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Title: Soldiers: Strippers, Smiters, Mockers, Spitters, Gamblers, Thieves, Liars, Scourgers, Bribe Takers, Assaulters, Mutilators, and Crucifiers.
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URL Source: http://www.lewrockwell.com/2014/04/ ... ourgers-mutilators-crucifiers/
Published: Apr 18, 2014
Author: Laurence M. Vance
Post Date: 2014-04-18 06:52:43 by Ada
Keywords: None
Views: 515
Comments: 32
On this Good Friday, Christians are focused on the sacrifice of Jesus Christ as a propitiation for the sins of the world. But on every other day of the year (expect perhaps Christmas), many Christians are focused on some other people in the Bible. The Bible on several occasions likens a Christian to a soldier (Philippians 2:25, 2 Timothy 2:3, Philemon 2). As soldiers, Christians are admonished to “put on the whole armor of God” (Ephesians 6:11). The Apostle Paul, who himself said: “I have fought a good fight” (2 Timothy 4:7), told a young minister to “war a good warfare” (1 Timothy 1:18). But it does not follow, as some Christians think, that because Christians are likened to soldiers in the New Testament that it is okay for a Christian to join the U.S. military and bomb, maim, kill, and destroy for the U.S. government in Iraq and Afghanistan. Because aggression, violence, and bloodshed are contrary to the very nature of Christianity, it is sin, the world, the flesh, and the devil that the Christian soldier fights against. The weapons of his warfare are not carnal (1 Corinthians 10:4). He wears “the breastplate of righteousness” (Ephesians 6:14), not a military uniform. His loins are girt about with truth (Ephesians 6:14), not an ammunition belt. His feet are shod with “the preparation of the gospel of peace” (Ephesians 6:15), not army boots. His shield is “the shield of faith” (Ephesians 6:16), not an armored personnel carrier. He wears “the helmet of salvation” (Ephesians 6:17), not a flight helmet. His sword is “the word of God” (Ephesians 6:17), not an M-16. The New Testament admonishes Christians to not avenge themselves (Romans 12:19), to do good to all men (Galatians 6:10), to live peaceably with all men (Romans 12:18), and to not render evil for evil (Romans 12:17). There is nothing in the New Testament from which to draw the conclusion that maiming, killing, destroying property, and making widows and orphans is somehow sanctified if it is done in a military uniform or in the name of the state. Yet, some people—mainly Christian armchair warriors, Christian Coalition moralists, evangelical warvangelicals, Catholic just war theorists, reich-wing Christian nationalists, theocon Values Voters, imperial Christians, religious American exceptionalists, religious military exceptionalists, Red-State Christian fascists, pro-lifers for mass murder, bloodthirsty Christian conservatives, God and country Christian bumpkins, Religious Rightists, and Christians who wear American flag lapel pins in the shape of a cross—still try to justify the actions of Christian U.S. soldiers because, after all, soldiers aren’t condemned in the New Testament. Yes, just like slave owners aren’t. After reading and hearing scores of Christian apologists for the military over the past ten years defend the role of Christians in the military who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan, I have come to the conclusion that they have all drunk from the same corrupt spring. And one of their favorite drinks is the insidious cocktail of “soldiers aren’t condemned in the New Testament.” Their flawed, illogical reasoning is as follows: Cornelius the centurion was a just man that feared God—so it is okay for a Christian to join the U.S. military and bomb, maim, kill, and destroy for the U.S. government in Iraq and Afghanistan. A soldier of Cornelius is said to be devout—so it is okay for a Christian to join the U.S. military and bomb, maim, kill, and destroy for the U.S. government in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Apostle Paul never instructed Christians to not join the military—so it is okay for a Christian to join the U.S. military and bomb, maim, kill, and destroy for the U.S. government in Iraq and Afghanistan. John the Baptist didn’t tell the soldiers that came to him to leave the military—so it is okay for a Christian to join the U.S. military and bomb, maim, kill, and destroy for the U.S. government in Iraq and Afghanistan. Jesus Christ marveled at the faith of a centurion—so it is okay for a Christian to join the U.S. military and bomb, maim, kill, and destroy for the U.S. government in Iraq and Afghanistan. Why would any Christian, unless he had some agenda, unless he subscribed to military exceptionalism, unless he was an apologist for the military, use the fact that soldiers aren’t condemned in the New Testament to justify the actions of Christians in today’s U.S. military? There are some other soldiers in the New Testament that aren’t condemned either. Yet, no Christian ever appeals to them to justify anything. These soldiers are strippers, smiters, mockers, spitters, gamblers, thieves, liars, scourgers, bribe takers, assaulters, mutilators, and crucifiers. Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified. Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers. And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head. And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him. And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross. And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull, They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink. And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots. (Matthew 27:26-35) And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers, Saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept. And if this come to the governor’s ears, we will persuade him, and secure you. So they took the money, and did as they were taught: and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day. (Matthew 28:12-15) The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs: But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water. (John 19:31-34) Although Christ forgave the soldiers who crucified him, no one would ever reason from this that it is okay for a Christian to join the U.S. military and bomb, maim, kill, and destroy for the U.S. government in Iraq and Afghanistan. In fact, the lesson here is just the opposite. Because you never know what you might be told to do in the military, because you never know which country you might have to invade, because you never know which country you might have to bomb, because you never know which country you might have to occupy, because you never know who the enemy might be next week, because you never know whom you might have to kill—the best thing for a Christian to do is to stay out of the military in the first place.
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#1. To: Ada (#0)
The Scriptures are so abused by the establishment that very often people are convinced to rationalize even murder of innocent women and children as God's will.
"Resolve to serve no more,” he says, “and you are at once freed. I do not ask that you place hands upon the tyrant to topple him over, but simply that you support him no longer; then you will behold him, like a great Colossus whose pedestal has been pulled away, fall of his own weight and break in pieces.” Étienne de La Boétie
Took the author a long time and a lot of wasted verbiage to finally say what was on his mind. As a supposed "Christian" nation, owned and operated by non Christians, what choice does a Christian of the masses have???? Volunteer to kill or be killed, or be drafted to do the same, or be imprisoned or shot. That is always the "incentive".
Opt out. Decide for ones self to reject joining the church of satan. Of course, that means doing no BUSINESS with them. The Amish and Mennonites operate without subjecting themselves to doing the devil's work ! Uncle Sambo is a slave master. "Resolve to serve no more,” he says, “and you are at once freed. I do not ask that you place hands upon the tyrant to topple him over, but simply that you support him no longer; then you will behold him, like a great Colossus whose pedestal has been pulled away, fall of his own weight and break in pieces.” Étienne de La Boétie
Knowing what we now know about our American history, anyone choosing to join the military today qualifies under the above definition. The only enemies AmeriKa has are the ones we provoke.
I agree! We're not talking about the draft. We're talking about volunteers. To question is to value the ideal of truth more highly than the loyalties to nation, religion, race, or ideology.
One and the same. Draft or volunteer, we are talking about the same people. Millionaires sons DO NOT volunteer, they are never drafted, it is always those of us at the bottom that do the bleeding and dying. The draft will return, my class will be taken, and be blamed once again for not resisting. Every American should see American kids dragged away, in hand and leg irons, fifty of them them chained together by their feet. There was no one there to aid them, no one. We stood mute, stone cold silent, they had made a decision to register their protest, now they were going to pay with their lives. Walking in a grunts shoes is difficult, how or why he got there is of no consequence. Grunts are bought and paid for by a corrupt government that is elected by the people that were never grunts.
Laurence M. Vance is a day late and a dollar short if he's just now coming to this conclusion, some of us have not forgotten "Honest Abe" Lincolns genocidal war against his own countrymen. How much less are the lives of foreign peoples valued if the Union Army was willing to do this back in the 1860's?? Same damn Union Army today, only they don't wear blue wool tunics these days.
#2. To: Ada, noone222 (#0)
the best thing for a Christian to do is to stay out of the military in the first place.
#3. To: Cynicom (#2)
As a supposed "Christian" nation, owned and operated by non Christians, what choice does a Christian of the masses have????
#4. To: Ada, 4 (#0)
These soldiers are strippers, smiters, mockers, spitters, gamblers, thieves, liars, scourgers, bribe takers, assaulters, mutilators, and crucifiers.
