To War, or Not to War?

[Lanakila]

The scriptures you give in 1 Cor are not the job of the Government to obey. These scriptures apply to the church. To apply them the way you did is committing the logical fallacy of equivocation. That is saying two things mean the same thing, when in actuallity you have to pull scriptures totally out of context to get that point of view.

Romans chapter 13 is where you get to the job of the Government (any for that matter) Romans 13

1.  Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.

2.  Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.

3.  For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you.

4.  For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.

5.  Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience.

6.  This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing.

7.  Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

Our Military is being God's servant to bring wrath and punishment upon an evil dictator. To say that the Christian can't be a part of our military or even participate in government is extreme. A good study I would recommend to you Isaiah is Just War Theory of Thomas Aquinas, Aristotle, Augustine. A Just War is a distinctly Christian philosophy, and goes outside of the church. America is not the Church.

[JohnS]

Hi Lana!

[Catsmeow]

Tarrier: It's good to see an Aussie on our side! Amen, Sis!

[Matthitjah]

Amen to the original post!

I feel we are being sewn up into a neat little purse.

Not by any Earthly powers though. They are just usefull tools.

Pray for our Nation!

Peace :inlove: Amen

[ted]

To war.

Any questions?

t.

[JohnS]

WAR ON WEDNESDAY?

With Iraq going on full war footing last night, signs are growing that the United States will launch military action against Saddam before the end of this week.  According to today's London Sunday Times, the war will begin on Wednesday night.  This was reported as the first item on this morning's Israeli television newscasts.  That date has more or less been confirmed by several Israeli sources, who say the attack will begin before the weekly Friday Muslim day of rest.  Meanwhile Israeli leaders are pouring cold water on US media reports that Scud missiles are being moved into Iraq's western desert where they could strike Israel.  However, American military leaders say they are still concerned that Saddam may try to preempt the looming coalition attack by striking out first at Israel, and at troops stationed in Kuwait, possibly using chemical weapons.  Israeli anti-missile forces, working closely with elite American troops stationed here, are taking nothing for granted, operating on full war alert.

If the US-led attack begins this week, it will coincide with the annual Purim festival here in Israel.  In fact, tomorrow is the Fast of Esther, marking the fast that Queen Esther undertook in ancient times as she pled with God to save her Jewish kin facing an annihilation decree from the Persian King Ahasuerus.  Would you consider joining with many around the globe for another day of fasting and special prayer on Monday to plead for God's mercy on Israel, America, Great Britain and Australia, and on Iraqis not backing Saddam's regime?  Pray even now for wisdom for our leaders, divine protection for Israel, and of course for the Lord's protection of our brave military forces--on the frontline of a war that could well involve non-conventional weapons attacks.

Some of you have written in recent weeks noting that the first Gulf War ended on the eve of Purim, adding that maybe this conflict--to finish the business not completed then--will begin on Purim.  This had occurred to me as well.  I was reminded of that unfinished war when President George Bush gave his weekly radio talk on Saturday.  He focused on Saddam's evil gassing of some of his own Kurdish citizens in 1988, and the invasions he launched against Iran in 1980 and Kuwait in 1990.  This made me wonder again why his father, supported by then Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney, Chief of Staff Colin Powell, and others who are serving in the current administration, did not finish with the ruthless dictator during the 1991 Gulf War, since all of the evil things he mentioned preceded it.  Some say this was because the United Nations would not sanction his removal during the Gulf War.  I ask when has the United States let the UN get in the way of what it thought it had to do to secure world peace?

PALESTINIAN STATE REDUX

I am freshly concerned that President Bush and British PM Tony Blair have chosen to once again press for a dangerous Palestinian state on the eve of an explosive Mideast war.  Their Friday comments repeated earlier calls for Israel to stop building homes "in the occupied territories" and agree to the establishment of a Palestinian state by 2005, meaning Jews must evacuate communities built in their ancient biblical heartland, Judea and Samaria, as part of the "final status" agreement that world leaders want to implement.  Both Bush and Blair effectively commended Yasser Arafat for finally appointing a prime minister, while ignoring the fact that the terror-supporting Palestinian leader has made clear he will continue to call all of the important peace process shots (Blair even mentioned that he had just phoned Arafat--giving him new legitimacy on the eve of war).

