Jesus Christ stated “By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you

[raytaylor1970]

have love among yourselves.”? Did members of your religion take up arms in wars? In Nazi-occupied Europe, officials imprisoned an estimated 10,000 of Jehovah’s Witnesses because of their Christian neutrality, including some 3,000 who were sent to concentration camps. Meanwhile, during the same period, over 4,300 Witnesses in the United States were imprisoned for their refusal to join the military. Neither German nor American Witnesses bore arms and fought against their Christian brothers or anyone else. How could they and still claim to have love among themselves and to love their fellow man?
Many people feel that military action is a necessary form of self-defense. But consider: Although first-century Christians were cruelly persecuted and refused to fight back, they survived. The powerful Roman Empire was not able to wipe out Christianity. True Christians thrive even today, and they continue to maintain a neutral stand. Rather than taking matters into their own hands, they confidently look to God for help. His Word, the Bible, states: “Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but yield place to the wrath; for it is written: ‘Vengeance is mine; I will repay, says Jehovah.’”—Romans 12:19.
Could a religion that blesses guns or allows its flock to kill claim to be the true religion?

 

[Fernando]

Sorry you bought the "miracle wheat." Poor Russelite. Look up your theology. Research your founders. Put down that NWT, buy a KJV, learn about hermeneutical principals, and HONEST exegesis.

 

[Rudy]

If God wills to make use of a nation to annihilate another, He can do so because He owns all life and is justified for doing so. We do not have a right to question divine wisdom, we are not intelligent enough.

 

[skylolo]

So we failed? if it will make you happy.

 

[Tagboy]

You ever read the bible.

It is from the Bible that man has learned cruelty, rapine and murder; for the belief of a cruel God makes a cruel man.
-- Thomas Paine, as quoted by Joseph Lewis in Inspiration and Wisdom from the Writings of Thomas Paine (which contains no pagination or source citations)

The Bible: a history of wickedness that has served to corrupt and brutalise mankind.
-- Thomas Paine, The Age of Reason (1793-5), quoted from Jonathon Green, The Cassell Dictionary of Cynical Quotations

 

[PrincessYumYum]

Forgive me if I've misunderstood your question, but Jesus' words about his disciples having love among themselves is not the same thing as nations going to war. One of the Ten Commandments says "thou shalt not murder" and that commandment is still binding on Christians. However, murder is not the same thing as taking a life in self-defence or defending your country from invaders.

God is sovereign and it is only with his permission that the authorities exert power, and those authorities who have abused their power will answer to God. However, to defend yourself from an invading force is not the same thing as taking vengeance, and God will make every single person who has ever lived account to Him, not only for their deeds, but also for every careless word. It is not up to you or me to decide who is a true Christian - it is up to God.

Religion does not save. Only accepting Christ Jesus as our Lord and Saviour will save us. Rather than make sweeping generalisations about other religions and condemn them, we should be careful to look to ourselves and our own conduct before pointing any fingers, spiritually speaking, at others.

Finally, the decision to take up arms or not is a matter of personal conscience. My father (a Jehovah's Witness) was a conscientious objector during World War two and he joined the fire brigade and helped saved lives. It takes courage to stand up for ones principles and I respect him for that. Also, fighting fires is a life-threatening occupation, and he nearly died, on one occasion. On the other hand, my father-in-law nearly lost his life on two separate occasions when the boat he was in was torpedoed, but twice he was literally plucked from the sea and rescued. I have the highest respect and regard for those millions of men who lost their lives so that you and I could live in freedom from tyranny. God will have the final word - but in the meantime we have a responsibility to stand up against despots, dictators and those who commit outrages against humanity.

I respect your view - and you are entitled to it - but that does not mean you are right and everyone who disagrees with you is wrong. Remember, you and I will have to answer to God for our words and deeds on the final day of Judgement. We will not be held to account for the words and deeds of others.