There are only three logically consistent options when choosing an ethical framework for understanding matters of war and peace. At one end of the spectrum is pacifism, an ethic that wishes to achieve peace by refusing to take up arms. I reject pacifism as a form of idealism, unsuited for the real world. At the [ Read More ]
No Christian—and for that matter, “no soldier worth his salt” (as General Schwarzkopf put it)—should be “pro-war.” We should desire peace. And yet there is disagreement on how to define the peace for which we aim and how to achieve the peace we envision. On one end of the spectrum are pacifists, who wish to [ Read More ]
Moral accountability is absolutely vital for individuals and societies. For an individual or society to flourish, it must have the integrity and humility examine itself morally. War is no exception. In a democratic republic such as ours, not only our military and political leaders but also the general public must participate actively and intelligently in [ Read More ]
On Tuesday, a terrorist in a rental truck plowed onto a bike path and into a crowd in lower Manhattan, killing eight people and injuring at least a dozen. The suspect, identified as Sayfullo Saipov, 29, shouted “Allahu akbar” (“God is great”) after he finally crashed, and was found in possession of handwritten notes pledging [ Read More ]
The early years of the twenty-first century have been rife with war and threats of war. Jihadist-related deaths have increased from an average of roughly 2,500 innocents per year from 2001 to 2006 to an average of more than 28,000 per year in 2014-2015. ISIS continues its deadly attacks and genocidal missions across Africa, Asia, [ Read More ]