"Again, you are confusing the church and the government. The government is not a minister of mercy between God and man, it is a minister of wrath. We as Christians should not be desirous of war in itself, but we must recognize that it is sometimes legitimate and necessary for a government to engage in warfare, and even for Christians to participate in such warfare granted that it is just and necessary."

Again I ask for Biblical reference to support the concept of war. War cannot be simply defined as a police action that ends upon the removal of the perceived threat. War destroys contries and sews seeds of deep hatred that has reprocussions for future generations. But I think that Christians need to look at this world and it's issues through what the Word of God says and not what governments present. I was refering to the Christians acceptance of these actions of war while comparing the fact that the examples in the new testament speak of Kingdom building and not international politics. We can argue many differing political reasons for war but this is not the intention of the question. What does Jesus The Christ instruct Christians to do? Sure during differing incidents of war both from a civil standpoint within my borders and from an international perspective I have formed politically inspired opinions as I am human, but I think that I am wrong if I support my own political or geo-political opinion and not the instructions of God. Is'nt prayer the most effective weapon and also the only weapon given to Christians? Christians are the ones that I have posed the question to, not government. The Christians acceptance of war.

" Delivered what you have asked here is the concept of Jus Ad Bellem or Just War. When is war just and when it isn't. Now others have answered to you regarding the concept of government and church. But what I would like to ask you is it right to allow the head of a government to murder citizens within its border? Should we as people do nothing? How about to enslave one particular group within its borders? Should that be allowed to continue? What about if they sell those persons to another country as slaves? Should that be allowed to continue? Okay, how about this what if one country invades another country but you live in a third country completely isolated by distance and ocean from the invading country or the country being invaded should you intervene?

But lets go simpler. Your neighbor to your right walks across your lawn to the neighbor on your left and begins to beat the living tar out of him. Do you intervene? If so why? If not why?"

When is it acceptible to kill the innocent to get to the wicked? If my neighbour beats and kills some of his family and I decide to take action and get my guns and some of my family and friends and invade the house and in the process I kill some of his family and eventually I kill or capture him, was that acceptible loss and who made me the judge of such things? Lets add an additional scenario, let's say on top of killing and oppressing some of his family and enslaving some of the rest, he also threatens some of my family and may get the opportunity to carry out his threats am I now justified to go in an kill his family in the pursuit of getting to him? Is there no other way? While governments may think that it is okay, Christians cannot and should look to prayer for the protection of their country and their family James 5:16. See also acts 12:1-17

Again I have no desire to turn this into a political discussion.