If you join the military with the intent to kill terrorists, is it a sin? I know killing in a war is not. But what about having the intent to bring safety to the world, or revenge against what the terrorists have done, or someone who just wants to feel what killing feels like?<\/p>\n\t
Quite a range of reasons, but there are people who tend to have a variety of reasons for joining the military.<\/p>\n
Governments have the God-given right to bring justice. “For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same; for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil<\/em>” (Romans 13:3-4). We hope that because multiple people are involved in government that the actions taken are from an impartial view regarding what is right or wrong and not from an individual’s desire for revenge.<\/p>\n A desire to make the world safer for others would be probably the more noble reason. Here is a respect for life as a whole. “For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” <\/em>” (Romans 13:9). While justice is called for, individual judgment is called upon to minimize the harm to others while justice is carried out.<\/p>\n Joining the military with the hopes of experiencing what it is like to take the life of another human being is probably the worse reason. Here life is treated as little more than a video game where the kill is just an emotional thrill. There is no respect for life. Nor would there be a drive to careful to do the least harm possible when trying to enforce justice.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Question: If you join the military with the intent to kill terrorists, is it a sin? I know killing in a war is not. But what about having the intent to bring safety to the world, or revenge against what the terrorists have done, or someone who just wants to feel what killing feels like?…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[368],"class_list":["post-51232","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-military"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":42878,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-killing-an-abortionist-right\/","url_meta":{"origin":51232,"position":0},"title":"Is killing an abortionist right?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 4, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: What do you think of Paul Jennings Hill and the Army of God movement? Paul Hill shot a baby-killing abortionist in 1994 and was executed in 2003. I believe that because Paul Hill prevented babies from being murdered that day he acted rightly. Many Christians I know, \"pro-life\" leaders\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":9837,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/should-a-christian-serve-in-the-military\/","url_meta":{"origin":51232,"position":1},"title":"Should a Christian serve in the military?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 17, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Should a Christian serve in the military? Answer: I asked a friend, neighbor, and fellow Christian to address this question. I entered the Air Force in 1983 and have been a Christian for an even longer period of time. I am still serving my country and my God. Being\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":11368,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-it-right-for-a-soldier-to-kill-in-war\/","url_meta":{"origin":51232,"position":2},"title":"Is it right for a soldier to kill in war?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 18, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Shortly after my fiance and I get married I will deploy to Iraq for the first time. I, being an infantry soldier, am trained to kill. It has always been a major concern of mine to kill in war, and I wonder if this is a sin recognized by\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":13490,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-it-sinful-to-download-movies-or-songs-from-the-internet\/","url_meta":{"origin":51232,"position":3},"title":"Is it sinful to download movies or songs from the Internet?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 28, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Like many people, I download movies and music and I was just wondering if that is considered stealing and therefore is a sin? Answer: Just because someone makes a movie or song available on the Internet, it does not imply that they had the right to do so. The\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":30888,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/why-do-you-feel-the-need-to-promote-killing-animals-when-god-did-not-mandate-this\/","url_meta":{"origin":51232,"position":4},"title":"Why do you feel the need to promote killing animals when God did not mandate this?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 9, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Why do you feel the need to promote killing animals when God did not mandate this? I am a Christian and I don't feel the need to kill an animal when I have other alternatives. Why do you think choosing compassion over death is wrong? Answer: \"And the fear\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":45770,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/does-god-hold-us-responsible-when-we-pay-taxes-to-a-government-that-uses-the-money-for-sinful-purposes-such-as-funding-abortions\/","url_meta":{"origin":51232,"position":5},"title":"Does God hold us responsible when we pay taxes to a government that uses the money for sinful purposes, such as funding abortions?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 18, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I live in a State where Medicare covers abortions. Since our taxes pay for Medicare, will God hold us responsible for this? We are told in the Bible to pay taxes, but as citizens, we don't have control over how the money is spent. 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