3. Prince of Peace

                            Face of Jesus by Rembrandt

"December 3rd, 2011, Helmand Province, Afghanistan, a day that forever changed my life. My unit and I had been in Afghanistan for only three weeks and were in the process of turning over with the previous unit. We were on a mission to build a forward operating base for the Jordanian Army. I was just outside my vehicle when I heard the explosion. Corporal Nick Kimmel had jumped out of the watch tower and landed on an improvised explosive devices. As the corpsman for the unit, I immediately rushed over and what I saw is seared into my brain. Nick Kimmel had lost both legs and his right arm. After I treated him and evacuated him, I sat next to my Humvee, with my blood soaked hands I lit a cigarette. As I smoked, my eyes began to water and I broke down and cried - not realizing this was only the beginning.

"Nothing prepared me for the fight I was going to have once I returned home. The impact of that moment has had a profound effect on my life. I struggled with drinking. I often got angry for the smallest things. I couldn’t go out in crowds and if I did I would have panic attacks. It all came crashing down when I had a flashback. I woke up one night with my hands around my wife’s neck. I had no idea what I was doing, but the dream was real. My wife somehow managed to wake me and at that moment I realized I needed help.

"I grew up in a very religious family. My dad was the youth pastor of our church and he raised us in the Christian faith. That night, I went to the bathroom, got on my knees, and prayed. I wept to Christ and prayed. I was lost and needed to be found. I needed God to guide me and help. As I prayed my body felt a calmness that I haven’t felt in a while. The next day I opened my Bible for the first time in a long time and began to read it. As I read, the more the relief i had.

"Christ changed my life forever. He has guided me and carried me through my darkest hour. He saved me from myself. My relationship only continues to grow through devotion and prayer. The more I pray and study Christ, the more I am in awe of everything he has done for me and my family. I find peace in prayer, when I am struggling, prayer helps me to relive that stress and opens my eyes on the good that can come from these struggles.  As God works in my life, I know I have a friend who will never leave me and that gives me comfort and strength each and every day. The more I devote to Christ and pray the closer our relationship gets and in return the less and less stress I struggle with. As if Christ with a shield just blocks the stress away from me. I no longer worry about finances, I no longer worry about work, and I no longer let PTSD consume me.  Everything I do is in God’s hands - he is my shield."  ~Andrew H.

The Sermon On The Mount Gives Me A New Perspective On War
"I am in the Army, and have been to war. I have never been a reader of the Bible, but have always felt that Jesus was my Lord and Savior. After reading the Sermon on the Mount, I now have a new perspective on war and its acceptability in general.

"...But I say to you, that every one who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment..." I think that these verses are the first reference to peace-making in the sermon. It basically means that not only is it unacceptable to kill, it is equally unacceptable to hold anger in your heart toward another person."...leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled with your brother..." Jesus then goes on to talk about the fact that you must resolve your disputes with your brethren before you even think about praising God, because without a heart free of hate and malice you will burn in Hell no matter how much your praise the Lord.

"...But I say to you, Do not resist one who is evil..." This is the second part of the where where Jesus talks about peace-making, and I think more specifically talks about war being wrong no matter what. Here Jesus coins the ever famous phrase "turn the other cheek". He says that it is not your job or your place to judge and fight who you feel to be evil people. He basically says that God even lets the sun shine and the rain fall on those who are evil, so who is a man to decide that someone is evil and and should be punished. Who am I to decide that a man should die?

Reading this has completely turned my world upside down. Before today, I had never read these teachings, and it is my interpretation that Jesus meant to tell us that hate and violence is never acceptable, even when another person is aggressive toward you. The only way this could apply as a rule of engagement would be simply, do not engage. With this being what Jesus taught us as to how we are supposed to act toward all people, I am completely baffled as to why the Crusades ever happened, as well as any other violent acts committed in the name of Christianity. How did this become acceptable?  I don't think I will ever fully know the answer to that, nor how the act of NEVER engaging in combat could be prosperous in today's world. It seems as if when people see a weakness, or an aversion to combat, that aversion is exploited, and results is people being taken advantage of.

Once again, I cannot say enough how thought provoking this is; I now have to weigh whether what I do as a profession is acceptable, just as SGT Alvin York did.


I Forgive Them to Clear my Soul
"After being on the receiving end of IED attacks, I find it difficult to love any of the people that are involved in them. In Christianity, we strive to live like Christ and all of his perfection, but as humans, we know that we will fall short of that. It is a bitter feeling you feel when you detain a person with bomb-making materials in his house, and he is married and has children. I did truly feel sorry for those people. Unfortunately I also felt disgust for them. In the end, I forgive them to clear my soul of any ill feelings."

I Have Taken Human Life
"I have taken human life. I was trained with that purpose. I have never committed murder but I have killed. I did so to protect my self, my friends and fellow soldiers. Now in my case we came under fire and I returned fire. I did not wake up in the morning hoping to kill. I did not even have hate in my heart as I pushed the butterflies down on my fifty caliber machine gun. I was scared. I have asked for forgiveness for many things in my life. The true test is not whether The Lord will forgive, but whether you can forgive yourself." 

'Love Your Enemies'
“But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven.”

Basically, the Sermon on the Mount teaches that the way to heaven is not in doing what you know is right, but what is pure of heart. Prophets before Jesus taught us to love our neighbor and hate our enemy, but does God not love Stalin as much as he loves Ghandi? Or as Jesus would say, “he makes the sun rise on the evil and the good.” According to Jesus, the way into heaven is not just following a set of rules, but living our life the way the Lord would live his.