#5. To: Jethro Tull (#4)
#6. To: christine (#5)
We're not talking about the draft. We're talking about volunteers.
#7. To: Ada (#0)
But it does not follow, as some Christians think, that because Christians are likened to soldiers in the New Testament that it is okay for a Christian to join the U.S. military and bomb, maim, kill, and destroy for the U.S. government in Iraq and Afghanistan.
-Alex Kurtagic
#8. To: Cynicom, christine, 4 (#6)
Draft or volunteer, we are talking about the same people. I haven't a clue how you can reach this conclusion. Likewise, there is absolutely no comparison to the military of your day, WWII & Vietnam (the best & bravest in the world) to the motley bunch of Hessian of today. (Volunteers) One and the same.
#9. To: Ada (#0)
Is Vance from the Westboro Baptist Church? Don't expect those sorts to stand in defense of America against any invasion forces that might attack us if we had no Military. More likely, they'd be rolling out a welcome mat to try and spare their craven selves. Does Vance care how much crueler Militarily the D.C. tyrannicals would be prone to act manipulatively with no Christian ethics at all to contend with? Probably not. What he cares about is blaming the Military for its misue instead of sanctimoniously blustering civilans like himself who shirk their own duty to stop that and the runamucks on The Hill.
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"They're on our left, they're on our right, they're in front of us, they're behind us...they can't get away this time." -- Col. Puller, USMC
#10. To: GreyLmist (#9)
Our military has shown itself to be useless over the past 60 years. The officer corps is noted for alcohol abuse and laziness.
#11. To: Cynicom (#6)
Until after WWII this was not true. Millionaires sons DO NOT volunteer, they are never drafted, it is always those of us at the bottom that do the bleeding and dying
#12. To: Ada (#10) (Edited)
Oh? Well I think they haven't been useless enough to service-slurring civilians who don't take notes any better than that and couldn't or wouldn't do their duties if our lives depended on it. How many besides Vance do you estimate wouldn't mind seeing our Military take a break until NATO or UN Blue Helmets or the Chinese forces got here to replace them? Our military has shown itself to be useless over the past 60 years. The officer corps is noted for alcohol abuse and laziness.
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"They're on our left, they're on our right, they're in front of us, they're behind us...they can't get away this time." -- Col. Puller, USMC
#13. To: Jethro Tull (#8)
Jethro... It is not a conclusion at all. It is factual history. In 1940 our government passed the first peace time draft in the history of this nation. From 1919 til 1940 we had a military staffed entirely by volunteers. Who were they? The men from the lowest segment of society were the grunts. They were men that could not find work, no skills, that volunteered for the grand total of $21 a month. They were the men that removed the bonus army from Washington, by force of arms. Who was in charge at the top??? MacArthur, Eisenhower and Patton, all of whom were willing to shoot and did. Here we had volunteers using force on "draftees". Fast forward to 1941, thousands of "volunteers" lost their lives in such places as Pearl Harbor, Wake, Guam, Philippines etc etc. In Sept. 1940 men over 21 were dragged in. Over 50 per cent of those called were rejected, most because they were illiterate. They were NOT calling up the middle class or elite, it was those of us at the bottom of the social structure. Mind you, those "volunteers" that just gave their lives for nothing were from the bottom also, the only difference being, they could read, but they were hungry just like the rest of us. Thousands of men that resisted went to federal prison. Media tells us that after Pearl Harbor, millions of patriotic Americans rushed to "volunteer" That is bullshit. They volunteered to avoid being slaughtered in the infantry. Those with "means" stayed home, those at the bottom tried their best to survive. Trying to differentiate between volunteers and draftees is not possible. They all come out of the same pool, at the bottom. One way or the other we have a military, we pay for them, either way. Who was in charge during this patriotic war???? MacArthur, Eisenhower and Patton. Ike had one man shot, Mac and Patton refused to do so. In the Korean thing I saw volunteers and draftees alike, sent in chains to Korea as cannon fodder. Their life expectancy was two days. What was their crime? They refused to go to Korea. No one stood there saying the volunteers were bad and should be sent, the draftees were good guys and should be sent home. No matter how they got there, they were sent off to be killed. Die they did. How one gets ensnared into the military means nothing. Once in, the olde axiom rules, kill or be killed. I haven't a clue how you can reach this conclusion.
