Military service

[Philip]

Blessed: But if you can't tell if they are truly Christians or not you have to go by what they declare right ?

I don't! And in Serbia and that war, there were many atrocities on both sides. It matters not one whit to me that some of those committing such considered themselves Christians. Very similar thing to many in Lebanon that consider themselves to be Christians - some truly are, but many merely self-identify as such per their cultural background and political affiliations. And so, for such people, the term "Christians" is but a meaningless label.

[Byblos]

Blessed: But if you can't tell if they are truly Christians or not you have to go by what they declare right ?

I don't! And in Serbia and that war, there were many atrocities on both sides. It matters not one whit to me that some of those committing such considered themselves Christians. Very similar thing to many in Lebanon that consider themselves to be Christians - some truly are, but many merely self-identify as such per their cultural background and political affiliations. And so, for such people, the term "Christians" is but a meaningless label.

Is that just an opinion Philip or based on facts? I'm not being flippant, it's a serious question, considering I know a think or 2 about the subject.

[Philip]

Byblos - I'm not taking sides, nor do I want to debate whatever atrocities. And it's not to say there hasn't been justification for going to war. My only point is that a lot of people calling themselves Christians are not necessarily ones / or have had dirty hands in various atrocities - as is likewise true of their opponents. This can be applied to about any war on the planet. It's just that when someone floats a narrative asserting what some "Christian" nation did - as if it collectively had totally clean hands and motives vs. those of their evil enemies, well, I'm not necessarily buying it.

[Byblos]

Byblos - I'm not taking sides, nor do I want to debate whatever atrocities. And it's not to say there hasn't been justification for going to war. My only point is that a lot of people calling themselves Christians are not necessarily ones / or have had dirty hands in various atrocities - as is likewise true of their opponents. This can be applied to about any war on the planet. It's just that when someone floats a narrative asserting what some "Christian" nation did - as if it collectively had totally clean hands and motives vs. those of their evil enemies, well, I'm not necessarily buying it.

Understood. Nothing I would disagree with.