Jesus told us to be pacifists

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A Christian does not have a right to kill period.

How much interpretation does it take to understand this: (Matthew 5:39) “You have learnt how it was said: ‘Eye for eye and tooth for tooth.’ But I say this to you: offer the wicked man no resistance.”
Self-interpretation and holier-than-thou attitudes will gain many converts, I’m sure.

And it’s a good thing you are sinless, else you’d be handless and eyeless.
 
Self-interpretation and holier-than-thou attitudes will gain many converts, I’m sure.

And it’s a good thing you are sinless, else you’d be handless and eyeless. No I would be dead.
Converts? To what am I trying to convert people? My message is just one of reminding others that we are to obey God.
 
That’s kinda odd since they were cousins. [bibledrb]Luke 1:36[/bibledrb]

Not a disciple of Jesus? How do figure that? Luke 1 says, “41 And it came to pass, that when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the infant leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: 42 And she cried out with a loud voice, and said: Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. 43 And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For behold as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And blessed art thou that hast believed, because those things shall be accomplished that were spoken to thee by the Lord.”

That also tells us that John recognized Our Lord even in the womb. Not a disciple?

Then also we have Luke 3:21 Now it came to pass, when all the people were baptized, that Jesus also being baptized and praying, heaven was opened; 22 And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape, as a dove upon him; and a voice came from heaven: Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.

And even more so John writes in his first chapter, "
26 John answered them, saying: I baptize with water; but there hath stood one in the midst of you, whom you know not. 27 The same is he that shall come after me, who is preferred before me: the latchet of whose shoe I am not worthy to loose. 28 These things were done in Bethania, beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing. 29 The next day, John saw Jesus coming to him, and he saith: Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who taketh away the sin of the world. 30 This is he, of whom I said: After me there cometh a man, who is preferred before me: because he was before me.
31 And I knew him not, but that he may be made manifest in Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water. 32 And John gave testimony, saying: I saw the Spirit coming down, as a dove from heaven, and he remained upon him. 33 And I knew him not; but he who sent me to baptize with water, said to me: He upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining upon him, he it is that baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. 34 And I saw, and I gave testimony, that this is the Son of God. 35 The next day again John stood, and two of his disciples.* 36*** And beholding Jesus walking, he saith: Behold the Lamb of God. **37 And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus."

You are far afield of what the Word of God very plainly tells us. 🤷
Disciple meaning that he did not travel around with Jesus and listen to his teachings. There are different meanings of disciple, and yes John was a believer.
 
Converts? To what am I trying to convert people? My message is just one of reminding others that we are to obey God.
Again, how is a holier-than-thou, I-know-better-than-TheEntire-Church attitude getting your message out?

Are people rushing to embrace it?

How many are saying:

“Why, yes! We’ve been wrong the whole time! You’re the one who’s right, not Holy Mother Church! Thank you for telling us that two thousand years of Tradition, Magisterium, and Scripture is wrong and you are right! And also thanks for telling us you’re the only one since Mary Immaculate and Our Lord Jesus Christ without sin.”
 
Catholics submit to the teaching of the Magisterium on biblical passages.

The reason why we cannot be pacifists is based on this interpretation and it is also a reason we do not cut off our hands when we sin.👍

Hope this helps,
fish90
I believe you stated the problem I am having with the Christian Church. People have, on the majority, given over their spiritual responsibility to the leaders of their churches.

It is no longer what Jesus taught, but what the church teaches. The Word of God can read very straight forward, but if it does not agree with the churches teachings most people will ignore what it says.

The Catholics believe the teaching of their church go back to the apostles. That is not true. Up until Constantine the Great Christians were pacifist, because that was the teaching of Christ.
 
Jesus gave us the Church to interpret Holy Scripture infallibly, so we do follow what Jesus taught. Revelation comes from Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition, which is what forms the Deposit of Faith that has lasted since Jesus’ time.
 
