Nationalism and the Christian
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We have a few key terms that need to be addressed.
1) Murder
Murder is unlawful killing. Wartime efforts are usually considered to be legally sanctioned by the government one is under. In 1 Sam 15:3 we see God commanding the people through Samuel to kill children and infants. Was this murder? No, because it was lawfully sanctioned killing (unless you are suggesting that God could be guilty of inciting murder?).
"Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass." - 1 Samuel 15:3 KJV
The question you are reasonably trying to ask should be "Are you OK with killing thousands of children because politicians have made it law to do so?"
2) Innocence
We see that despite infants having neither done good nor evil, they are elected to different things:
"(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth; )" - Romans 9:11
We also see that all have sinned:
"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" - Romans 3:23 KJV
3) Political Corruption
We see that we are instructed to follow authorities that have been placed over us:
"Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God." - Romans 13:1 KJV
If this is the case, what are the higher governing powers considered to be? One cannot have two masters. If we follow the orders of a local government and one from afar we run into trouble:
"No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other." - Luke 16:13a
Summarising Example:
If one was in the military and was told "go kill that child soldier" we may see how there is a moral dilemma which depends on how we observe Romans 13:1. It might be the case that the child soldier never killed anyone (although it is a common initiation practise to force a child soldier to kill someone) and just happened to be recruited. So that would fit the scenario of an "innocent child" and we can call them a victim of war but that doesn't change the fact that they are an armed enemy combatant ready to do the bidding of their masters.
Our conscience could tell us how to best handle the situation, but maybe not. If we have internal conflict but still perform the action, that internal conflict can come up as PTSD later in the case of the person that killed the child soldier in combat.
There is a moral dilemma here that I don't feel like I have a clear answer to. I'd like to have input on this though.
1) Murder
Murder is unlawful killing. Wartime efforts are usually considered to be legally sanctioned by the government one is under. In 1 Sam 15:3 we see God commanding the people through Samuel to kill children and infants. Was this murder? No, because it was lawfully sanctioned killing (unless you are suggesting that God could be guilty of inciting murder?).
"Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass." - 1 Samuel 15:3 KJV
The question you are reasonably trying to ask should be "Are you OK with killing thousands of children because politicians have made it law to do so?"
2) Innocence
We see that despite infants having neither done good nor evil, they are elected to different things:
"(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth; )" - Romans 9:11
We also see that all have sinned:
"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" - Romans 3:23 KJV
3) Political Corruption
We see that we are instructed to follow authorities that have been placed over us:
"Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God." - Romans 13:1 KJV
If this is the case, what are the higher governing powers considered to be? One cannot have two masters. If we follow the orders of a local government and one from afar we run into trouble:
"No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other." - Luke 16:13a
Summarising Example:
If one was in the military and was told "go kill that child soldier" we may see how there is a moral dilemma which depends on how we observe Romans 13:1. It might be the case that the child soldier never killed anyone (although it is a common initiation practise to force a child soldier to kill someone) and just happened to be recruited. So that would fit the scenario of an "innocent child" and we can call them a victim of war but that doesn't change the fact that they are an armed enemy combatant ready to do the bidding of their masters.
Our conscience could tell us how to best handle the situation, but maybe not. If we have internal conflict but still perform the action, that internal conflict can come up as PTSD later in the case of the person that killed the child soldier in combat.
There is a moral dilemma here that I don't feel like I have a clear answer to. I'd like to have input on this though.
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NUMBERS 1: BATTLE READY ISRAELITES (also chapter 26:1,2)
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tabernacle of the congregation, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying,
2 Take ye the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, after their families, by the house of their fathers, with the number of their names, every male by their polls;
3 From twenty years old and upward, all that are able to go forth to war in Israel: thou and Aaron shall number them by their armies.
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tabernacle of the congregation, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying,
2 Take ye the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, after their families, by the house of their fathers, with the number of their names, every male by their polls;
3 From twenty years old and upward, all that are able to go forth to war in Israel: thou and Aaron shall number them by their armies.
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