Another reply to the previous post's replies. My reply was just too long, so now it is a post.
The switch of the kingdom from one with national boundaries to one that resides in nations throughout the world weighs heavily into this the changing role of followers of God and war. We no longer need to resort to physical violence to keep or expand the kingdom. I would be more open to (although I'm not even slightly convinced) the church rising up and attacking pagan nations as the Kingdom of God than I am in believing that people of God's kingdom should join a temporal kingdom in fighting another temporal kingdom for temporal gains. How does Christians fighting in earthly wars further God's kingdom?
Being non-violent, some of the toughest passages to deal with are Jesus's conversations with soldiers. He doesn't tell them to leave the military, but I don't think that neither proves or denies his view on peace. Silence is just silence.
We do have teachings that reveal a different role for people in this revised kingdom than for the people who were in the original kingdom. The Old Testament taught an eye for an eye. The new teaches turning the other cheek, not suing, and loving our enemies. It is better for us to be wrong than than to wrong. I see no room for violence, even if it is corporately sanctioned violence, in a life living those principles.
God will use pagan nations to do his will and mold the world into what he wants it to be, so I still believe that He might ordain war. But that doesn't mean that Christians should join in. It is not out of God's character to use the immoral actions of pagan nations to further his plan for the earth.
Also, I agree that it appears Mark Twain wasn't a Christian, but that doesn't mean that what he discerned wasn't true. He saw a group that claimed to be loving condoning the killing of other humans. Even to a non-Christian like Mark Twain, that seemed to be contrary to the principles of Christianity.
Watch out for the potholes.
