by the German government to appease Bush, but many Germans were not happy about that because the majority of the populace never agreed with this war.

Have you ever disciplined your children too harshly, and regretted it? This is what this verse it talking about.
Have you ever killed your daughter because your son didn't want to listen to you?
This is what war is doing.
As long as in the Iraq, a suicide bombing is followed by mass arrestments, people will harbor hostility. When they see that their actions do not trigger further military actions, maybe they might even stop, they are so interested in the anti-american attention they create by America's means of response.

Don't repay wrong for wrong.
Is being the aggressor in a war ever right? That is, being the person who puts demands on another country, only to throw bombs when the other doesn't give in?
Is violence a solution?

..."But now, whoever has a money belt is to take it along, likewise also a bag, and whoever has no sword is to sell his coat and buy one." Luke 22:36

But what did He do, when it was used - even in SELF DEFENSE?
Jesus said "Put your weapon aside, do not hurt these people". America is never in a situation of self-defense. Especially not against Iraq. Iraq never threatened America, Iraq never harmed America, Iraq never even had a weapon to raise against America. But still, they were smitten with the sword and unlike Jesus who said "put the sword aside", they even justified their use of the sword when it was proven that they used a sword against an unarmed person.

Saddam was an evil tyrant in Iraq - but still, there was nothing that justifies the use of destroying the lives of many innocent people, women and children unaffiliated with either Saddam or any fanatical fundamentalist organization.

Don't use the Bible to justify initiating a war, the Bible doesn't approve of Christians being the aggressor.

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