#14. To: Cynicom (#13)
Sad, sad, but true. Many fortunate ones, like you, escape the reaper, but so many do not in this insanity called war. How one gets ensnared into the military means nothing. Once in, the olde axiom rules, kill or be killed.
“The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out... without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane, intolerable.” ~ H. L. Mencken
#15. To: Lod, Christine, Jethro Tull, X-15, noone222 (#14)
There is a first person book called, "Valleys of Death", written by William Richardson, about the horrors of the Korean war. Richardson was a draftee, volunteer and a draftee for a second time. It is a small, easy to read book, as it is unvarnished, written by a survivor that wanted only to go home. Anyone that takes time to read it will come away shaken by a world they have never known. Draftee and volunteer fighting side by side, trying to survive. Studying men at war from outside, after the fact, is often misleading. Experiencing men at war from inside, leaves no room for question. "Valleys of Death", leaves no unanswered questions.
#16. To: Cynicom, 4um (#13)
Cyni, Obama is a serial war criminal and therefore no CIC. His directives to murder, bomb by drone, innocent men, women, children at weddings, funerals, etc. should be disregarded on a humane and moral basis. It is my contention that no real American would follow this Robert Mugabe-like maniac. He has been culling Senior US Military Officials and Officers that refuse his constant war criminal orders and is in the process of “fundamentally changing” the US military forever. No person with computer access, and a slightly curious mind, should mistake true American patriotism with voluntary conscription into this Madison Avenue driven mind*uck.
#17. To: Jethro Tull, Chrfistine, Lod, X-15, noone222 (#16)
I agree one hundred per cent with your view which is derived from an innate characteristic God gave all of us. You well know the "law". Anyone that joins the military, regardless of how, is bound by a contract. One contract fits all, the very basic premise of this contract is, they may shoot or hang you at any time, for refusing any "lawful" order. Now, who decides if it was a lawful order?????? They do, the government, the military, the people at the top. That facet of your "contract" becomes very well known. Those at the the top of this manure pile called the military, have an unwritten contract to protect each other at all costs. Three such events happened in your lifetime. My Lai, USS Iowa and USS Liberty. The grunts at the bottom bled and died. It is my contention that no real American would follow this Robert Mugabe-like maniac.
#18. To: Cynicom (#15)
Sounds like a very good read, Cyni. I understand your point about volunteers and draftees fighting side by side in past wars, but leap forward 40 yrs give or take and compare the caliber of men in the military then to the caliber of men in the military now. There is a vast difference between those who were drafted/coerced and those who volunteer now. A large percentage who volunteer are the dregs of society who are joining to get a paycheck or in some cases egotistical psychosis, not for patriotism. Again, I feel for those who were drafted in the past, but have no sympathy at all for those who volunteer today.
To question is to value the ideal of truth more highly than the loyalties to nation, religion, race, or ideology.
#19. To: christine (#18)
Suppose we had no volunteers. Perhaps we might have a draft? If a draft were imposed, who would be the first taken????? Might it be members of the elite, or the middle class???? Of course not. In WWII, blacks and illiterate whites were given a pass at first. As the need for men rose, did the call go upward into the middle class? Of course not. The call went out that blacks and illiterates were ok to draft. Two peacetime drafts appeared in my lifetime. Should another appear, perhaps the draft should be bumped upward into the middle class, leave the misfits at the bottom alone? Cheney said it all when he said, "I took deferments because I had better things to do". The enlightenment comes when it is you or a loved one that goes in harms way. Again, I feel for those who were drafted in the past, but have no sympathy at all for those who volunteer today.
#20. To: Cynicom (#13)
My father "volunteered" in 1954 and was sent to Ye Olde Europe and put on the Fulda Gap as a tripwire with a radio and a jeep, his MOS was 'armored intelligence specialist'. Basically, he had a combat life expectancy of less than 5 minutes, his duty was to report "Here they come!". If his situation had ever turned 'hot' for even 10 minutes I wouldn't be here today. In the Korean thing I saw volunteers and draftees alike, sent in chains to Korea as cannon fodder. Their life expectancy was two days.
