- The war is only started and controlled by authority of the state or the ruler.
- There must be a just cause; those attacked are attacked because they deserve it.
- The war must be fought to promote good or avoid evil. Peace and justice must be restored afterwards.
Later two other conditions were added:
- The war must be the last resort; all other possible ways of solving the problem must have been tried out.
- There must be ‘proportionality’ in the way the war is fought e.g. innocent civilians should not be killed. You must use only enough force to achieve your goals, not more. (It would not be ‘proportionate’ for example, to bomb a whole village because the enemy is hiding in one house.)
Christians may also use the just war theory guidelines to influence their willingness to fight a war if they know that they have God agreeing with their decisions.
Christians may also fight if they believe that God is on their side, this is called a ‘holy war’
(b) Explain how these teachings might influence the actions of a believer
Teachings such as pacifism might influence the actions of a believer because they believe that violence is wrong, but there are many different sections of Christianity that have different beliefs on war. A just war is a war, which allows Christians to fight, but only under five circumstances. The five just war theories were listed in part (a) and so below explains how these rules may influence a Christians reasoning for/ against war and violence.
- Proper Authority
- The first condition in a just war will influence a believer’s action on a war. They will only fight if given authority by their leader or country.
2. Just Cause
- The second rule influences a believer to go to war only if it is for good. A war fought for revenge is not acceptable.
3. Just aim
- And the third rule given by Thomas Aquinas will influence a believer in done what needs to be done, not what they want to be done, but must enforce good. And so peace and justice must be restored.
Thomas Aquinas gave the three just war circumstances in the 13th Century. The next two rules were given by other people later in life and are my favourite rules, they say that war is the last resort, and the innocent must not be hurt. This will also influence the actions of a believer, as they it will make them aware of what threat they will appose on innocent. They will make sure they will only illuminate a threat on promise of no innocent casualties.
- Discrimination
- Proportionality
Conscientious objectors are people who oppose to violence whatever the rules say. This belief is going to have an influence on the believer, as they will not fight in a war. However, this believer can still be involver in the war but as an aid, driver of a medical vehicle. So they are part of a war, but instead of killing, they may be saving lives, so they are not involved in the violence, which they strongly disagree in.
A holy war is a war fought by a group of believer who believe that God is on their side. They will fight a war only if they believe this on the day. This however, is not always a great idea, as the two Christian sides fighting may both believe that God is on their side, and God cant be on two side at once; or maybe he can. God is everywhere, so he could be on both sides; but the bible teaches that God is all loving, so I don’t believe God would be on one side and not the other.
Some Christians believe that it is all right to use violence as a form of self-defence; they will on attack if they are threatened or attacked. Roman Catholics may go to war and then confess to free him of his sins, but all these different views on fighting in war or using violence, are all opinionated, whether the Christian thinks that it is right to use there violence.
As I have said before, there are different ways in fighting wars, other than violence and conflict. Christians look at real life situations, which can influence their belief. Martin Luther King was a powerful black man who fought the rights of black men. He believed that using violence was wrong, so he used his words and thoughts to fight his war. He used no violence and no weapon, as he fought by protesting, getting many people to parade down streets, meet and talk to get there belief that black men and women should have the same rights as the white people. Martin Luther king was a very powerful speaker, a very enthusiastic speak, and used some very powerful speeches to get his views across. For example he used his most famous speech to put his Christian beliefs into action. The speak was named:“I have a dream”
I say to you today, my friends, that in spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal."
I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood.
I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.
I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character.
I have a dream today.
I have a dream that one day the state of Alabama, whose governor's lips are presently dripping with the words of interposition and nullification, will be transformed into a situation where little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls and walk together as sisters and brothers.
This is just a little bit of his greatest speech, which gets his views of racial discrimination across to the white people
Christians may follow Martin Luther King’s actions, and experiment with them for themselves, which in effect will discourage these Christians in using weapons, resulting in deaths and casualties. Martin Luther King was just as successful in speaking and protesting, than the army’s who fight to kill. I feel that it gets the point across in a much better way, as nobody is killed or hurt.
Another powerful leader was Mother Teresa who was an Albanian Roman Catholic nun who devoted her life to the many penniless and suffering people in India, Calcutta. Her actions influence many Roman Catholics to help all over the world to raise money for poor people of the world (e.g. Nuns, who even now work amongst the poor all over the world). Mother Teresa earned herself a Nobel peace prize in 1979 and was to die in 1997.
So all these teaching are ways in which Christians can either use violence under controlled circumstances or different ways in using violence. They are all ways in which the believer can do their action knowing that they are not doing evil, and having God beside them all the way.
(c) ‘War is killing and all killing is wrong; therefore, war is wrong.’
Do you agree? Give reasons to support your opinion and show that you thought about different points of view. You must refer to the region, which you are studying in your answer.
I believe that war is and isn’t wrong. I believe this, as war is right as a form of self-defence or revenge. If I was to be attacked by another person I would fight back, or if this person was to hurt a friend, I would seek revenge although maybe wrong, it is what my instinct would tell me. War is wrong, as innocent people are being killed, maybe more innocent people killed than the enemy being killed, but I do believe that the punishers are to be punished. Although what I believe is to be correct, as a Christian; many other Christians would disagree with me. A Christian may agree with me when I say that the punishers should be punished because we cannot let murderers get away with such a crime, and Jesus was not afraid to use force. Although many Christians may disagree with my belief about punishment because in Matthew 5:4 it says “ Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”
By looking at the teachings of Christians, maybe I believe in a just war, I agree with all the rules, and seem to abide by them. A just war to me, seems the only good way to fight a war; only enough firepower to kill the enemy, the last resort and authority must be given for the war to proceed.
Other religions such as Muslims may disagree with me when I say that revenge is ok, and that using the just war theory is a good war for starting a war, as Muslims believe that starting a war is forbidden, but they will agree with me when I say that using self defence is acceptable, because they believe that self-defence is the only way that violence can be used. They also believe that using violence must be in an attempt to build peace as hadith say
“Hate your enemy mildly; he may become your friend one day.”
Muslim religion teaches that war is the Last resort based on the teachings of Qur’an
O mankind! We created you from a single pair of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know each other, not that you might despise each other. Truly the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous. Sarah 49:13