Obviously God desires us to avoid war and conquer evil with good, but nothing in Scripture says that legitimately defending oneself or one’s country which results in the killing of another is an intrinsically evil act. There is a difference between killing and murder!

Matt. 8:5-13
Why did Jesus not consider the centurion (who was a soldier) to be an evil man?**First he was not a Christian, and was not baptized in the Spirit. Also everyone was still under the Old Law. **Why did Jesus consider him to be more faithful that anyone else in Isreal? **Because he accepted Jesus as God? **Luke 14:31
Why did Jesus acknowledge the legitimacy of war?So you believe because Jesus used war as an example in a parable; that legitimized war? Do you know why Jesus used parables? I guess any excuse is better than none right? **
Luke 19:27
Why does Jesus teach that not all killing is intrinsically evil. ** (Luke 18:27) “And to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home
.

Luke 22:36
Why does Jesus encourage legitimate defense against an aggressor**.(Luke 22:38) “Lord, they said ‘there are two swords here now,’ He said to them, ‘that is enough!

Here is what some bible scholars said about that passage of scripture: The Apostles have taken the words of Jesus too literally and he closes the conversation abruptly. Also,

Jerusalem Bible: J. The purse to buy, the sword to procure by force the necessities of life. All this is symbolic of a mission in a hostile world.

K. The Apostles have taken the words of Jesus too literally and he closes the conversation abruptly.**

Acts 10:2
Why does God respond favorably to the prayers and alms of the soldier Cornelius? **First he was not a Christian, and was not baptized in the Spirit. Also everyone was still under the Old Law. **
Heb. 11:32-34
Why does Paul praise these men for their faithfull defense of the people of God (using war)? **Because they had faith in God? Again these people that the writer of Hebrews was were under the Old Law.
Jesus came to complete the Old Law. Some of the completion was stated here: (Matthew 5:39) “You have learnt how it was said: ‘Eye for eye and tooth for tooth.’ But I say this to you: offer the wicked man no resistance.” **

Rom. 13:3-4
Why does Paul exult and call a man who does not bear the sword in vain “the servant of God to execute his wrath on the wrongdoer?”
The World needs law and law enforcers. Christians and not of the world, and do not need law. We are to show respect for those who govern us. We are to obey our governors unless they tell us to do something that goes against the Word of God.

Also your responses were very weak, and in no way discounts what Jesus said. : (Matthew 5:39) “You have learnt how it was said: ‘Eye for eye and tooth for tooth.’ But I say this to you: offer the wicked man no resistance.”
 
Your love for God does not override your responsibility for the people in this world that God has entrusted to your care. Indeed, it is serving Him to protect and defend such people. **My job is to live the Word of God. Jesus never gave us the responsibility to physically, violently protect anyone not even him. Remember Jesus said those who live by the sword will die by the sword? **
If you believe all fighting is immoral, then by definition, you believe all soldiers are immoral. Fear is the true reason that you would refuse to fight. You are incapable of doing so.

Explain Jesus’ words here:
I believe Christian soldiers are very misled people. I also believe in their spirits they know it is wrong to kill.
 
I believe you stated the problem I am having with the Christian Church. People have, on the majority, given over their spiritual responsibility to the leaders of their churches.

It is no longer what Jesus taught, but what the church teaches. The Word of God can read very straight forward, but if it does not agree with the churches teachings most people will ignore what it says.

The Catholics believe the teaching of their church go back to the apostles. That is not true. Up until Constantine the Great Christians were pacifist, because that was the teaching of Christ.
Up until Constantine, Christians were also persecuted for their beliefs, so I can not imagine they would have had the opportunity to defend their faith in any other way than pacifism. When Constantine made Christianity legal (and that is all he did btw, he did not influence doctrine or what ever Dan Brown and other conspiracy theorist claim), it changed everything. Now the apostles could preach without fear of death from the government.

You have quoted some of the teachings of Christ to support your own opinion, where as the Catholic Church teaches the entire message of Christ.
 
