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non-resistance to evil by force!!
I have been reading Leo Tolstoy's book The Kingdom Of God is Within You. It raises very ovious questions of violence as being tolerated or even sanctioned by the church. How can a christian obey the Sermon on the mount and still accept war,slavery,capital punishment and the like. many argue there are evil people in the world who must be stopped and sometimes violence is the only way to do it. But didn't King and Gandhi use the teachings of Christ to liberate their people by non-violence.(I find it ironic that a Hindu was inspired by Christ to use non-violent resistance against christians who were violent colonialists.)It is also evident that muslims,atheists,and people of other religions cite the violence instigated by christians as proof that we are as bad if not worse than all other religious sects. read the excerpt below from a book by a prominent Methodist Theologian on u.s military action in Libya.
The assumption seems to be that there are only two political options: Either conservative support of the administration, or liberal condemnation of the administration followed by efforts to let the U.N. handle it.
"You know, you have a point," I said. "What would be a Christian response to this?" Then I answered, right off the top of my head, "A Christian response might be that tomorrow morning the United Methodist Church announces that it is sending a thousand missionaries to Libya. We have discovered that it is a fertile field for the gospel. We know how to send missionaries. Here is at least a traditional Christian response."
"You can’t do that," said my adversary.
"Why?" I asked. "You tell me why."
"Because it’s illegal to travel in Libya. President Reagan will not give you a visa to go there."
"No! That’s not right," I said. "I’ll admit that we can’t go to Libya, but not because of President Reagan. We can’t go there because we no longer have a church that produces people who can do something this bold. But we once did."
What is the Orthodox church's position and what can be done?
The assumption seems to be that there are only two political options: Either conservative support of the administration, or liberal condemnation of the administration followed by efforts to let the U.N. handle it.
"You know, you have a point," I said. "What would be a Christian response to this?" Then I answered, right off the top of my head, "A Christian response might be that tomorrow morning the United Methodist Church announces that it is sending a thousand missionaries to Libya. We have discovered that it is a fertile field for the gospel. We know how to send missionaries. Here is at least a traditional Christian response."
"You can’t do that," said my adversary.
"Why?" I asked. "You tell me why."
"Because it’s illegal to travel in Libya. President Reagan will not give you a visa to go there."
"No! That’s not right," I said. "I’ll admit that we can’t go to Libya, but not because of President Reagan. We can’t go there because we no longer have a church that produces people who can do something this bold. But we once did."
What is the Orthodox church's position and what can be done?
Comments
the most amazing sermon on this topic i ever heard was given by our dear departed pope shenouda after the october maspero massacre.
i'm sorry i don't have a link, but i expect someone here will have.
just follow his advice.
also follow the example of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and live like him.