WARVANGELICALS

By Coach Dave DaubenmireNewsWithViews.com

I want you to know right up front that I am not a pacifist.

I believe in a strong military, and that national defense is one of the Constitutional responsibilities of our government. When a “terrorist” blows up a group of people He should be swiftly put to death.

I believe in a strong national defense and that our obligation is to America first.

But I do not believe in continuous wars, especially the politically-correct ones.

You know what I am talking about.

The types of wars we fight today are, for the most part, offensive, even though our leaders try to convince us that they are necessary for our defense.

Most are not. At least not in my life time. America has been at war somewhere in the world for the entirety of my 59 years on this earth. WWI was known as “the war to end all wars,” which of course it didn’t. It was just a slogan. Americans like slogans. Slogans often masquerade the real issue and make us feel better about jumping on the bandwagon..

The war on terror, the war on drugs, the war on poverty, and the war on ignorance are all nothing more than sloganeering. It is high time the American people came to the realization that each one of those wars was never engaged with victory as the goal. It was the fighting of the war, the funding of the war, and the perpetuation of the war that they were interested in.

Billions of dollars have been thrown down a rat-holes fighting wars that they knew could not be won. And many became rich. The same applies to military wars.

Today we continue to fight in Afghanistan even though America is insolvent.

No one can tell you why we are there. I think it somehow connects to 19 Saudis flying planes into the Twin Towers back in 2001 and “The War on Terror”, but that is just a guess.

Somewhere along the line somebody figured out that there were a lot of dollars to be made in war. Bullets and bombs were needed for war and a sinister group of warmongers figured out a way to make millions by performing their “civic duty” by supplying the ammo...often to both sides.

Christian/conservative Republicans are the greatest promoters of this perpetual-state-of-war. They serve the Prince of Peace by cheering, and voting, for war.

Someone coined the term "Warvangelicals." They are determined to evangelize the world through the barrel of a rifle. Jesus warned us to be careful…those who live by the sword shall die by the sword.

If you listen closely you will hear the rattle of death reverberating through the American economy. Misuse of the "sword" is bringing death to America.

Wars will not destroy America, but paying for them will. Will the Republican Party even permit you to be a member if you happen to be against the wars?

I am for a strong military, but am against an ever-increasing Department of Defense budget. Did you know that America has military facilities in over 138 different countries including 218 in Germany, 115 in Japan, and 86 in South Korea? “War-mongers”, not liberators,is what the Eastern World calls us.

We have nearly 1.5 million Americans currently serving in the Armed Forces. Nearly 20% of them are deployed overseas. This “Policeman of the World” approach is enriching the Industrial/Military complex, but busting the banks of the American people. Over 400,000 Americans are enriching the economies of other nations through their deployment.

The world has changed, but America is stuck in the “Cold-War” mindset. Why is it the job of Americans to pay for the defense of Germany…or Japan…or South Korea? The American economic coffers are being bled dry. “Those who live by the sword…”How did war become a Christian/Conservative value?

Christians are soooo confused. Willfully ignorant might be a more appropriate description. Flag-waving Christians are the most ardent supporters of military intervention. Sadly, they know nothing of the theory of just war.

The Principles of Just Wars are:

1. Just cause/right intention: A just war must be fought only for purposes of self-defense against armed attack or to right a serious wrong.
2. Proper authority: A war is just only if waged by a legitimate authority.
3. Last resort: A just war must be the last resort; all peaceful options must be exhausted before the use of force can be justified.
4. Probability of success: There must be a reasonable chance of success; deaths and injury that result from a hopeless cause cannot be morally justified.
5. Beneficial outcome: The outcome of the war must be better than the situation that would exist had the war not taken place.
6. Proportionality: The violence and destruction must be proportional to the injury suffered.Does that sound to you like any of the “conflicts” that we have recently found ourselves embroiled in? America has not fought a “just war” since WWII.

Now, Evangelical favorite Rick Santorum wants to bomb Iran.

My greatest concern from a military point of view is not that Iran may bomb us, but that we are vulnerable to an attack here at home. Fighting in Afghanistan, or keeping Iran from getting a bomb, will not increase security here at home. The enemy is already amongst us. Perhaps we can catch them at the airport!

(Oh I am going to lose half of my friends because of what I am about to say…but I’ve got to say it.)

Much of the reason we are such interventionalists in the Middle East is the position held by most Evangelicals that we have a religious obligation to defend Israel. To say otherwise is to be called “anti-Semitic,” “anti-Israel,” or “un-Biblical.” Listen to how often the Republican candidates mention the word “Israel.” This a Pavlovian trick that makes Evangelicals mouth’s water.

I am not anti-Israel nor anti-Semitic. I am pro-America. If we don’t return to an America-first policy we won’t be able to defend ourselves, let alone our friends in the Middle East.

America has spent a generation arming Israel. Estimates are that Israel is currently in possession of as many as 400 nuclear warheads. American foreign aid to Israel paid for most of their weaponry. They are far and away the most powerful, well armed military in the Middle East.

I understand that God has an “everlasting covenant” with Israel. I understand that those who “bless Israel” will be blessed. I understand that Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East. But I can not find one Biblical admonition to "protect" Israel. I do find the Lord asking us to "pray for the peace of Jerusalem." Do we “bless Israel” by sending foreign aid to her enemies?

Is it the obligation of the US Government to defend the nation of Israel? The Covenant was a Covenant between God and Israel. God will keep His promise. Why do Christians see it as our obligation to do for Israel what God has promised HE will do? A broken, financially bankrupt America cannot protect Israel. Only God can do that.

The Kingdom of God is a Spiritual Kingdom, not a natural one. It is the “Spiritual Israel” that God has made the Covenant with. Remember, He told us that "My Kingdom is not of this world." It is to natural-Israel that Jesus will return and set up his “everlasting Kingdom.” Does He need our intervention to help him keep His Word?

Remember that popular bumper sticker after 911…THE POWER OF PRIDE? Perhaps that is our problem.

Warvangelicals are more concerned with protecting Israel than they are in protecting America. There is nothing “Christian” about invading a sovereign nation and killing innocent women and children. Has the American military now become the “Army of God.”

It is not popular to say it in Evangelical circles, but Christians should not rejoice in the killing of innocent Muslim women and children. Each one is a potential child of the Living God and Christians should be more interested in flooding the Middle East with Bibles rather than bombs. Just War...remember? Currently, they are more interested in “spreading democracy” than they are in spreading the Gospel.

God is judging America, not because we are turning our backs on Israel, but because we are a decadent, insolent, greedy, blood-thirsty nation that winks at the shedding of innocent blood in the womb, while we “high-five” the killing of innocent children in other parts of the world. We have rejected God. Our works are "continuously evil in His sight" and our hands are stained with innocent blood.

I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: Deut. 30:19.

America is dying because we have chosen death and Warvangelicals are the varsity cheerleaders of the War Party.

There, I said it. Are we still friends?