-Alex Kurtagic
#21. To: X-15 (#20)
It takes but a short time for newbie meat fresh in the military, to realize that their life is worthless to the military. The people in charge are quite up front about it. You will appreciate this. One day all 90 crews were to be present at base theater for a pep talk from a well known Air Force General from SAC. During his presentation, the question posed to us was this, would any aircraft commander decide not to drop an A bomb at less than 17,500 feet, that being the lowest possible escape altitude from the bomb blast. One A/C raised his hand. He was gone the next day. It becomes very personal when it is your life that may well be squandered by others. How you got there means nothing. "Here they come!".
#22. To: All (#16)
The idea of a return to a national draft is a mere figment of Charlie Rangle’s rum soaked imagination. It won’t happen, unless the selective service system is ready to be tied up in litigation for years when women are, by law, included in the pool along with the men. And after all "economic conscription," that is, the military being the only viable means of employment to stave off foreclosure and obtain access to health care, higher education, etc. has been good to the hard core unemployed among us. Today, our military is shrinking, giving way to high tech weapons that can neither think, reason, or use discretion. We are building the ultimate, non human killing machines and it won’t be long before we’ll see them come online.
#23. To: Jethro Tull (#22)
Imagination, yes, in reality no. In the 1930s, people considered the possibility of a draft as being preposterous. I still have FDR ringing in my ears, saying, "I will never send American boys to fight in a foreign war". He lied Jethro. The government had been planning for such for years. As a result 16 million Americans wore a uniform. In 1948, with no war, Truman dictated a draft and 10 million American boys were forced to register within two months or else. No war but we had a draft. My older friends were hauled away, two years later, I followed. Everyone said there would be no war because with the A bomb we were king. They were wrong Jethro, the most advanced weapons were never used. It was a dirty land war, kill or be killed. No more war right???? No need for a draft? In your time along came Vietnam, endless years of war, once again on the Asian mainland. No modern weapons were used. Hand to hand jungle warfare. We lost in Korea, we lost in Vietnam. Once again in your lifetime we will embark upon a war in Asia. Geo/politics is based in harsh reality, not in wishful hope. The idea of a return to a national draft is a mere figment of Charlie Rangle’s rum soaked imagination.
#24. To: Cynicom (#23)
Good comments. Wish you were wrong.
#25. To: Deasy (#24)
Take a look at a world map. China can walk all the way to Singapore, in Australias backyard. That would give them control of the Strait of Malacca, the busiest narrow water way in the world. When they drive south, who is there to stop them???? No one. We found out in Vietnam that all of our firepower was of no consequence, we had to run. Two billion Chinese will not be denied.
#26. To: Cynicom (#25)
The Chinese were telling the Aussies a little while back that they were on their continent as explorers first. That should get people thinking. I don't think the Chinese want world war, but they'll risk it to expand their territory and influence. Maybe the Tibetan Dalai Lama knows that best.
#27. To: Cynicom, 4 (#25)
WWIII will be an electronic war fought by Cheetos eating Geeks paid with Obamabuxs, lots of Obamabuxs. They'll be no basic training, no Maginot Line, no M1 Grand, all replaced by people with the ability to hack into our economic lifeline and/or the ability to take down the electric grid. With either of the aforementioned down for an indefinite period of time, the suffering populace, military included, will throw up their hands at the first offering of a slab of government cheese.
#28. To: Jethro Tull, 4 (#27)
No doubt, it could go from A-OK, to bloody butt-ugly in a heartbeat.
“The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out... without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane, intolerable.” ~ H. L. Mencken
#29. To: Deasy (#26)
As long as mankind exists, war will exist. Unless man succeeds in spreading his own kind to other planets, we will either cease to exist or at best revert to the caveman days.
#30. To: Cynicom, Deasy, 4 (#29)
We will always have war until the Prince of Peace returns. Period. Count on it. Take it to the bank, and prepare for it.
“The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out... without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane, intolerable.” ~ H. L. Mencken
#31. To: Cynicom, Lod (#29)
Zionists colonizing space?
#32. To: Deasy (#31) (Edited)
If only all the foreskin-eaters would go immediately to Mars, or Venus, or Pluto.
“The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out... without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane, intolerable.” ~ H. L. Mencken
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