Protest Warrior

[Arthur]

David, that's a good point and I think about the same thing.  I dunno, the Bible doesn't say that Christian should not go to war.  I think it is left up to the individual.  

The US is doing it for the right reasons though, to set people free.  That goes in line with what Jesus came to do. I think it's interesting--Israel is surrounded by Muslim nations, and beyond that there is mostly-anti Israel Europe to the West and anti-Isreal Russia to the North and anti-Israel China to the East.  Only the U.S.  way out here on a whole separate continent, supports her.  Why is that?  I'm thinking it's all according to God's sovereign plan, and it's no conincidence that this country was founded with Christian principles and morals and many Christians have lived here during its history, as well as missionaries being sent out to the whole world.  Though the US has its share of corruption, I'm leaning toward the view that the US is part of God's check to evil in this world.

[David Mauldin]

Guys be careful what you read- I suspect the "Rumor" that Saddam had been injured was started by our gov. to insight apathy amongst his own people. Truthfully you must admit the news we were given in the beggining of the war is not what is happening now. I suggest that the best way to get an unbiased view is to tune into foriegn cable stations.  Yes they have there own bias but some of these countries are much farther removed which limits there need to lie.

[Joe Sperling]

"To everything thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven." Ecc 3:1

"...a time to love, a time to hate, a time of war, and a time of peace." v. 8

David--You are right there is a time to turn the other cheek, but there are times when violence is necessary. If someone broke into your home and began to attack your wife would you turn the other cheek? If you saw a man about to kill his own children would you turn the other cheek?

Saddam Hussein first "broke into his neighbors house"(Kuwait) and then killed his own people.
He, like Osama Bin Laden is a man of fierceness
and evil. He refused to comply with U.N. requests and
is a terrorist. Is it only Christian if you turn the other
cheek? No. jesus never said anything about not being able to defend yourself or others. He asks us to be a father to the fatherless and defend the old and weak. If that means going on the offensive so be it.

--Joe

[Arthur]

Joe, that's a good point!  God does make it clear that one of the things he does and one of the marks of a righteous man is that he defends those who are oppressed.  Thanks for reminding us about that.

Isa 1:17
17 Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.

Isa 58:6
Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?

Ps. 146 7-9
7 Which executeth judgment for the oppressed: which giveth food to the hungry. The LORD looseth the prisoners: 8 The LORD openeth the eyes of the blind: the LORD raiseth them that are bowed down: the LORD loveth the righteous: 9 The LORD preserveth the strangers; he relieveth the fatherless and widow: but the way of the wicked he turneth upside down.

Acts 7:24
And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he[Moses] defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian:  

Acts 10:38
How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.  

[Mrs. Arthur]

Did you guys read the stuff that Wanda Baucus said?  She is just messed up!  She should have just said, "Gee Saddam isn't that bad and I didn't think Hitler was all that bad either - matter of fact Hitler cared about the people he was massacring too!"

[4Him]

Guys be careful what you read- I suspect the "Rumor" that Saddam had been injured...

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that I believe that Saddam is indeed fairly severely injured, possibly paralyzed. Look at a couple of the recently released videos, especially the one in black & white showing him and his "counsel".  He is just sitting there slouched in his chair w/a dull/dazed look on his face not even speaking.  Only his aides make addresses and you never see him standing up.
If I'm wrong then give me ten lashes w/a wet noodle.

[4Him]

... Arn't you people suppose to be "Heavenly Minded?"...

David,
I find your reference to being "heavenly minded" interesting.  This was a common phrase used by GG.  It is only assembly types that are supposed to be "Heavenly Minded" in the way you seem to be intimating.
Now, that being said, it is indeed essential to Christianity to defend the weak and oppressed from those who would abuse them, enslave them and murder them.  The Spirit of the Lord [is] upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,Luke 4:18.
This bulletin board itself was established as a frontal assault on the forces of evil that those in bondage might be delivered.  We have a right, on this ground and many others to bring an end to this wicked man.  He has had many opportunities to repent.

[David Mauldin]

"My kingdom is not of this world, My kingdom is an heavenly kingdom, if my kingdom were of this world then my disciples would fight, but it is not of this world..."


                                   JESUS

[vbeers]

arthur-
do you really believe that we are over there to set the iraquis free?  do you really believe that to me the core motivation for our presense in iraq?

if so, why aren't we also fighting in places like rwanda...or do we just plan to knock these places off one at a time?

i would be very interested to learn different peoples' perspectives on why we are there.  so, let's have at it!