How can this be applied in a time of war? War is a nasty thing. It is evil: full of killing, hatred, greed, stealing and destruction. I know first hand, for I have seen, experienced, and participated in war. Those who say that the only way to win a war is to seize the objective on the battlefield are fools. Wars are won off the battlefield in a peaceful setting, using civilized and peaceful means. Even on the battlefield, we can win without destruction. We are finding this out right now: we have more success winning by humanitarian missions, winning the hearts and minds of Iraqi and Afghan citizens, than by killing."

'If Anyone Strikes You On the Cheek' 

"Verse 39 states, But I say to you, do not resist one who is evil. But if any one strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. Being a soldier in Iraq, I endure harsh name calling and get spat upon. But I have learned to hold my peace and try to understand where these people are coming from, and why they feel the way they do. Reading these verses has opened my eyes a little more, especially when I get upset at the Iraqi people. I must remind myself that I wouldn’t like it if someone I couldn’t communicate with had come over and tried to take over my homeland. I must turn my other cheek and walk away, because I don’t want to do anything that could jeopardize my freedom or livelihood, or my self-respect as a husband, father, soldier and as a man." N.C.

 A Christian Asserts His Truth

"In 2004, while serving the United States Army as a member of the 1st Calvary Division, I was assigned to conduct street patrols, Explosive Ordnance Disposal security, and various other missions to provide stability in the southwest sector of Baghdad, Iraq. This proved challenging on a daily basis. The emotional spectrum that one journeys through in a combat environment can only be understood by those who have been there. Without writing a book on this subject, I can only say that a soldier’s ability to adjust to the environment is a test like no other. On one hand they are asked to show dominance without using force and remain under control with a steady hand. When chaos surrounds them a switch must be flipped and the exact opposite becomes true: become the most chaotic in order to survive.

For those who have faith or follow a religion as I do, during these time ask themselves the question “how can it be God’s will for followers of any religion to kill another person?”.   In the circus of events leading up to my moment, I was asking this question myself, searching inside to reaffirm my faith and to make me stronger in the danger surrounding me. Feelings of hopelessness and despair had come over me with our Rules of Engagement, I felt I'd become more of a politician than a soldier with each passing day. Exercise restraint when fired upon, fight against an enemy who cannot be seen, and defend yourself without being offensive. These were just a few of the “new” ways in which a soldier is asked to perform, ways we are not accustomed to.

                                               

One day at sunset when the local citizens of Iraq started their evening prayers, songs from the loud speakers of each Mosque began. My surroundings became that chaos of which I speak. Like dueling voices, the eerie calls echoed off the walls of the buildings and through the streets of the neighborhoods. I had enough of the citizens around me continuing to live as they pleased thanks to the security that my platoon was providing daily. I pulled out a pocket Bible that I carried with me on my missions, turned on my vehicles loudspeaker, flipped to the Lord’s Prayer, and began to read aloud. My English voice reciting my Christian prayer rose to join those foreign voices. My fellow soldiers one by one joined in from memory as I continued to read. At this moment, strong feelings of peace and calm filled me up inside, overtook and filled those places that were empty just a few moments before."  ~Gerald Z.

PTSD and 'Faith Healing'
In these two healing stories (John 5: 1-9 and Mark 10: 46-52) note especially the dialogues between Jesus and the afflicted men. If we want healing or transformation of any kind, under what conditions is it given to us? Does it just happen, or must we ask? If so, how should we ask?"

With what I have seen in my combat experiences, it has certainly shaken some of my faith in God.  I have witnessed horrible brutality and violence on a scale most Americans cannot even fathom.  I KNOW what message these scriptures are trying to get across: that if someone has enough faith in God and truly believes that Jesus is the Son of God and asks for healing, it will be provided to them.  Both these stories paint this picture; with Jesus healing both the blind man who knows that Jesus is 'Son of David',  and the paralytic man who cannot figure out who Jesus is, yet still has faith.


Here I would like to provide a reference to some examples of how, under the Bush administration during the early years of the Iraq War, niether the VA nor the Army was adequately prepared for the mounting cases of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder manifesting within the ranks of the military.  That administration tried to use 'faith healing' as a substitute for spending the money to provide Soldiers and Veterans with adequate resources to assist them with their mental health:
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article23990.htm

Those of us who were deployed to Iraq (during the first couple of years, especially) still are affected by the trauma and are forever changed.  I prayed many times for God to heal me of my night terrors and other symptoms of PTSD.  I have had steadfast faith and trust in God to rid me of this mental disorder; a 'souvenier' (if you will) of Iraq.  If I don't take my medications at night and go to my therapy routinely, my night terrors and social withdrawls, severe depression, panic attacks, etc. will all come back.  Faith in God or not. 

I remember my Christian fundamentalist mother accusing me of not having enough faith in God in why my back injury could not be healed (back injury I sustained from combat duty).  I felt that my integrity was put in question; I was astounded that my character/integrity should ever come to question after what I had endured because of me questioning fundamentalist religious 'reasoning.'


I want to make a case in point here that there are a many injured 'Christian Soldiers' (burn victims, severely injured from IEDs, etc.) who will never be 100%.  They have their devout faith in God, yet still they ride in a wheelchair.  I'll be fair; faith can help to a point, but it should never be used as a replacement for modern medicine. 

Do I believe in God?  Yes.  Do I believe in Jesus' ability to heal while he was here ON EARTH??  Absolutely.  Do I believe in 'faith healers' such as Benny Hinn, or our own faith in God enabling the healing of all our afflictions?  Not anymore.   (Elijah D.)

