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Christian Pacifism
Comments by James Hall - 17 Jan 2002 - 1451

Frank,

I understand and appreciate your point.  But what if it takes violence to prevent the attack on an innocent? 

Here's another scenario:  You come upon a person kicking and beating a dog.  You tell the person to quit beating the dog and he curses you.  Then, you try to stand between the person
and the dog and he shoves you out of the way and continues beating the dog.  So, there becomes no real alternative for you to prevent further dog beating than to take on the perpetrator.

I agree that trying to "stand in the gap" to stop violence should always be the first objective.  But what if that isn't enough?  In many, many cases it is not enough.  That is reality. This is the world that we live in.  You folks can do what you want, but I'm going to take the dog-beater out of action physically. With no malice or hatred intended, but simply concern for the dog!  "Greater love has no man than he lay down his life for a friend."

Blessings,

Jim

Isaiah writes about the Messiah as being "The Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6).  Jesus calls upon all believers to become peacemakers, and says, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons [children] of God" (Matthew 5:9).  Paul writes, "For the anxious longings of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons [children] of God" (Romans 8:19).

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