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I got to tell you this quickly, just before we go. I had a word of prophecy from Ruth Heflin. You know who Ruth Heflin is? Ruth prophesied over me back in the '70s and everything she said has happened. She's just sent me a word through my wife and said, the Lord spoke to her audibly and said that He is going to appear physically in one of our crusades in the next few months. Yeah. She - I'm telling you! - she said, the Lord spoke to her audibly and said "Tell Benny I'm going to appear physically on the platform in his meeting.
-- Benny Hinn, is Your Day, March 29, 2000
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What Should We Do With Our Weapons Of War?
Posted on Saturday, August 14 @ 16:04:17 PDT by Jeff Carter |
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by Jeff Carter
I want to speak now of a few things that frighten me; a few of the things that I percieve in the world around that are not as they should be, that are not as they could be.
Since the end of the cold war the American government has steadily decreased it’s spending on nuclear weapons. That is, until the present administration. We are now spending more and more for nuclear weapons – weapons of mass destruction.
In its request to Congress for fiscal year 2004, the Bush Administration requested that Congress repeal the decade-long ban on research and development leading to production of low-yield nuclear warheads (under five kilotons), termed “mini-nukes.” Due to its lower explosive power, this weapon might be used against a cave or on a battlefield. Second, in response to the growing number of deeply buried bunkers throughout the world, the administration is also advocating development of a new class of earth-penetrating nuclear weapons. These weapons are sometimes referred to as “bunker busters” because they would be designed to burrow into the ground to destroy underground military facilities that are protected by 100 to 300 feet of concrete or rock. The Energy Department’s budget requests for 2003 and 2004 each includes $15 million for a study on the Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator (RNEP). The RNEP would use an existing nuclear weapon, redesigned for use against underground bunkers. Unlike mini-nukes, the RNEP would have the explosive power up to 70 times that of the bomb that destroyed Hiroshima
This frightens me.
At the same time the Administration is criticizing Iraq, Iran, and North Korea for having nuclear weapons, it is upgrading its own weapons complex. This “do what I say, not what I do” policy is evident to all. If nuclear weapons are unacceptable for Iran and North Korea, they are unacceptable for the U.S.
We’ve already demonstrated that we can get away with a pre-emptive invasion of an enemy nation using justifications that melt away under the light of scrutiny. Couple that with the fact that we are continuing to build up a nuclear arsenal capable of horrific destruction. It doesn’t take too much imagination to see what could be in our future.
In September of 2000 the Project for a New American Century (PNAC) released a document entitled, “Rebuilding American’s Defenses: Strategies, Forces, and Resources for a New Century,” outlining a plan for “American global leadership” and a “new century favorable to American principles and interests.” Signatories to the statement included Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld, among others. Their strategy calls for a drastic increase in defense spending as well as the use of preemptive strikes, first-strike nuclear capability, production of mini-nukes, unilateral military action and an increase military presence around the world. We’ve already seen some of this strategy put into place.
This frightens me.
One of the main points used repeatedly to sell the second invasion of Iraq to the American people was the idea that Saddam Hussein had Weapons-of-Mass-Destruction and that he would not hesitate to use them. Since the invasion there has been no evidence that this was true. But what is worse is the fact that British and American forces themselves used WMD’s in the invasion.
British and American coalition forces used depleted uranium (DU) shells in both wars against Iraq, deliberately flouting a United Nations resolution which classifies the munitions as illegal weapons of mass destruction. Depleted Uranium shells are designed to penetrate into armored vehicles and contain the dangerously radioactive element Uranium.
