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Is Assassination a Sin |
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I am in the midst of an online discussion with someone as to whether in the Old Testament, going to war without direct divine approval was allowed. The other fellow is a libertarian who seems to think a lot of things are wrong for the government (including OT king) to do unless specifically authorized. We started with taxes and ended up in warfare. He is trying to think through his ideas about the role of the state.
He argued that kings could only go to war if the Lord specifically allowed it, for example through a prophet. I told him Deuteronomy 20 allowed for warfare against nations other than the 7 nations and Amalek who they were to wipe out.
It also seems like killing in warfare is not considered to be a violation of the commandment against murder. When David took over Judah, he had a war with Ishbosheth, Saul's son, who ruled the north for a while. They fought battles with each other? Was killing in warfare murder? David apparently did not think so.
I King 2:5
"Now you yourself know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me--what he did to the two commanders of Israel's armies, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether. He killed them, shedding their blood in peacetime as if in battle, and with that blood he stained the belt around his waist and the sandals on his feet.
But as we see described in this verse, Joab killed two enemy military leaders in a time of peace. One of them had killed his brother in battle. He sucker-stabbed the man during a time of peace.
So what about assassinations? We might call Iran an enemy, but we have not technically declared war against them. Our president sends out a drone strike against someone believed to be responsible for a number of atrocities. We did not put him on trial, and he is not our citizen. Is this sort of thing the same as killing in peacetime?
On the other hand, one of the judges, Ehud, delivered Israel from Moab. He was there supposedly to deliver tribute, told the king he had a message for him from the Lord. The king had other people leave the room. Ehud stabbed the fat king with a dagger he'd hidden, in the king's fat belly which enclosed over the dagger and escaped.
Are assassinations legitimate acts of war or are they murder, or does it depend on different factors?
I am also concerned that drone technology will not be as easy to guard as nuclear materials. Nuclear weapons materials are relatively rare and superpowers have been able to minimize spread of it, but not completely, and if you look at the land area taken up by nuclear-weapons-possessing countries, it is quite huge. North Korea is presumed to have them, too. I don't see how we are going to keep countries from purchasing or developing weaponized drones. How are we going to keep some kind of stealth drone from taking out our leaders when terrorists or enemy nations get a hold of them. If another country used a drone to take someone out, how could we trace it back to the right country? And terrorists could be even more difficult to trace.
Right now, drones could take out a lot of people we do not like from de facto enemy nations, but what kind of precedent does it set? Are heads of state out of the consideration set for who to strike? (I hope US political parties do not get their own drones either.) How are we going to keep them from being used on heads of state? _________________ Link |
Acts-perienced Poster Posts: 11849 1/6/20 11:01 am
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UncleJD |
Jael was praised for assassinating Sisera.
Gotta love the song of Deborah
Judges 5:24-27
Extolled above women be Jael,
Extolled above women in the tent.
He asked for water, she gave him milk;
She brought him cream in a lordly dish.
She stretched forth her hand to the nail,
Her right hand to the workman's hammer,
And she smote Sisera; she crushed his head,
She crashed through and transfixed his temples. |
Golf Cart Mafia Consigliere Posts: 3145 1/6/20 12:01 pm
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Re: Is Assassination a Sin |
Cojak |
Link wrote: | ...
Right now, drones could take out a lot of people we do not like from de facto enemy nations, but what kind of precedent does it set? Are heads of state out of the consideration set for who to strike? (I hope US political parties do not get their own drones either.) How are we going to keep them from being used on heads of state? |
That has been an option for years. I am sure any terrorist group considers this an open option and consider it a BIG win taking out our president. Remember they had planned a BIG DRONE into the whitehouse, the the passengers of the place thought different.
Would we use it? The CIA probably would if the source could be hidden. We tried with Saddam methinks.
But is it a sin? Not sure who would be the guilty party, I mean how inclusive? We found some military leaders guilty of war crimes and they were following orders. Where does the guilt stop, at the private who refuses to shoot a prisoner or he will be shot himself?
Does the drone builder or the drone flyer hold any guilt? _________________ Some facts but mostly just my opinion!
jacsher@aol.com
http://shipslog-jack.blogspot.com/ |
01000001 01100011 01110100 01110011 Posts: 24282 1/6/20 12:28 pm
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Re: Is Assassination a Sin |
roughridercog |
Cojak wrote: | Link wrote: | ...
Right now, drones could take out a lot of people we do not like from de facto enemy nations, but what kind of precedent does it set? Are heads of state out of the consideration set for who to strike? (I hope US political parties do not get their own drones either.) How are we going to keep them from being used on heads of state? |
That has been an option for years. I am sure any terrorist group considers this an open option and consider it a BIG win taking out our president. Remember they had planned a BIG DRONE into the whitehouse, the the passengers of the place thought different.
Would we use it? The CIA probably would if the source could be hidden. We tried with Saddam methinks.
But is it a sin? Not sure who would be the guilty party, I mean how inclusive? We found some military leaders guilty of war crimes and they were following orders. Where does the guilt stop, at the private who refuses to shoot a prisoner or he will be shot himself?
Does the drone builder or the drone flyer hold any guilt? |
Or the sniper or the one who ordered the trigger pulled? _________________ Doctor of Bovinamodulation |
Acts Mod Posts: 25306 1/6/20 12:39 pm
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diakoneo |
Is it a sin to stop evil when you can?
Bill Clinton bragged that he had opportunity to kill Bin Laden but refused. He said, we were better than that. With 10 hours terrorist directed by Bin Laden crashed into the world trade center and Pentagon killing over 3000. It has since been learned that Bin Laden probably had left the building that we had intended to target anyway but Clinton's attitude of being better doesn't "fly" when it comes to protecting our nation.
As commander and chief he has taken oath to protect and defend the Constitution. Surely that would include it's people and it's land. |
Golf Cart Mafia Consigliere Posts: 3382 1/6/20 9:05 pm
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