Can Wars be Just?

5 Mar 2007 | public | email this page
Hi everyone,
I was reflecting on the Iraq War just like everyone must have been last Saturday when Mike spoke to us. I think all Christians in general abhor wars, but can diplomacy always successfully overturn world evil as seen in the Christian’s eye? Many issues arise from this question alone.

Well, for one, unbelievers do not believe in the pervasive evil as we understand it as Christians. If you do not believe that humans can be supernaturally evil, then one need only look at recent twentieth human history. Locally, the many youths killing one another is a sign of the depravity of humans without Christ. The first Q must then be: Was Saddam evil? Did he need to be overturned? If you are then convinced that there was human evil, the next Q is: what is your limit of tolerance beyond which war is an option after diplomacy had failed. Many now dispute that not enough was done, and I won’t be surprised that is the truth. But, could we have been sure prospectively? Could anyone have predicted this mess that the Iraq War has gone into now? In another words, was success so small that it failed the Just War Criteria? Retrospectively, all of us are wise owls. Furthermore, how would you gauge that politicians had tried their best in pursuing diplomacy to solve disputes? To make matters more difficult, how much would a civilian like myself be allowed to know about the political situation before an invasion. Much information becomes secret intelligence at the point when war is planned, wrong intelligence or not.

We all agree on this: Our leaders were mistaken on many points in the run-up to the Iraq War. Wrong information led to poor decision-making. All these mistakes (in the name of Christ or not) make it almost a sin to be involved in that war now. I was ambivalent at the stage of war rumours, as I admitted I did not know the whole story and complexity. BUT, what NOW for the Christians in the US and UK? There is something all of us can do: PRAY. But: How should we pray? Honestly, I have not seen anyone talk about this in any church service I have attended in London (I could be mistaken). We are behaving like ostriches, thinking that the problem will go away by not talking about it. Have we forgotten that there is a spiritual dimension to the Iraq War? Disunited prayer or no prayer must be fuelling the devil’s plan for Iraq. More suicide bombers will continue killing innocent civilians and soldiers, until we all say “Enough is enough!” No point crying over spilt milk now, or worse still, blame our leaders into stupor! We need to travail and support them in united prayers, for future decisions to be in accordance with Christ’s plans. I think we are all saying that God and Jesus are weak if They have no say in this Iraq War. Our disunity in relation to the Iraq War, will no doubt bring dire spiritual consequences for us, and our children. Christians need to look beyond the physical…

Andrew C


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Submitted by lifetrack on March 11, 2007 - 2:49pm.

I know the Iraq war has been controversial, but I'm of the opinion that Saddam needed to be removed from power. Now, as you said the situation is quite complex. As Christians we need to pray for a peaceful resolution to the situation, and ask God for wisdom on the part of leaders.

Net
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Submitted by lifetrack on March 31, 2007 - 3:52pm.
Dear all,
No one can justify the 15 personnel captured by the Iranian government in the past week. What made it worse was the parading of the only female personnel who happened to be a mother, and her alleged coercion in writing all those letters suggesting British withdrawal from Iraq. A few thoughts crossed my mind due to this event:
1. After all this is over, will female soldiers who are mothers not be allowed at the front-line anymore? If yes, it might prejudice male soldiers who are fathers. Are fathers not as important as mothers? Not from what is being discussed about fatherless children and their wayward behaviour these days!
2. There have been so many critics of the Iraq war here in Britain itself, people who call themselves pacifists, and have dictated that there can NEVER be a place for war. I have to admit I too am utterly reluctant to support any war for that matter, but what happens when the sane mind meets thinkers like the ones in the Iranian government? What should we do? Even their intellectuals who go on the TV news speak with a certain perverted sense, or ill logic! What then? I guess only time will tell in this dilemma at this point. Meanwhile the price of petrol will go up, and everyone's lives will be affected with inflation again, the people in 3rd world countries are often more affected adversely than the ones in the UK.
Has anyone out there heard what these pacifists are suggesting? Please email me the url links to their comments. I am sure Tony Blair must be saying - see, you did not listen to me about Trident, and Iran's atomic policy, and ... In the field of medicine, we too often make the same mistake of looking in retrospect at each case in  isolation, not in the context of a full 
ward or clinic crying for our attention. Isn't that how many law-suits in Britain come about? 31 may have died in Paddington, but many have lived through our rail systems, and I am sure, not from sheer luck. Perfection, selfishness and  unforgiveness make a deadly combination for the lawyer's gain, and the judges' headache.
3. What does not make sense is: How can Iran see this fiasco as advantageous to themselves, unless they have nothing to fear? Which then prompts one to think - may be their atomic technology is more advanced than we had thought earlier.
4. All said and done, I cannot say that war will be justified whatever the outcome of those 15 British soldiers. A war will cost more lives than 15, even though national pride can sometimes be worth more than that. What will push the British to change their mind on Iran?

Andrew C
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