Depleted Uranium contaminates land, causes ill-health and cancers among the soldiers using the weapons, the armies they target and civilians in the area, leading to birth defects in children. The use of Depleted Uranium has also led to birth defects in the children of Allied veterans and is believed to be the cause of the 'worrying number of anophthalmos cases -- babies born without eyes' in Iraq. Doctors expect that only one out of 50 million births should be anophthalmic, yet one Baghdad hospital had eight cases in just two years. Seven of the fathers had been exposed to American Depleted Uranium anti-tank rounds in 1991. There have also been cases of Iraqi babies born without the crowns of their skulls, a deformity also linked to Depleted Uranium shelling. In addition Depleted Uranium has been cited as the main cause of the “gulf war syndrome” and increased birth defects among American soldiers who participated in the first gulf war.
This war was supposedly about Iraq possessing dangerous and illegal weapons of mass destruction -- yet we are the ones using weapons of mass destruction. This frightens me.
Since the tragic events of September 11 and the war against terrorists and the 2nd invasion of Iraq we’ve seen an increase in Patriotism in our country. It seems that everyone has a flag in the yard or on the porch, or a bumper sticker on the car, or pin on their shirt. Slogans like “God bless America!” or “Support our Troops” are everywhere. It’s normal in times of national distress for us to come together – to band together, to take a renewed love for our country – as a response to the terror and uncertainty of the world around us. But when that love for country turns to pride and arrogance, I’m frightened.
You might have heard the song Courtesy of the Red, White, And Blue (An Angry American) by Toby Keith which was number one on the music charts for some time. In that song Mr. Keith sings,
“When Uncle Sam puts your name at the top of his list
And the statute of Liberty starts shakin' her fist
And then the Eagle will fly
And it's gonna be hell
When you hear mother freedom start ringin' her bell
it'll feel like the whole wide world is raining down on you...
Brought to you courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue.
Oh Justice will be served and the battle will rage.
This big dog will fight when you rattle his cage
And you'll be sorry that you messed with the U. S. of A.
‘Cause we'll put a boot in your ass! It's the American way!”
This attitude frightens me.
Recently I saw a bumper sticker that read: JesUSAves. It frightened me. It frightened me because it represented a blurring of two kingdoms and a confusion of the values of the two. This bumper sticker (and the attitude behind it) is trying to tell me that the values of the USA are the values of Jesus our Savior. But is that true? Can it be said that a nation that values preemptive invasions, uses depleted uranium shells against its enemies, and is preparing nuclear weapons to use against future enemies holds the same values of the Prince of Peace, Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God? Are the kingdom of America and the Kingdom of God one and the same?
Some time ago Billy Grahm spoke about this issue. He said, “I have gone back to the Bible to restudy what it says about the responsibilities we have as peacemakers. I have seen that we must seek the good of the whole human race, and nut just the good of any one nation or race. There have been times in the past when I have, I suppose, confused the kingdom of God with the American way of life… But the Kingdom of God is not the same as America, and our nation is subject to the judgment of God just as much as any other nation.”
The kingdom of America is not the Kingdom of God. Some Christian groups constantly remind us that the founding fathers of our nation based the constitution and the bill of rights on the principles and values found in scripture. They were, we are told, men of faith and religious devotion, and that, by extension, our nation is firmly grounded in the values of the Kingdom of God. But it is one thing to say that, and it’s another thing to see that demonstrated in the actions and policies of our country.
In the gospel of Luke we read The Sermon on the Plain – Luke’s counterpart to Matthew’s Sermon on the Mount. Culled from a common source of material Matthew and Luke both recorded various portions of Jesus’ teachings about the nature and values of the Kingdom of God.
Then Jesus fixed his eyes on his disciples and addressed them:
Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God is yours.
Blessed are you who go hungry now, for you shall have your fill.
Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.
Blessed are you when people hate you and outlaw you, denounce you and reject your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man. That is the time to rejoice and to leap with joy, for great shall be your reward in heaven; in just the same way did their fathers treat the prophets.
But woe to you who are rich, for you have your consolation already.
Woe to you who are well-fed now, for you shall go hungry.
Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.
Woe to you when all people speak well of you; in just the same way did their fathers treat the false prophets.
