Laying it Down.

I have been reading articles and blogs from professing Christians that the war on terror is immoral, and that we should be willing to die for our enemies rather than kill them.  It is true that we are to love our enemies and do good to those that hate us, but in what way do we do this.  A gentleman professing to be a christian claimed on a radio talk show that if an intruder came into his house to murder his wife and children, he would not attempt to stop the individual, but would try to convert him or die trying.

What do we do when the command to love our enemies and to love a neighbor conflict?  First we cannot love without truth, and a willingness to confront someone with the truth of their conduct.  When we confront evil, we are engaged in the act of love through accountability.  We love our enemy by thwarting his evil through negotiation or restraint, and yes, even deadly restraint.  We love our neighbor by our willingness to lay down our life, so that they may keep theirs. To allow our enemies to destroy our nieghbor is to neglect both truth and love.

The war on terror is not an attempt at vengence, but an attempt to preserve the innocent in the world (loving our nieghbor), and confronting the evil of a religion in the grips of hate (accountability). We must love our enemies with the opportunity for friendship and respect, but we cannot allow them the opportunity for evil.