christianity
Defense and explanation of Christian doctrine, practice, and worldview through rigorous biblical argumentation.
Questions and answers on pacifism and the sword Paid Members Public
James M. Arlandson Christians are commanded to love their enemies, so are Christian soldiers and police officers permitted to kill them? How can they maintain their witness about God when they may have to pull the trigger? Wasnt Jesus a pacifist? Wouldnt revelations guide the State better than reason? This
Should the State turn the other cheek? Paid Members Public
James M. Arlandson I have often heard confusing and confused uses of "turn the other cheek." The saying seems so imbalanced and out of touch with reality, as it circulates around the world, out of context and isolated. Someone gets punched, and he is told to turn the
Church and Stateand the Sword Paid Members Public
James M. Arlandson Confusion too often prevails over discussions on the relation between the Church and the State. Things get even more complicated when the swordmilitary and law enforcementis brought into the debate. Should the Church be a State of sorts, as it has in some parts of its history?
Officers, soldiers, and God Paid Members Public
James M. Arlandson According to the New Testament, is it possible to be honored by God and be a weapon-carrying soldier or law enforcement officer, at the same time? Does God approve of soldiers and officers of the State? Does he condemn the military? If not, may individual Christians
Pacifism and the Sword in the Gospels Paid Members Public
James M. Arlandson Did Jesus endorse and encourage violence in the four Gospels, presumably a righteous kind of violence? Did he call his original disciples to this? Did he order all of his disciples to buy swords, really? Two verses may indicate that he did these things. Matt. 10:34
Jesus, Pacifism, and the Sword Paid Members Public
James M. Arlandson Are Christians permitted to carry the sword (or modern weapons)? What should the Churchs policy be on war and peace? Should it counsel the State to turn the other cheek? Are Christians permitted to join the police force and the military? How can they "love their
The name of God in the Bible and the Quran [Part 4: One Last Note] Paid Members Public
The Name of God in the Bible and the Quran One Last Note One challenge put forth by one of the people whom Osama Abdallah quoted in his article is as follows: God has One name, and that's "ALLAH" ... If anyone has any doubts or proofs
The Name of God in the Bible and the Quran [Part 3: Allah the Oak?] Paid Members Public
The Name of God in the Bible and the Quran Part Three: Allah the Oak? In an article responding to Al-Kadhis What Did Jesus Really Say? and in Part Two of this study, I have pointed out that Muhammad called on a god by the name of Allah, and