But to you who listen I say, “Love your enemies; do good to those who hate you; bless those who curse you; pray for those who mistreat you.” If someone says strikes you on one cheek, offer the other as well. If someone would take your cloak from you, do not hinder the taking of your tunic as well. Give to everyone who begs from you; if someone takes what is your, do not strive to get it back. And treat people just as you wish them to treat you.
Does that sound like America to you? Which is it? “Do good to those who hate you,” or “put a boot up your ass, it’s the American way”? Is it “treat people just as you wish them to treat you,” or is it “invade them first so they can’t get you”? It is apparent that the values of America and the values of the Kingdom of God are not the same – that these two kingdoms are in conflict.
We don’t hear much about loving our enemies recently. We’ve heard a lot about precision bombings, tactical strikes, pre-emptive invasions, war against terrorism, national security, and so on, but very little about love.
“Love does not take the slightest part in hostilities, strife, or war, nor can it ever return curses and hat, hurt and enmity. Love is not influenced by any hostile power. Where the love of Jesus dwells, war dies out, weapons are smelted down, and hostility vanishes.” -Eberhard Arnold
There is no room for an M1 Abrams Tank in Love. There is no room for Depleted Uranium shells in Love. There is no room for a preemptive invasion in Love. There is no room for an M-16 in Love. But what will we do with all of these weapons, for which we have no room?
Psalm 46 speaks of God putting an end to warring between nations:
“From end to end of the earth he stamps out war;
he breaks the bow, he snaps the spear and burns the shield in a fire.”
Burning, Breaking Snapping – these are verbs used to describe what should be done with our weapons. It is clear that God desires to see an end to our wars and violence- and if it is God’s intent to burn and break and snap our weapons, it should be our intent as well.
The burden of proof lies on those who say otherwise.
1 - Information found in Pax Americana: Peace Through Destruction, The Other Side May and June 2003, pg. 7, and http://www.fcnl.org./issues/issue.php?issue_id=48
2 – Robert McAfee Brown, ”The God Who Stamps Out War,” Preaching on Peace, ed. Ronald J. Sider & Darrel J Brubaker, Fortress Press, 1982 pg. 49
For more about the effects of Depleted Uranium Shells visit: http://www.ericblumrich.com/pl_lo.html
------
Jeff Carter is a columnist for PlanetPreterist.com. Jeff is an officer in the Salvation Army, working as an Administrator of the Social Services and Pastor of the Church.
View Jeff Carter archives
Note: Opinions presented on PlanetPreterist.com or by PlanetPreterist.com columnists may not necessarily reflect the position of PlanetPreterist.com, or reflect the beliefs, doctrine or theological position of all other preterists. We encourage all readers to first and foremost carefully analyze all articles in the light of God's Word.
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Re: What Should We Do With Our Weapons Of War? (Score: 1)
 by JRP on Saturday, August 14 @ 16:23:43 PDT
(User Info | Send a Message) | | This has got to be one of the most foolish articles I've seen here thus far. We have weapons because those who would hurt us have them too. We build better weapons because those who would hurt us rarely meet us face to face. Instead, they scurry out of their holes like a bunch of death loving cockroaches to kill, maim and destroy men, women and children before running back to their holes. Under these circumstances only a fool would say, "There is no room for an M1 Abrams Tank in Love." Have a nice day! |
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- by juppes on Saturday, August 14 @ 16:47:16 PDT
- by Virgil on Saturday, August 14 @ 16:52:14 PDT
- by jcarter on Saturday, August 14 @ 21:19:52 PDT
- by JRP on Sunday, August 15 @ 05:07:53 PDT
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Re: What Should We Do With Our Weapons Of War? (Score: 1)
 by Ed on Saturday, August 14 @ 18:30:51 PDT
(User Info | Send a Message) | So Jeff, why are you here in America? If you really loved those guys that you are criticizing Bush for going after, go preach the Gospel to them. Go on. Give it a go. Don't worry, the Salvation Army will take care of your funeral arrangements. Perhaps they have a way to support your family after you've been beheaded.