'Thou Shalt Not Kill': An Internet Dialogs Between Soldiers

Not for Me to Decide
"In today’s times, Jesus' teaching seem very hard. The war on terror and the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan are so violent at times, how can one “turn the other cheek”? I have had many discussions with Chaplains on this very subject, and I have learned that what I do in the military is not what Jesus is lecturing on. I am not taking an eye for an eye, nor am I killing for the sake of killing. As in many religions, I belong to a warrior class where I choose to offer my services in the defense and protection of my brothers. Unfortunately that involves death and destruction, but it is not done out of malice and hatred. It is not for me to decide if what we are doing is just or not: history will decide this. "

Use Your Ethical Filter
"Every time we pull the trigger and have time to think about it before hand, we should run the decision through our ethical filters. If the required task brings up a red flag then we have the duty to say no. That is why the military gives us all these classes on ethics. I personally am not going to wait for history to decide whether what I am doing is right or wrong. I am going to decide right then and there whether it just and act accordingly."

This Is Something I Think About So Often It Makes Me Sick
"Being a soldier, I couldn’t help but take special notice to Matthew 5:21, “You shall not kill; and whoever kills shall be liable to judgment.” As a member of the military, I can tell you how it really is, its simple. Do what your told, when you’re told to do it. They train us not just to kill, but to stay alive. So what do you do when you’re told to kill? As a soldier, you don’t question; you execute. People of this great nation look upon the American soldier with such respect for what we stand for and what we do, but how will God look upon us when it is our time? What do we tell him? "I took a life because someone told me to?" This is something I think about so often it makes me sick. I have come to realize that this question can never truly be answered until that day of judgment, when all a soldier can do is hope they were right."

Look at the Bigger Picture
"I like the way you emphasize that 'Being a soldier, you can only hope that you are right'. This is true, because we face the adversity in both questions, 'Shall we kill for our country or shall we kill for the protection of the persecuted?' I, for one, know in my heart that what we are doing in the War is right. For if you have any regrets toward what we do, how can you go to worship God when your heart is heavy and unsure? I know that it sometimes seems that we do the wrong things, but look at it in a bigger picture (The armed forces always say that). If you can't answer the cry for help from Iraq/Afghanistan how will you face God in the final judgment when he asks you why you did not help the less fortunate. It is called self-sacrifice for the better good in the world, not just in your backyard. As I would say: 'Stick to your convictions and never regret what you have already done.' For adversity is what some people are made of. Treat any situation as a step toward God's will."

God Judges the Heart
"I too am a Soldier, and I've been on plenty of missions outside the wire here in Iraq over the last two deployments. I thank God everyday for putting his hedge of protection around me and the prayer warriors back in the States that lift me up daily. So far I've been very blessed and never been in a fire fight or even had to fire my weapon, just my camera documenting and telling Soldiers stories. I think you're right, that those tough questions can only be answered at judgment, but I encourage you to take comfort in the fact that God called David, one of the greatest Soldiers of all time, a man after His own heart. I think God judges the heart, and when it comes to that, Soldiers have to be able to answer if they did what they did out of malicious intent, and if so, if they've asked for forgiveness and truly repented."

Trying to Be a Christian Soldier
"I understand that fighting in this war may not be done out of malice or hatred, but it can be the breeding grounds for such emotions. I have developed emotions that I never thought would surface. I have witnessed individuals turn to hatred in order to kill the enemy. In a perverse sense, it does make it easier to do ones duty. But what we do as stewards of our Nation’s armed forces is not done without compassion or love of our fellow man. I offer my prayers for the enemy that I must fight. I offer them in hope that he will put down his weapons so that we all may live in harmony."

Love Bears and Hopes
“Love bears all things. (I Corinthians 13:7) I think that the strength of love is powerful in getting humans through the toughest of times and the hardest decisions. I can relate to this because I am a soldier. Since I have been deployed I have been to over 20 fallen comrade ceremonies in the last 5 months. The emotion that is so invigorating is that those soldiers died because they loved their country and the thought of justice. Without the strength of love the fight would be insignificant.

“Hopes all things. (I Corinthians 13:7) Hope is derived from love and drives people to keep going. Hope is powerful in pulling people from the darkest of places and pushes people to not give up. I think that hope is the power behind peace; without hope peace would be a futile attempt. Since I have been in Afghanistan I have met a plethora of Afghani’s and most of them hope to get to America for a better life; they hope for a life away from the Taliban and poverty. From what I have seen here in Afghanistan; hope is one of the few things that the people here have to cling on to."

Blessed are the Merciful
"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Yes, this applies to a soldier. If an enemy soldier has been wounded on the battle field, as an American soldier it is my responsibility, in accordance with the laws of war, to provide that human being with first aid and medical treatment as if he was one of our own. It is true he is not an American soldier, but he is our brother under God and must be treated as such."

Thou Shalt Not Kill
"When I was in Iraq in 2004, there were many times when soldiers of different faiths came to some sort of peace when trying times were at hand. We have all heard the commandment: Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment. This passage of scripture tells us that cold-blooded murder is not permitted. But protecting the innocent from the evils of the world is a soldier’s way of helping to spread kindness to people of different faiths."

All the Faces and Bodies Are With Us
"We pray before we go into the battlefield. We ask God to forgive us and we pray for those that we will hurt through the path that we have taken. I think of my soul every day: shall I partake in the feast of the saved or the unsaved? I must carry on even if it means that I must kill someone. What gets me is that we sometimes do it without remorse because we have made ourselves hard, but when we are alone all the faces and bodies are with us."

I Did Not Turn The Other Cheek
"While deployed to Iraq, I was faced with a situation that truly tried my morality and discipline. Matthew 5:38 states, "Do not resist one who is evil. If anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also." According to the Geneva Conventions, enemy combatants are to receive the same medical treatment as an American soldier would. I am a Flight Medic in the Army. I was on a MEDEVAC mission to pick up two injured patients with multiple gunshot wounds. I was not given any other information.

