Peace or War?

Peace or War?

What is a Christian to do? Some have said you are living in your
country, you owe them to defend them. 

Some others say, if you won't help to defend your country when at war,
then go somewhere else. We don't want you here with those that will.

A Christian may love his country, but he should love God over every
thing else. As Jesus says it: Mt 22:36-39:

" 36.  Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
 37.  Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all
thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
 38.  This is the first and great commandment.
 39.  And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as
thyself."

Can't one love God and Jesus, but support his country when at war?
Well, let's see. It is what Jesus said above:

"Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."

Killing your neighbor is not showing him much love. Also, if you
belong to a church, you may unknowingly be killing a member of your
church. 

For example, during WWII there were American Baptists killing German
Baptists, and Catholic Germans killing Catholic Americans.

The Baptists in Germany then said:

" Led by figures like Paul Schmidt, top Baptist officials publicly
declared that Adolf Hitler's power was ordained by God." (AI)

And for Catholics:

"Most German Catholics followed the state. Catholic men served in the
German military, fought in the war, and swore loyalty oaths to Adolf
Hitler." (AI)

But what about JW's?

"Because their strict religious beliefs forbade political involvement,
military service, and swearing allegiance to Adolf Hitler, the Nazi
regime heavily persecuted them as enemies of the state, sending
thousands to concentration camps where they were identified by purple
triangles." (AI)

But Jesus talked to some military men and never told them to quit.
That didn't mean he approved of war. He clearly did NOT!

-- "love your neighbor".
--When the Romans attacked Jerusalem, Jesus told his followers to flee
to the mountains.
--Mt 26:52, ""Put your sword back in its place," Jesus said to him,
"for all who draw the sword will die by the sword."" (NIV)

Mt 5:44,

 "But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute
you," (NASB)

2 Co 10:3,4,

"3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world
does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On
the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds." (NIV)

Thus, genuine Christians put Jesus' words above any human authorities.

My birth religion (Catholic), says they follow Christ. But as for
wars, look at they were involved in:

30 years war
French wars of religion
Early Muslim conquests
Hussite wars
Cologne war
Schmalkaldic war
Cromwelliam conquest of Ireland
Irish confederate wars
Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland
War of the Jülich Succession
Albigensian Crusade 
Second Schmalkaldic War 
Williamite War in Ireland 
Cristero War 
The Troubles wars
Stedinger Crusade
Rising of the North
Sonderbund War
Düsseldorf Cow War
Savoyard–Waldensian wars  
Toggenburg War 
First War of Villmergen
First War of Kappel 
Second War of Kappel
Second Desmond Rebellion
Hessian War 
Strasbourg Bishops' War
War of the Three Henrys 
World War I
World War II

For young people, certain 
skills are needed for life.
Go to: jw.org (8/16/2026)
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