Yes.

Just like gas.

Silent, but deadly.

Is that like gas?

I don’t believe a Christian should be a blogger since that would mean being unequally yoked with all kinds of miscreants.

My last comment just passed yours in the posting.

A.
My comment about what I heard Bo saying was an attempt to move the convo toward an actual discussion of the issue and away from comments about “how could any Christian do X,Y, or Z”–thereby implying that no real Christian would do so.

But simply asking for the thought/discernment process of committed, genuine believers on the issue.

B.
I guess you and I will have to disagree that Scripture is silent.

I think there are arguments for and against that do come from Scripture.

C.
I’m sorry for pressing you to demonstrate it Scripturally. It’s clear I must not have been ‘getting’ that you don’t think it bears on the issue. That’s an honest position. I get it now. Again, I’m sorry if I communicated that I was disregarding your understanding.

Apartheid is predicated too on dominance and power.

My view in no way dominates the thinking of North American Christianity.

For crying out loud, at my church we pray regularly for those in the military–especially those from our parish.

I don’t advocate for you being put out of the church, or being condemned for your participation. I don’t doubt your salvation or the strength of your commitment to Christ.

I don’t know how many times I have to state that…but I will repeat it until it gets through.

Disagreement is not apartheid.

If anything, I’ve been trying to be as careful about being honest about my position on this.
I’m not the one who cast the issue as “how could any Christian join the military”.
Would you please stop conflating my careful statements here with Bo’s initial comment?

But then I read this:

I hear Bo trying to raise the question of how do Christians–before taking up the constraints of the military life–come to the conclusion that that is a viable option for a Christ-follower?

Sorry for the confusion…….

I’d still like to see on what Scriptural basis you’ve taken up a pro-participation view.

I never attempted to put forth a “pro-participation” view. My contention has been that it’s OK to participate. That was my point in pointing out the roman soldiers depicted in the New Testament. The Bible is silent on pro-participation as it is silent non-participation.

saying something like, “Christians shouldn’t be in the military” compared to someone saying something like, “Christians shouldn’t work somewhere that serves alcohol” (something I heard a lot growing up). Plus, there are a lot of other things I could list that people didn’t seem to have problems condemning.

Phil, I would defend Christians serving alcohol to make a living just as much as I would for a Christian being in the military. I spent most my life as a musician working in the secular side of the industry. I’ve felt the same heat that that Christian waiter or waitress feels in those positions. I see the same hipocracy as you do there!

I have a friend in NY that works at the armory in Albany, they make cannons there, cannons that the military uses. How far should we take the non-military view. Should Ralph have contemplated if this is a viable option for a Christ-follower or should he have done what he did, take that job to feed his family. What about Microsoft, what is their participation in the military, how should that be viewed. I think Bill Gates is going to hell just for inventing Windows alone. What about the people that make the computers that may be used in the military.

We can even take to the straining of gnats area, what about the person that works in the nut and bolt factory, maybe some those nut and bolts could end up being used in a tank that could kill. Do we question how they make their living and how they came to the conclusion that it is OK to work at that nut a bolt factoryas a Christ-follower??

The numbers in the “Heart Of This Issue” keep coming up two or three….

I would agree that Scotty is talking past me.

I’ve been directly answering his questions and critiques–without condemning…

and, yet, the charge of “condemning” is still laid at my feet.

I’ve asked some real questions now that are based on his actual words.

I think Phil has raised another interesting question.

If, without conflating Bo’s initial comment into my own, people think I am condemning in my disagreement I’d be open to being shown how I’m doing that.

I think I’ve demonstrated a real stance of openness and candor here, but I could be wrong.

Or maybe I’m just learning that it’s not worth having these discussions when minority views like my own can’t be countenanced.

It’s probably inconsiderate of me to not consider how my understanding of this may be a stumbling block to others.

But I will take Rick’s suggestion to have a glass of wine…it’s Chateau D’Spitoon, vintage reserve.

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