Would it be OK for the United States to invade Mexico in order to expand our territory and take over some of those vacation towns on the Mexican coasts? Is it OK for us to torture prisoners in order to gain information about our enemies? Was it OK to kill as many civilians as we killed when we dropped that bomb on Hiroshima? There is something called the “Just War Theory” that has often been seen as helpful when people try to answer questions like the ones I’ve just asked.

Augustine of Hippo, who was born in 354 AD, wrote a book titled, The City of God. In that book he introduced the concept of a Just War Theory. Augustine was a Christian theologian, who thought it was OK for Christians to participate in a war as long as certain conditions were met. He would not have approved an invasion of Mexico for the purpose of expanding our territory. He would approve of invading Mexico if Mexico had first invaded us. He recognized that civilians were sometimes killed in wars, because they were at times in close proximity to military targets. He would not have approved of targeting civilians, and he would have had no concept of the amount of damage a nuclear bomb would inflict. I doubt that he would have approved of the torturing of prisoners.

Augustine was rather vague when he wrote about the Just War Theory. Many theologians since Augustine have been more specific and have expanded that work he started.

I look at the Just War Theory as a collection of concepts. There is a concept of legitimate authority. I have no authority to start a war on my own. If I rounded up one hundred other like-minded people, I would still have no authority to start a way. War may only be waged with the approval of legitimate governments.

A just cause is also required. Self defense, the protection of innocents, or to regain something unlawfully taken may all be cause for war.

A government may only wage war to reestablish peace. It may not wage war to expand its borders or as a pretext for its own gain.

In order to engage in war a government must have a reasonable chance of success, and they must have exhausted all other nonmilitary ways to resolve the conflict, such as diplomacy.

The response is supposed to be proportional to the damage done by the aggressor.

Some of the things that started out as concepts developed as Just War Theory are now a part of the Geneva Convention. If we follow the Geneva Convention, than certain actions are acceptable for us and other actions are not.

Even though Jesus said things like love your enemies and turn the other cheek, Augustine thought Jesus would approve the use of force in certain situations. Augustine was a great theologian, but I doubt that Jesus would approve of the use of force as often as we decide to use it.

I have my own theory about the use of force. It may not make as much sense as Augustine’s theory, but I like it better. I think it is always sinful to go to war. The trouble is that it is sometimes also sinful to not go to war.

If you saw a two hundred-pound man beating a one hundred-pound woman, and you were big enough to stop him, I think it would be sinful for you not to intervene. What you may have to do the man to get him to stop may be sinful as well. You sin either way, and you must do what you think is best and rely on Jesus to forgive your sins.

I am convinced that you sin when you go to war. I am also convinced that you sin when you turn your back on people who desperately need your help and protection. When you have the means to intervene and choose not to, some victim will pay the price. It is a sin either way. You must do what you think is best and rely on Jesus to forgive your sins.

I am a former Marine. I was in the First Marine Air Wing at the end of the Viet Nam war. I did not serve in Viet Nam. I was stationed in Nam Phong, Thailand. I was not directly involved in combat. I was close enough to be convinced that one cannot fight a war without sin.

I agreed with our invasion of Afghanistan, but I thought we gave up on diplomacy far too early when we attacked Iraq.

I support our troops. I pray for them. I don’t want my prayers for the troops to be interpreted as approval for the war.

I saw a person holding a sign that said, “another Quaker for peace.” Others were not happy with his stance on this war.

One sign called him a “pinko communist homo scum.” Another said, “Time to hang some traitors.” Another said, “American soldiers protected your whiney hiney today.” He made a stand for peace and he was paying the price.

I recently read the fifth chapter of Matthew. It appears to me that the Quaker may be in store for a double blessing or even a triple blessing. Here is what the fifth chapter of Matthew says beginning with verse 9.

“9. "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

10. "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11. "Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.

12. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

I pray that God will protect us from evil. I pray that God will protect our troops. I pray that God will protect the innocent people who happen to live in war zones. I pray that God will bring peace on earth.

May God shower your life with blessings and fill your life with joy.

Sincerely,

Pastor Birk