"We landed the bird on a dirt road and I jumped out. Two injured patients were brought to the bird on litters. We loaded them up and took off. One patient was clearly an American soldier, the other was not. Immediately I started working on the Soldier and asked the pilots on the communications system for information about the other patient. They said he was the insurgent who shot the soldier I was working on: then our other soldiers shot him. After receiving that information, I just looked at this frail old man's eyes and wondered, "Why?" I could hear him yelling and knew he, like our soldier, was in severe pain. I also knew that, because the insurgent was yelling, he was breathing.

"So I continued to work on the American soldier, giving him Morphine for his pain. The crew chief was watching me; he asked if I was going to render any aid to the insurgent. I told him that the insurgent was breathing and that's all I needed to know.

"I did not resist the one who is evil. But I did not turn to him the other cheek after he struck my fellow soldier. I used to think that I would do the right thing if put in that situation. I had ample time to assist that man, but opted not too. In the end, I did not follow the Geneva protocols.

"Now, I no longer say what I would do. I can only say what I hope I would do in a certain situation. I am not bragging, nor am I proud of my actions. I simply discovered that my morality, and my discipline to render care to that patient, abandoned me as soon as I heard the word insurgent."

War is Necessary to Prevent even Greater Evil
"Jesus says, You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth’. He is referring to a law that deals with punishment, making sure that the punishment is equal to the crime committed and is just. But on the terms of personal retaliation Jesus says in verse 39, …But if anyone slaps you on the right check, turn to him the other also. Jesus does not want us to retaliate and seek revenge but react by showing love. In verse 44 Jesus tells us, But I say to you, Love you enemies and pray for those who persecute you. And in verses 47-48 He tells us, And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Jesus is telling us that no matter what another person does to us, we must love them as God has loved us.

"A lot of people may take these verses about of context, and say we should never go to war because there is killing and we are retaliating in some way. But the Bible does not say, You shall not kill, the Bible actually says, You shall not murder. The Hebrew word for murder literally means “the intentional, premeditated killing of another person with malice.” God often ordered the Israelites to go to war with other nations because Sometimes the only way to keep sinful people from doing great harm is by going to war with them. If Hitler had not been defeated in World War II, how many more millions of Jews would have been killed? If the Civil War had not been fought, how much longer would African Americans be slaves? So in a world filled with evil people, sometimes a war is necessary to prevent even greater evil."


Is All The Killing Really Worth It?
“These are such powerful teachings of Jesus, they are almost too emotional to reflect on, especially when you need to relate it to war. When I read these passages, I feel a sense of childhood emerge back into my body….

“When it comes to the subject of war, being a soldier myself, I believe protecting my country and family is the ultimate sacrifice I could make. It bewilders me though, when Jesus speaks of turning the other cheek, and when he talks about not resisting one who is evil….

“Is war okay if you are threatened? Is protecting others the right thing to do, when killing is involved? War is not pretty, but I do believe we are doing the right thing by keeping our own country safe. Yet I cannot help to hear a small voice inside of me ask, "Is all of the killing really worth it?”

Thou Shalt Not Kill
“It is always good to help others. I know the Bible says thou shalt not kill, but when you are in the military, I believe God will forgive. He will forgive if you ask and are sincere, whether you did it intentionally or unintentionally. Since we are not perfect, God sent his son, Jesus, to take up the cross for us. We just have to have the right motives in our heart for whatever we do. We have to be accountable for all our actions and know when we are wrong and ask for forgiveness. In times of war, you have to do whatever the commander states. Won't the decision-makers and war-planners be held to a higher standard than you, as you are just carrying out their orders?”

Thou Shalt Not Kill
"In our eyes murder is, of course, a major sin. In the eyes of God sin is sin. Murder means to end someone’s life, but Jesus is not talking of a physical murder, but a spiritual murder. How much pain are people enduring just because the words their parents uttered, or the taunting coming from children when they were in school, or even words from your boss?

"Words of insult can kill the spirit of a person. That’s the murder Jesus is talking about. It is easy not to kill a person, but killing the spirit of man, woman or child can come at the opening of one’s mouth. With the things we say we can build, but often we opt to destroy. We look at actions: since the law says thou shall not murder, we think we are okay. After all, we would never kill anyone. Jesus, however, is tackling the source: anger in the heart. The same heart where the life of a Christian begins....

"So in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gives the solution: Reconcile, forgive, and love those who do you wrong. It may not solve all problems, but it will keep your heart free of anger -- the anger that leads to murder, physical and spiritual."

Jesus and the Sinful Samaritan Woman
“Like the Samaritan woman, I was not born into the “right” family or on the “right side of the tracks”. I knew of the road to salvation but felt that I was not good enough to be saved. I tried to work to earn my salvation by being legalistic. But then Jesus helped me to realize that He had taken care of me all of my life and preserved me from a terrible death at the hands of my ex-husband that I realized that Jesus really knew me… Laying in a hospital bed with a collapsed lung after being stabbed in the back 8 times with a screw driver, I realized that Jesus shielded me from the pain. I heard him say, “I who speak to you am he.” It was then that I was finally able to worship God in spirit and truth.”

Being A Soldier
"Being a soldier, I think of Mattew 5:9, Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. We are constantly put in harms way to preserve the freedom that every American experiences, and I think God has a special place in his heart for those who serve."

Turning the Other Cheek
“You have to be the bigger person and either walk away from the situation or try and make it better. But it’s pretty hard to turn the other check in times of war. I am in the Army and in a way it is not up to me to turn the other check because I have orders and have to obey those orders. Even though we are going through times of war right now, I know that I will not be judged for my acts of war if my acts are justified and I am following the orders that have been given to me.

