Comments about ‘Violence is called anti-Christ’

If I had onjly known about this before hand, I would have moved heaven and earth to be there and support him. John Dear is an old hero of mine and even though I totally blew it, I'm so glad he came here.

Utah needs to cultivate a theology of peace. The tools are there: "Renounce War and Proclaim Peace," Right there in Mormon scripture. Renounce: to set aside, disown, have nothing more to do with. Proclaim: to make a public committment, to go on record supporting the Way. I hope to see many John Dears rise up in this state. All we need to do is actually heed the words of the man we call our Master.

Opps, there goes the neighborhood. Sorry, Utah. The DN leans right, but it is not ultra right. The Trib leans left, but it is not ultra left. Frankly, Utah is a fairly moderate place, but they are intimidated by right-wing bullies who put conservatism on par with the Sermon on the Mount. It ain't so. The GOP is NOT the party of god.

I completely understand Dear's philosophy of peace and sincerely wish it would work, but history convincingly demonstrates that his approach would only work in a perfect world. If good men do nothing, as he advocates, evil men will take over the world. That's just fallen human nature, and there's no real escaping it.

Re: Douglas

Always remembering that it is due to the sacrifice of so many warriors who took up their weapons, left their wives and families behind, and marched off to war that we enjoy the right to worship the Almighty according to the dictates of our own consciences.

Demosthenes - Jesus wants us to live the gospel in an imperfect world. There's no virtue to living it in a perfect world. He doesn't want us to worry about whether or not it will work. He wants us to trust him.

JAYEG -- By citing that story from the Book of Mormon, you are relying on the Old Testament dispensation in New Testament times. Even so, the conversion and salvation of the enemies we are now instructed to love came about by the sacrifice of those who were willing to bury their weapons of war.

One more comment to Demosthenes: Not to get too theological here, but deeper than "fallen man" is what Paul refers to as the "inward man"--that part of us that delights in the law of God. Speak to THAT man, bring him to the surface. Jesus came not to turn us into some other species, but to restore us to that original being. "Give that part of you some exercise."