First before I answer your questions let me say that, in my opinion presenting hypothetical situations is a tool of Satan to put fear into people so they will make up their minds to disobey God. What one needs to realize is that Jesus doesn’t give us the grace to obey him until it is needed.

Now for you questions I would do nothing that would harm another person because I believe Jesus would give me the grace to obey him. You see I love God more then myself or anyone else. Jesus said if you love anyone more than me you are not worthy of me.

To love God is to hear his Word and live that Word.
I am not trying to use examples to trap you with hypothetical situations. My examples are very realistic. I am not saying, “But if we kill this one person, thousands would be saved. So lets kill them.” I agree that trying to kill someone is wrong. But I think that defending and protecting the innocent is what Christ would want.

Can you define what you mean by “harm”?

My example of the woman being attacked in an alley.

Do you think it is okay to run to help her, and push the man off her?
 
Up until Constantine, Christians were also persecuted for their beliefs, so I can not imagine they would have had the opportunity to defend their faith in any other way than pacifism. When Constantine made Christianity legal (and that is all he did btw, he did not influence doctrine or what ever Dan Brown and other conspiracy theorist claim), it changed everything. Now the apostles could preach without fear of death from the government.

You have quoted some of the teachings of Christ to support your own opinion, where as the Catholic Church teaches the entire message of Christ.
You really don’t know your history very well. Christians were persecuted because they would not serve in any army. Saying they didn’t fight because they didn’t have the means is nothing but false.
 
You really don’t know your history very well. Christians were persecuted because they would not serve in any army. Saying they didn’t fight because they didn’t have the means is nothing but false.
Really? They were not persecuted for preaching the Gospel? Why where the apostles all killed (except John)?

If you can prove your statement, then you could right about Christians being pacifists. Do you have any historical evidence?
 
I am not trying to use examples to trap you with hypothetical situations. My examples are very realistic. I am not saying, “But if we kill this one person, thousands would be saved. So lets kill them.” I agree that trying to kill someone is wrong. But I think that defending and protecting the innocent is what Christ would want.

Can you define what you mean by “harm”?

My example of the woman being attacked in an alley.

Do you think it is okay to run to help her, and push the man off her?
First to answer you questions. I am not sure what I would do in any hypothetical situation. I would ask Jesus what to do and let him be my guide.

Right after Jesus told me that is was wrong to hurt/harm any one I shared this with my wife. She asked me what I would do if some man broke into our house and was going to rape her. I told her that I might get into his way, but I would not harm him. She became angry with me and left the room. I knew she had a close relationship with Jesus and would ask him if what I told her was right. She did ask Jesus and Jesus told her the same thing he told me. My wife came back to me and said she would not want me to hurt the man.
 
Really? They were not persecuted for preaching the Gospel? Why where the apostles all killed (except John)?

If you can prove your statement, then you could right about Christians being pacifists. Do you have any historical evidence?
Did I say they were not persecuted for other reasons?
 
Did I say they were not persecuted for other reasons?
No I guess you did not, but you also did not give any evidence to back up your claim.

I suppose pacifism is the “safe” way to go, but I also wonder if this might not lead to times where people could have done something but don’t. As in your example of an intruder in your home. You clearly that you do not want to harm the intruder, and I know that no one knows what they would do in any hypothetical situation, but that does not mean we should not think about it, so when a time comes to act (or not act) we will be prepared.

I really am curious about this. Would you run to call the police (assuming you didn’t stand in the way of the intruder), or because they would use force would you not?

Again, I am not trying to trap or get you to contradict yourself, I am merely looking for clarity. If the Church was to teach Pacifism, Catholics everywhere would be asking these same questions because we would want to know how to act.
 
Also your responses were very weak, and in no way discounts what Jesus said. : (Matthew 5:39) “You have learnt how it was said: ‘Eye for eye and tooth for tooth.’ But I say this to you: offer the wicked man no resistance.”
I seems you are giving Mt 5 priority over the other verses instead of reconciling them.
 
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