“I feel that when my judgment comes, I will be forgiven for the act of killing if it was truly self defense. Every one will be judged in a different manner depending on the circumstances in which the sin was committed.”

I’m Sure Some Think We Are Murderers
"Even after seeing so many soldiers die over here on a daily basis, I pray constantly. I not only pray for myself but for the people of Iraq and Iran. I try to live by the passage, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, because I want to meet my father in heaven one day and hear him say, Well done, my good and faithful servant.

"I know as soldiers, we are not exempt from God’s teachings, but are we in a position to follow such words as, Turn the other cheek? Does this make all soldiers in war sinners? I’m sure some think we are all murderers, but I believe that we can be forgiven, because God is a forgiving God.

"I also believe that is why the Geneva Convention created laws for soldiers to be tried for war crimes. Regardless of what the enemy does to our soldiers, we are not to retaliate with the same force. We are not allowed to take an eye for an eye. The United States is still a gracious country and we still try to help people in Iraq with the things they need to become independent."

Just to Stay Alive
“While all those Bible passages are comforting, and they have deep thought-provoking meaning, as a soldier I can guarantee you that isn't what is going through the minds of those in combat. In the heat of combat, a soldier is not thinking about being judged, or considering himself a peacemaker. He is only trying to survive, and to keep his comrades alive. As ironic as it is, though a soldier is the one who has to fight for the political issues in the world, while he's fighting he isn't fighting for those issues, or even for freedom or democracy. He's doing it to stay alive."

Killing and Christ's Command
"Simply stated, broken relationships can interfere with our relationship with God and we are hypocrites if we claim to love God while demonstrating hate toward each other. If we are to make it into the Kingdom of Glory, we must keep peace in our heart with our fellow man. Killing for any reason, other than that which is transcribed in Exodus 21:13, is wrong and will ultimately lead us to the fire of hell. As a member of the military, I believe that these passages apply when we are placed in the unenviable position of having to kill in order to protect and prevent the same from happening to ourselves. Since we are in a time of war, many of us while in combat are placed in a position where we are forced to act extemporaneously and we may never know if it is in violation or in support of God’s holy demand."

Sermon on the Mount: Struggling to Be Christian
“Matthew Chapter 5, verse 21 and 22 concern about our morality. Our sins are liable regardless of their size. We are liable for anger or even foul language. We live our life with so much anger and bitterness, especially during wartime. When we hear death of our fellow soldiers, we feel sad and angry at the same time. Soldiers in combat unit may think about killing the enemy for revenge. Recently, there was shocking news that a few soldiers killed innocent civilians for revenge of their friend’s death. It is difficult to live our life without feeling anger. As Christians, we need to pray for our sins in daily life and follow the teaching of our Christ.

“Verse 38-48 are Jesus’ teaching on how to love others. In verse 48, Jesus told us to be perfect as our God. We know no one is perfect in this world. Nonetheless, we Christians must follow Christ’s footstep and get closer to perfection of love. Jesus said Christians must open their heart, even if they have different religious background. We cannot assume that non-Christians are bad because they do not believe in Jesus. Recent fights between the U.S. and Iraq make some Christians hate Muslims even though it is only a very small percentage of Muslims who are terrorists. According to verse 44 we should “love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us.” It seems like some Christians have forgotten the teachings of Jesus.”

Sermon on the Mount and Rules of War
“In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus states. “Blessed are the pure at heart, for they shall see god”. I believe that he is saying that if in your own mind, you do and think what is right, then you will go to heaven. I think this is a difficult idea to discuss in the time of war. Unfortunately all of the world’s inhabitants have different ideas. So does a young man trying to get to heaven, never get there because he is killing his fellow man? I don’t think so; I think if that combatant is following basic rules of war, and killing only when he has to, then he should believe his heart is pure. On the other hand, those that purposely kill none combatants, or destroy things of no military value, cannot be pure of heart.”

Rules of Engagement
"In Matthew 38-48, it speaks on self defense, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” If you are struck, strike he who has stricken you. It seems God is giving us permission to defend ourselves, but it is much more preferable that we forgive, because it goes on to say, “But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.” If someone comes to you and strikes you, turn and let him strike the other side. I see it to imply that we aren’t to let another’s evil or anger affect us personally.

"This is what we use today, as we are deployed, in our Rules of Engagement. This gives guidelines to what actions we are to take given different circumstances. One thing is certain; we aren’t to engage until we have been engaged, or our life is endangered. "

Averting War Through the Forgiveness of Jesus
"In a time of war, it is even more important to forgive and to give what you can for peace and joy. For example, in the Iraqi War, if the Muslims or the people who are trying to kill American here in Iraq, would heed Jesus’ teaching, to love thy enemy and pray for those who persecute them instead of retaliating , it is possible the war would be over and there would be peace among the Nations.

"The same could be said for us. If America had acted with forgiveness instead of persecuting Saddam for his actions, the war may have been averted: maybe we could have eliminated all this chaos and destruction that is going on in the world today. Maybe the price of oil would have gone down instead of going up. The relations of the world would be more peaceful if we solved problems with love and forgiveness, instead of violence, which makes the innocent suffer the cost of war.

"If everyone in the world would just learn to live by the teachings of Jesus on forgiveness, giving and loving unconditionally, this war or any other war would be unnecessary. "

Forgiving Civilians in the Department of The Army
"The message I have received from the Gospel is to display forgiveness. Currently I am deployed in Iraq. I've been in the desert a total of almost 22 months out of the last 2 years. How it's supposed to work is, when you return from a deployment, civilians in the Department of The Army are supposed to evaluate your time overseas. However, this hasn't been the case with the individual in charge of my career. I finally returned home October of last year and I figured that I would remain stateside at least a couple of months. Instead, I was redeployed as soon as I got my new duty assignment. As you can imagine, this was not what I anticipated.