Don't get me wrong. I think it's important to share the Gospel with the Muslims (I have shared the Gospel with a couple). However, all this pacifist crap only goes so far. When the flies have been shooed away, someone's got to clean up the mess. Well, we are shooing the flies now. Now, you go clean up the mess and show your LOVE by becoming a missionary to Muslims.
BTW, I for one have never confused America with the Kingdom of God. ALL THE KINGDOMS OF THIS WORLD HAVE BECOME THE KINGDOM OF OUR LORD AND OF HIS CHRIST. That's scripture, and for preterists, it has been fulfilled. |
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- by chrisliv on Saturday, August 14 @ 22:18:32 PDT
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React or Respond? (Score: 1)
by EWMI on Saturday, August 14 @ 21:55:19 PDT
(User Info | Send a Message) | I'm with you on this Jeff. I wonder if those critical of your article would at least like to respond to some of the facts in it rather than react in what appears to be a non Berean manner.
The tragedy seems to be that Preterists have not seen the Dispensational influence in the attack on Iraq. |
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Re: What Should We Do With Our Weapons Of War? (Score: 1)
by Erick on Sunday, August 15 @ 08:15:18 PDT
(User Info | Send a Message) | | Citizens are to turn the other cheek so that they don't have to face the government, which ought to inflict "eye for eye" justice (Bereans should read the RESTof the Sermon on the Mount). Government has one purpose, to protect the citizens, and its chief way is to kill those who would kill us through use of the military. An ungodly government would shirk this responsibility or put it off indefinitely (e.g. 18 U.N. resolutions, Billary Clinton, Saddam's gassing of the Kurds). WMD's were one of at least five reasons we went to war in Iraq - look up the others; and, it wasn't because WMD's were all inherently wrong - but that they were dangerous in the hands of a mad-man that had used them against his OWN people and had connections with Al -Queda (read the 911 report, they DID have connections - Putin verified that Saddam was planning an attack on us as well). We all feel bad when innocent civilians die (like the 3,000 in the World Trade center, the U.S.S. Cole, the U.S. Embassies, and Madrid), but our government's responsibility is to the safety of the U.S. (not Iraq) by whatever means possible. If my child were in the military I’d hate to think that the government he works for sent him in to take a bullet in the head when they could have dropped a bomb instead. If sadly Iraqi civilians die it is Saddam’s fault, and those who continue to fight for him. I couldn’t disagree more with this article, but I thank the Lord we dropped the bomb in WW2 so that I could have the freedom to read it, and you the freedom to write it (in English and not Japanese). I thank God for a President who -- though far from perfect -- would “put a boot in you’re a@#” if you tried to kill me. |
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- by JRP on Sunday, August 15 @ 17:17:44 PDT
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Re: What Should We Do With Our Weapons Of War? (Score: 1)
by artmel on Sunday, August 15 @ 11:22:22 PDT
(User Info | Send a Message) | | To be unarmed is far more frightening than to be armed. Jesus stated it best when He said: "When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace." Luke 11:21 |
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Re: What Should We Do With Our Weapons Of War? (Score: 1)
 by jcarter on Sunday, August 15 @ 12:13:40 PDT
(User Info | Send a Message) | The level of animosity and resentment never fails to surprise me - and perhaps i'm just naive - when i, or others, speak of non-retalitory, non-violent, peace. I don't write to stir up anger. I don't write to offend. I don't write out of hate or intend to slander.
I've been called foolish. That may be. But God has chosen the foolish to shame the wise and the weak to shame the strong. Perhaps that's what i'm doing, I don't know.
"I am sending you out like lambs among wolves." Luke 10:3
It seems to me, that as Preterists living in the fulfilled Kingdom of Christ that we might look to the words of the prophet Micah: they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and thier spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more." Micah 4:3
Why would we expect our national leaders to be held accountable to biblical standards when it comes to abortion - but exempt them from biblical standards when it comes to waging war?