[Arthur]

Good question and I've wondered the same thing.  I don't know where all the United States is fighting, they may be in rwanda doing covert ops, who knows.  
But the main reason for why Iraq and not others is that those others are kinda small fries and do not have the capablity of wmd (weapons of mass destruction).  If Hitler would have been stopped years before 1939, instead of trying appeasement as Britian and France did, there probably would not have been the holocaust, major world war, etc.  Hilter and Nazi Germany posed a major threat.  I guess Bush thinks that Saddam poses enough of a threat to stop him.  
Also, I think this is a continuation of a response to the terrosist attack of 9/11.  I think Bush shouldn't stop at Iraq but go on to Saudi Arabia and Iran, seeing as how they support the terrorist activities as much as Iraq, if not more.

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=31784

If someone thinks America profits by this war, then they aren't living here and seeing the $2/gal gas prices or they haven't heard that Bush asked Congress for $70 billion to pay for the war.  I hope the US gets some oil out of this, lol.

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2003/3/21/133453.shtml

[vbeers]

i guess i just have a hard time believing that we are all that noble.  i see the vast majority of our public policy as needing to be changed and yet our politicians won't step up to the plate to change it (health care, social security, drug law) b/c to do would be to commit political suicide.  american politics have become such that most people will say whatever needs to be said to get them in office and / or to keep them in office.  look at bush's latest atrocity with regard to farm aid.  sigining that bill into effect was completely contrary to what he said he would do in his presidential campaign.  i would therefore bet that we aren't in iraq for such a noble reason as to free the iraqis.  granted, i hope to be correct in my belief that Bush is a God-fearing Christian who really has been on his face before the Lord, but i still think there's more to the story.  

call me a skeptic, but i don't think the american public knows our true motivations for being in this war.  

our troops have my full support and i am not saying that we shouldn't be there.  i am simply saying that i wish our politicians would be more forthright with the public.

[MGov]

The Americans did not participate in WWII until Pearl Harbor. They delayed until they were literally forced to enter the war effort, and they were criticized for doing so.  My opinion is that they should have entered in much earlier.  Many more Jews perished because of a lack of compassion, and a "hands off" attitude.
NOW, Bush has chosen to avoid that kind of situation(so to speak) and is being criticized for doing so.  The media has such an unbelievable influence on our opinions.  I suggest that we learn to truly 'listen' to people.  As Christians, our judgements can be true, because God is not the author of confusion.  The media produces news(accurate or not).  I recommend a movie:
Double Edge
1992, Drama, PG-13
Director: Amos Kollek With: Faye Dunaway, Amos Kollek, Mohammed Bakri, Makram Khoury, Michael Schneider, Shmuel Shiloh
Aggressive, but unenlightened, NEW YORK TIMES reporter Faye Milano (Faye Dunaway) is sent to Israel to report on the "simple" issues of the Arab-Israeli conflict. Her naivete draws her into the fray.
Enjoy.

[David Mauldin]

So far no chemical weapons have been found!  So far plenty of innocent people have been slaughtered!  So far WHY???

[retread]

So far no chemical weapons have been found!  So far plenty of innocent people have been slaughtered!  So far WHY???

I would assume that the current game plan is to first remove the resistance, then look for the weapons of mass destruction.  This only makes sense doesn't it?  It is kind of difficult to search for stuff if the Iraqi military is shooting at you.  Weapons of mass destruction may be found in the first phase of this, but I suspect that we may have to wait to the Iraqi resistance is removed before we find Saddam's nasty stuff.  Who knows the WOMD may have even been moved outside of Iraq's borders by now.

[retread]

So far no chemical weapons have been found!  So far plenty of innocent people have been slaughtered!  So far WHY???

And plenty of "innocent" people would have been slaughtered without the attack on Saddam as well.  Many activities have risk to the innocent, operating a motor vehicle for example.  If it is the innocent that people are concerned about, why don't they complain more about risky activities other than the war?  Perhaps it is really the intended targets (the guilty) that they are really concerned about.  Our bullets are not intended to kill the innocent, just as motor vehicles are not intended to kill the innocent, but they both do (and did you ever see how some of those guys drive over there).  In my opinion, Saddam is a bigger risk to the "innocent" than our guns or "even" Iraqi drivers.