"Because I would be separated from my wife again, for an undetermined period of time, I felt spite toward these particular individuals. So far I am doing fine. I've learned how to deal with my contempt through exercising and reading, as well as just talking to other people. I know I will come out of this better than I came in. We have it pretty good out here. I gain strength in my relationships every day. I am thankful for everyday I am living, and I hope I will continue to grow."

A Personal Experience of Forgiveness in Christ
"Growing up, I thought I would never forgive my Dad for what he did to my family, but as I started learning Christ's teaching, my heart was soften. I decided I could forgive him but still didn't plan on him being in my life, nor my children’s.

"After a while I really started to understand that, in order to free myself from the pain, I not only had to forgive him, but I had to remember those things no more. I started making an effort to get to know him, and even made a trip so he could meet my children. We now have a pretty good relationship; but the best part is, I am able to reach my full potential because I completely forgave him.

"He still has never apologized, but that is between Him and God. We are not called to judge, but to love. And that is when we unlock our full potential, and receive the greatest joy."

"Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount tells us that not only should you not kill, but you will also be judged on even having anger in your heart. “You have heard that is was said to the men of old, you shall not kill; and whoever kills shall be liable to judgment. But I say to you that every one who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment.” How can we live by these words in a time or war?

Killing for a Nation
"If we strictly interpret these words, they are impossible for Christian soldiers to uphold. But killing for a nation is different than killing out of anger. As a soldier, you carry out the work of a nation. We are killing the faceless enemy. The act of killing is personal, but the motive is not. I think love and sacrifice at the mention of Jesus, the same feeling I have when I hear mention of the Medal of Honor. God and country are deeply rooted in me. In order for a nation survive, a portion of the population must share the responsibility of soldiers. While we may be judged, one thing is sure. We would all meet that judgment very quickly if there were no patriots to fight off the wolves."

Who Would Be Judged?
"In time of war, I as a Soldier often made decisions that have consequences in this world - and the next world. I was leading my men on a combat patrol in the city of Baghdad. When a Sniper engaged my men in a narrow alley, we were fortunate to have God on our side, because the bullets missed my men and hit the concrete wall around them. When my men returned fire at the direction of the Sniper (which was determined by the direction of the concrete pieces impacting on the ground), the Sniper disengaged and relocated to another position within the neighborhood. In the Sermon on the Mount, it states, you shall not kill; and whoever kills shall be liable to judgment.

"But I trained my men to kill those who are trying to kill them, and also to protect the innocent from harm. My men reacted as they were trained, and that saved lives. If one of my men would have killed the Sniper during that engagement, then who would be judged: the man who pulled the trigger or the man who gave the order to pull the trigger?

"As a Soldier, I often have to make decisions that I believe a civilian probably would never make in his or her life time - decisions like telling a Soldier to go into an open area, under fire, and retrieve a dead Iraqi National Guard Soldier in order to return him to his unit. My Soldier executed that task and I thank God that he did his job and we returned that Soldier to his unit for last rites. I do not know how I would feel if my men would have died in combat under my command. That is all I can say on this matter…"

I Turned Away
"During my last few combat missions while serving in Iraq, I had the pleasure of securing some detainees that were caught handling a cache site containing explosive materials. All six of the men and children surrendered with no problem, but one decided to escape and send a message out to warn others. Well, he did not get the chance to execute his plan; he had to undergo several interrogations with our intelligence department. Now, I come to an impasse, because I can hear this man making noise that is pleasant to my ears. I know my fellow Soldiers are probably doing things that they should not be doing in order to extract pieces of information... But I turned away and did nothing.

"The emotions that go through Soldiers while in combat makes it very hard to determine what is right by law, or right by God’s law."

A Soldier's Love for his Wife (Paul's 1st Letter to Corinthians, 13:1-13)

I believe that as we mature in our relationships with our significant others and with age, what love is also matures. 

When you first fall in love, there are the stomach butterflies, anticipation of when you will meet next, and overall excitement. Initially there cannot be a whole lot of trust ("Love is not jealous"), especially for those that have had bad relationships in the past regarding trust issues. There may be initial responses of resentment. But as my relationship has progressed and as my maturity level has increased, I believe that the love I have for my wife is much tenderer than in those first few months. I have learned that she is her own person, and I am mine. It is better to accept this ("Love does not insist on its own way") than to try and control.

Our love has given us two wonderful son’s that mean the world to us ("Love bears all things"). We have been married for seventeen years and have had a steep learning curve as with most relationships, and as of now we have prevailed. I know what makes her happy, and she knows the same of me. We have had to endure years of separation ("Love endures all things") due to the military, and she has been my rock. 

I have seen, in people I work with on these deployments, that their relationships have turned to dust. I can always count on the fact that she is there and she is taking care of our children and our home. So in conclusion, when I read this paragraph, I instantly have the vision of my true love, my wife. (Master Sgt. David P.)

Agape: An Essay On 1 Corinthians
"1 Corinthians 13:1-13 is one of my very favorite Scriptures of the New Testament; not just as a believer in Christ who knows that this can and should be used as a guide on how to treat ALL people, and not just as a husband who knows that it is one of the best guides on how to treat my wife, but because upon deep study it truly reveals to me how much my Lord and Savior loves me and has sacrificed for me.