Why would we kill and destroy in order to defend a nation that has only our secondary allegience(our primary allegeience being to King Jesus)?
"Too long have I had my dwelling among those who hate peace.
I am for peace;
but when I speak,
they are for war!"
Psalm 120:6 - 7
I'm going to leave off this issue for awhile; let the dust settle.
Jeff |
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Re: What Should We Do With Our Weapons Of War? (Score: 1)
by Erick on Sunday, August 15 @ 13:31:22 PDT
(User Info | Send a Message) | Sorry I wrote,"you're" not "your" in quoting the song.... :^)
Anyway, no one wants to see war, or people die, and it would be nice if the Prince of Peace reigned in everyone's heart, but that just isn’t the case (God's grace just ain't that comphrehensive). Christians HAVE "beaten their swords into plowshares" -- that Scripture has been fulfilled - the kingdom consists of people at peace with God and in fellowship with one another from all nations. It is futurist to think that that verse has not been fulfilled, no? The martyr complex is not very becoming either, there are good reasons why people disagree with pacifism (if that‘s what you‘re advocating). I agree that the world would be a better place without war, or big guns, but also without crazy terrorists, Nazis, communists, genocidal maniacs etc. Big guns and missionaries at least help in the latter case :^)
Personally I think our gov't is out of control with its social agenda, spending, and taxation, we fought a revolution over lesser tyranny - so we're not too far off sides when it comes to being disenchanted with our government. I even see your point about the harmful effects of WMD's (it is a very good point), but even the most "Christian gov't" would still be obligated by God to use every means possible to protect and defend it's citizens - that's the point we "wolves" who “hate peace” and are trying to make. Just because people disagree with you doesn't make you a martyr - nor correct, we've all suffered on account of our beliefs (I lost my job over preterism) -- no big deal! "If I surrender my body to the flames and have not love, what good is it?" Love and Truth cannot be separated; no one has suffered as much as our Savior Jesus Christ, we account our trials as less than nothing - "dung" to use Paul's term. We still love you big guy - no dust has to settle for that. The world would truly be better if Everyone felt as you do.
“Blessed be the LORD, my Rock, Who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle-” (Ps. 144:1) |
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Re: What Should We Do With Our Weapons Of War? (Score: 1)
by Zorro on Sunday, August 15 @ 21:00:03 PDT
(User Info | Send a Message) | The good (orthodox-preterist) news is Christ promises to return to a world that is still intact and functioning as normal: weddings, etc.
The alternative (He's not coming back) leaves open the possibility of a nuclear wasteland as our destiny. That's about as cheery as the dispy version, isn't it? |
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Re: What Should We Do With Our Weapons Of War? (Score: 1)
by Harleyguy on Wednesday, August 18 @ 06:59:03 PDT
(User Info | Send a Message) | From the comments, Jeff certainly brought up some controversial thoughts. I think we have all struggled with these concepts. Several things come to mind.
God used nations to accomplish His purposes. Is salvation out of reach to the individuals He uses as His instruments??
Then there is the concept of what would I do as a soldier with a M-16 in one hand and a Bible in the other??
Why was Peter carrying a sword?
What would you do with a neighbor who's sworn existence is to kill you and your family. Do you say, "Peace and safety my friend" while he exterminates you and your family? Now enlarge that to a national level.
Btw Jeff and all others here who have submitted comments; we are able to express ourselves because of the shed blood of our military and decisions of our leaders in keeping this country free. Try expressing yourself in this manner in a dictatorial nation.
Preterists who speak of beating swords into plowshares literalize, while speaking of the spiritual nature of prophecy?? Isn't that what we make fun of futurists for doing??
No easy solutions! I'm not offering any answers. But I know this: If my neighbor, attacked my family I would not sit idly by and let him kill innocents. I would defend! I would do so with tears and answer to God later.
Blessings,
Bruce Flippo |
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