Someone wrote me today that I should not be concerned over such statements from President Bush: "Do not take too much notice of the words of George Bush, for God's promise to Israel is that her borders will be from the River Euphrates to the River of Egypt."  Frankly, I am not overly worried for Israel, knowing that the same God who promised to restore His scattered Jewish people to the mountains of Israel in the last days (Ezek 36, Jer 33) is the same Lord who also pledged to "keep them as a shepherd keeps his flock" (Jer 31:10).  I am instead quite concerned for the leaders and people of America and Great Britain as they undertake a major, highly controversial attack upon a vile cornered snake--with the anti-biblical words quoted above fresh on their lips.

LAST DAYS

One does not want to read too much into world events that may or may not be connected to the unfolding Iraqi crisis.  However, I could not help but recall that the horrendous World War One, which featured mass gas attacks on soldiers for the first time (including a mustard attack that injured my grandfather, fighting with US forces in France), began with the assassination of the leader of Bosnia, Archduke Ferdinand.  He was hit by two bullets as he was being driven in a car in Sarajevo.  Last week, the leader of neighboring Serbia was struck by two bullets as he was being driven near his office in Belgrade, and died shortly thereafter. Today, we are told that an extremely virulent strain of pneumonia has appeared in Asia, and is spreading already to Canada and elsewhere.  A worldwide flu epidemic followed the first world war, killing millions around the globe.  Interesting times.

One last thing: My earlier expressed concerns that any war which went bad could ratchet up anti-Semitism in America and elsewhere are sadly already coming true.  Columnist Pat Buchanan is leading a growing US chorus claiming that a"Jewish cabal" with Israeli interests in mind is pushing for war inside the administration and at the Pentagon. This charge, denied by Colin Powell, was echoed by a Virginian congressman last week.  I thought it interesting that a CNN reporter noted it was actually pro-Israel American Christian leaders who are quite openly pushing hardest for the war--giving a possible hint as to who will be blamed if the fighting goes bad.

I will soon write a column for World Net Daily on this topic.  The truth is that many Israeli security experts and government officials are NOT AT ALL convinced that destroying Saddam will bring more stability to the region (and certainly not democracy--an American pipedream).  Indeed, many are writing that it will free the far more dangerous Iran to become a regional superpower, give Saudi Arabia an excuse to finally boot out US forces and adopt a more militant anti-Zionist policy, possibly lead to the overthrow of King Abdullah in nearby Jordan, and CERTAINLY end with the US and UK forcing Israel to pay part of the war bill by agreeing to establish a dangerous Palestinian state on the doorsteps of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.  So Buchanan can forget the line that Israeli leaders are foaming at the mouth to get Saddam.  While naturally glad to see the overthrow of the Iraqi dictator, who attacked Israel in 1991 and actively supports Palestinian terrorism, they have all previously stated that his ouster should have taken place 12 years ago when the potential results were far less grave. Many are not at all sure that removing him by force is the best thing to do at this time, especially in the face of the growing world opposition to war.

One final note, this time featuring some good news: Heavy winter rains are predicted to return on Tuesday.  The storm COULD also produce cloud cover from the full moonlight for Western forces as clouds move into Iraq on Wednesday. (By the way, Israeli meteorologists will stop issuing weather forecasts during the war, so as not to give Saddam any information he might use in plotting a chemical attack against us). It would also make any Iraqi chemical attack upon Israel much less dangerous.

As we face the likely start of conflict sometime this week, thank you again for your faithful prayers.  The Sovereign Lord WILL reign from Zion!

 

DAVID DOLAN

Jerusalem

[JohnS]

TERROR IN ISRAEL AND IRAQ

With warnings of up to 50 attacks being planned by Palestinian terror groups, Israeli security forces remain on high alert today in the wake of yesterday