"In the context of Christian belief, the single biggest reason that love is superior to all other emotions and feelings is simply because it is, quite literally, responsible for eternal salvation and destination. The entire chapter of 1 Corinthians 13 and its description of love as not being rude, self-seeking, easily angered, not keeping a record of wrongs, but being protective, trustworthy, hopeful and persevering, is my entire reason for life. Without it, what Christ did for all mankind would not be possible.

"Consider the fact that despite Christ’s knowledge (not mankind’s finite knowledge, but an omniscient knowledge he was indwelt with as a result of being God in the flesh) that the VAST majority of humanity would reject Him, He chose to die for them anyways….and not because He knew that it was ‘right’ or because He had to, but because He loved them. Every one of them…ESPECIALLY those who chose to reject him.

"There are three types of love spoken of in the Bible. The first is eros, which is intended to convey the sense of erotic, intimate love, such as that shared by a man and his wife. The second is phileo, which is intended to convey the idea of brotherly love or personal affection between two good friends, yet expects some type of return.

"The third type of love, however, and the type of love that Paul speaks of here, is agape. Agape love is unconditional love; and it is from and of God Himself. 1 John 4:8 backs this up, saying, simply, ‘God is love.’ Agape love is perfectly described in 1 Corinthians 13. It loves without expecting anything in return; it loves those who desire no love or deserve no love; it does not anger or grow jealous; it forgives and keeps no tally of injustices suffered; and it is sacrificial.

"I myself got a glimpse of this recently, in my kitchen, of all places. My son began to choke in a malfunctioning high chair, and despite my best efforts I could not undo the clip to release him from the chair. I was ready to literally break the chair in pieces to rescue my son; thankfully, just as I was ready to, the clip holding my son in the high chair separated by itself (why it would not separate for me, yet literally sprung apart seconds later, I cannot say, although I can come up with a reason or two why, given the context of this essay), and I was able to administer the infant Heimlich maneuver and restore his airway.

"Upon reflection, it hit me that God wanted to do exactly that with His own Son. He wanted to save Christ from what He knew awaited His Son…yet because God loved the world, He stood by and allowed His own Son to be sacrificed in one of the most torturous ways known to man, in order to provide a path to Him for those who would accept His Son as Savior. The knowledge that my own love, ready to break apart the world in order to save my own son, pales in comparison to that displayed by Christ towards us, humbled me.

"Faith allows us to believe in an eternal, almighty God and His Son; self-sacrifice allows us to gain for our own personal ends. Knowledge allows us to learn more about God, and prophetic power allows us to know more about the future and God’s plan for us; but ONLY love, in the form of Christ, allowed us to gain eternal life. To me, that is why love is superior to all else. Without love, and more specifically, agape love, mankind would be spiritually lost, not just now but for all eternity." (M.W.)

The Call
"The felt the call to join the Army many years ago when I was still 17. I was just a punk kid floating around, causing a little trouble but as I grew up I felt a stirring I couldn't contain. I dropped out of school and joined up. I finished training, went to college for a while but there was a war in Bosnia going hot and I dropped out of college to go there.
"I just felt that my place was there. I was drawn there for reasons I still cannot understand. It was an eye opener and when I returned I was changed, so I taught the myriad lessons learned from that place to my young troops. Again I tried to return to normal life, but I couldn't make it work; there was that calling and stirring telling me I had to go. To where I didn't know, but at that point it didn't matter; I knew God had a plan.
"Iraq was drawing me fast and once again I dropped out of college to go to war- again. Away I went, running the lead gun truck for a small patrol element for a year. It wasn't until after I retruned that I realized God had put me through all he did up to that point to train me for my part in the war. God meant for me to lead those men and do what I did there for reasons I still struggle with. God meant for me to do the things necessary to get my guys home alive. I still try to reconcile things from our days there and it is a burden God placed on me. I was called and I answered; I was afraid and uncertain but I let myself be guided.
"I know the call very well, it was the same call that made me a father and a husband. I never intended to be a husband or father, I never considered myself to be of the right character to be a good one, but once again God had other plans. While there are things about my service I will never tell my children, I do my best to be the father and husband my family deserve. I have tried to understand the motives of the call of God, but I failed. Now if he calls, I just answer and do my best. then again maybe that is just what God wanted in the first place."

Responses to Paul's Passage on Christian Love
1. "Love is frustrating. Love is pain. Love is calling someone at any time. Love is hurting oneself without knowing it. Love is caring. Love is hurting oneself while knowing it but letting it happen anyways. Perfect love is One. Love is kind. Love is forgiving in a heartbeat. Love is a need. Love is confusing. Love is exhilarating. Love doesn’t want to let go. Love is sleepless nights. Love is my best friend. Love is my enemy. Only One love is always unfailing. Love is trust. Love is laughter. Love is tears. Love is promises kept, promises broken. Love is timeless. Love is what we all want. One love holds the world together. I enjoy love. Love is taking someone else's pain to be yours. Love is continuous. Love is the story of our life. Love is nightmares. Love is beautiful. Love is sacrificing. Love is keeping the mouth shut. Love is treating someone like I would like to be treated. Love is an action. Love is foolish. Love makes me look at myself. Love is needs met. Love is dreams. Loved is being totally rejected. Love is thankless. Love is unhealthy and healthy. Love is chivalrous. Love is manners. Love is universal. Love is expected. Love is thankful. Love is uncertain. Love is absence of judgment. Love is helpful. Love is cute. Love is bliss." (Tayor. C., Navy corpsman)

2. Love Is Patient
"Love is something that grows over the course of time. It does not have a schedule. I have been married for twelve years now, and I can truly say that I love my wife more now than twelve years ago. “Patience” is definitely a key element in “Love”. Without patience, love will turn into hatred very quickly. When I met my wife about fifteen years ago, I didn’t love her as much then as I do now. There were times when she cried and I would ask “why are you crying?’ But if she were to cry now, I would start crying as well, without asking anything. I am at the point now where I can just look into her saddened eyes and tell what is wrong." D.L.

