Topic > Christian Perspective on National Security, Peace and War

There are different perspectives on the issue of national security, peace and war. Many religions and doctrines have their own opinions and sayings regarding this topic. Although the issue of national security appears to be completely controlled by the government, it is important to consider what other stakeholders perceive of the issue. For this reason, this document will define the issue of national security and peace and give Christianity a say. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay To begin with, national security ensures that a nation is in a state of calm and free from both internal and external harm from terrorists. In order for daily activities to progress normally, the nation must be at peace. There are many challenges and shortcomings that affect citizens when a country goes to war with another country or when the country is disturbed internally. During war, many vices are committed by people with bad intentions. People lose their lives, others are injured and property is destroyed (Obadia and Wood). War is a situation that should be avoided at all costs. Alternatively, peace should prevail over all interests of nations. With peace, people live in harmony and help each other even in difficult times. Christianity has its own view on national security, war and peace. Most of the principles followed by Christians refer to the Bible. By evaluating the case in which God tells David not to build the temple because he had killed many people, Acts 13:22, we establish that God detests the shedding of blood. From this perspective, God sees militarism as an inherently devious activity. It is worth noting that David was a religious man, but due to the fact that he had engaged in several battles and caused many casualties, God did not find him worthy of building a holy temple for him. This shapes Christians' view of national security and what it should really entail. Referring to the Bible could be very controversial and confusing as there are places where God advocates self-defense and protection of his people from outsiders. The Christian vision of national security, war and peace therefore includes an ethic that has been developed over time. This ethic and principles aim to ensure fairness for all people as the Bible commands Christians to love their neighbors and pray for their enemies. Christianity supports rigorous national defense measures but at the same time reproaches the authorities for doing so in a way that is humane. Christianity strongly discourages the use of brute force against other countries and rather advocates for better means of reconciliation that are humane. In the contemporary world, many countries have access to weapons of mass destruction. For this reason, a clash between two capable nations can lead to catastrophic effects. The use of brute force is usually destructive and causes the unjustified death of citizens of the affected country. Women and children are affected by war and become vulnerable to other vices such as rape. The consequences of using nuclear weapons are also severe as contaminated battlefields will cause a host of health problems for generations to come. (Obadia and Wood) This is one of the reasons why Christianity disapproves of the use of force against other countries since it is the innocent citizens who bear the consequences. While Christianity can be called the universal right since it is a proxy of violence, Christianity could also be seen as a precursor.