"Combat will cause growing pains in your personality. I am most thankful to my Lord Jesus for giving me the strength to survive and the constant strength to deal with the aftermath of war. PTSD is a curse I would not put upon my worst enemy. But one thing that has come of my experiences is that I have not had a bad day since August 2005. I have lost my best friend of 37 years in combat. Then my own experience of being caught in a deliberate attack that blew up my vehicle. I had to fire my weapon at the enemy, trying to kill him. I have no confirmation of any enemy dying, but I am an excellent marksman and I was trying.  All of these are short abbreviations of what has been happening in my life. They have bound me to Christ in a way that goes straight to the soul of who I am. I live with the guilt of surviving combat and with the knowledge that I have committed the greatest of sins against humanity, the taking of another’s life. All of which has been forgiven by the Savior.

 

"I am amazed at how people will live their lives without any regard to the consequences of their actions.  The truth of life is love. In the Christian belief Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice. God himself gave up his human life as a sacrifice so that all other inequities are forgiven.  With this act he only left us with one true Commandment, Love your neighbor as you love yourself. True Christian life is about serving others. I try to be a servant to those who need my assistance. It is a hard life to live. I am human and all the selfish tendencies that come with that. I am a work in progress!" ~G. C.


 Sermon on the Mount Through a Soldier's Eyes
"Many of the teachings of Jesus found in the Gospels can seem, on the surface, as contradictory, and these lessons are sometimes easily dismissed as antiquated, or out of touch and no longer useful to the modern world. However, what some people may consider contradictory, others may simply view as open to interpretation. Let us examine some of verses of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount as an example, and attempt to apply them to modern life and the profession of arms:

In the Beatitudes of the book of Matthew, Jesus told his disciples that "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God." Interpreted at its most basic level, one might understand this lesson from Jesus to his followers as implying that if they fought, or waged war, they could not be considered true Christians. However, in the verse immediately proceeding this one, Jesus tells us that "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." To me, these statements must be read and interpreted together, and my resulting conclusion regarding what Jesus thought of warfare is that war, fought for the right reasons, is considered just. If a person fights another person to protect the innocent, or a country fights another country to depose a tyrant who is guilty of genocide, are these not two examples of being "pure in heart"? Further, the term "peacemaker" is open to wide interpretation, and does not necessarily mean Jesus was referring to those who were strict pacifists. In World War II, the Allied nations could easily be seen as "peacemakers", in that they undertook arms only to stop the belligerent Axis nations.

Jesus tells his disciples in verses 14 through 16 of chapter 5 that they are the light of the world, and they should not hide their worship of God, but instead let their light shine so that others might learn from their good works. I view this lesson as an analogue to much of what modern, democratic countries such as the United States try to teach people around the world regarding human rights and the value of democracy. When the U.S. military goes to war, it must follow strict rules of engagement, and is bound by moral principles such as those set out in the Geneva Conventions, regardless of if our adversaries adhere to these same rules or not. In fighting a war "the right way", the U.S. seeks to serve as an example to other nations and other peoples of the world. Some may consider the United State's continuing attempts to spread democracy to other nations as imperialistic, but to many Americans, it is simply our duty to "let our light shine".

Finally, in chapter 6, verses 14 and 15, Jesus reminds his disciples that we must forgive others the wrongs they have committed against us, in order for God to forgive the wrongs we ourselves have committed. This concept is applicable to Soldiers and warfighters everywhere, in that once an adversary is beaten, he is entitled humane and fair treatment, just as we would want for our own forces. If the United States conquers a country for whatever reason, upon defeating that country's army we do not slaughter it's civilians in retribution for the fight. Instead, we forgive whatever wrongs have been committed on both sides, and work together to forge ahead. It is as simple but important a concept as "treat others as you would be treated."

In taking a little time and thinking more about the concept that Jesus was trying to teach rather then taking his words at their most literal meaning, we can bring all of his teachings from the Sermon on the Mount into line with modern life."  ~Brandon S.

A Unique Perspective by a Devout Jewish Soldier
"When I was a young deployed private, I had a particularly terrifying experience stopped near a Wadi outside Shank, located in the Logar province of Eastern Afghanistan. We had been a position to block the road, nearly all of the unbearably hot day, and the locals were antsy. Understandably they were upset and frustrated, we couldn't give them answers on why we were at a standstill, and they began to gather around our gun trucks shouting for an interpreter. Long story short, we opened the truck to let our interpreter out, and people began swarming towards the back of our truck.

"Panic stricken I locked and loaded my M-16 and promptly shoved it directly into a little boys face who was climbing up the steps to enter my truck. He immediately stopped, backed down the stairs, and ran off in the other direction. Even though he had acquiesced, that face haunted me for weeks afterwards.

"I located a chaplain on our FOB, and he directed me to this exact passage, Matthew, and Jesus Sermon on the Mount. It seemed in his opinion that my heart was moved not to pull the trigger that day because I was practicing the love for others and the humanity that Jesus taught. I argued vehemently with him.  I strongly believe that if the boy hadn't stopped and retreated quickly I wouldn't be telling the same story right now. In my view, you cannot practice the actions that are encouraged in his teaching from these passages, if you are a trained warrior, actively engaged in fighting for your life. In an "us or them" scenario, you know as a soldier that it will be them... Not just to preserve yourself, but to preserve the lives of all your brothers in that situation with you. I would rather face an eternity in hell for disobeying that teaching, than an eternity in the hell of my own mind if I had let my fellow soldier die at the hands of any of our enemy."   ~M.C.