An Amazing Story Of Christian Neutrality From WW1

Some Christians wanted no part of this war. However,
they did not then fully understand the Christian position of
strict neutrality. While they did not voluntarily enroll in
the army, some of them accepted conscription and endeavored
to obtain noncombatant roles. If forced into the
trenches, others felt that they could simply “shoot over the
enemy’s head.”
A published story of
a Hungarian soldier who was baptized while recovering
from his injuries and who later returned to the front lines.
The account relates what happened next: “They [the Hungarian
soldiers] came within 800 feet of the Russian line,
and they received the command, ‘A bayonet charge!’ The
Hungarian was at the end of the left wing. He
sought only to protect himself from the enemy, hence endeavored
merely to knock the bayonet from the hand of the Russian with whom he was confronted. Just then he
observed that the Russian was endeavoring to do likewise
. . . The Russian let his bayonet fall to the ground; he was
weeping. Our brother then looked at his ‘enemy’ closer
—and he recognized a ‘Cross and Crown’ pin on his coat!
The Russian, too, was a brother in the Lord!

Yes many Christians killed each other during both world wars, but the question is, were they applying true bible Christian principles ?
Or were these Hungarian and Russian soldiers from WW1 ? Something to think about.

a reply to: Blue_Jay33

In the midst of the epic inhumanity of war, we often see the best and most divine parts of humanity emerge.

I'm just glad drafts are no longer a thing. I'd be thrown in jail before I agreed to travel halfway across the world to fight for greedy politicians.

Awesome story by the way. Some people are good at heart, they just get thrown into a #ty situation.

originally posted by: windword
a reply to: Blue_Jay33

In the midst of the epic inhumanity of war, we often see the best and most divine parts of humanity emerge.

it interests me that you use a word like "inhumanity" when talking about war, when out of all of recorded history, 100% of all wars have been waged almost exclusively by humans.

hmmmm.

a reply to: TzarChasm

Who else is capable of inhumanity than humans?

it is shameful the way Christian conscientious objectors have been treated in the past and even how they are today.

Look at these two people executed in Germany for refusing to support the Nazi's.

On September 15, 1939 August Dickmann, (a Bibelforscher) , the first conscientious objector of the war to be executed, died by a firing squad at the Sachsenhausen concentration camp.

Franz J. also executed he was Catholic.

We were cursed, beaten, kicked, and compelled to go through exercises to the extent that a few were unconscious for some minutes. They kept it up for the greater part of the afternoon, and then those who could possibly stand on their feet were compelled to take cold shower baths. One of the boys was scrubbed with a scrubbing brush using lye on him. They drew blood in several places.

—Mennonite from Camp Lee, Virginia, United States, 16 July 1918

South Korea continues to jail them.

originally posted by: windword
a reply to: TzarChasm

Who else is capable of inhumanity than humans?

the irony in that sentence is overwhelming.

originally posted by: Blue_Jay33
it is shameful the way Christian conscientious objectors have been treated in the past and even how they are today.

We were cursed, beaten, kicked, and compelled to go through exercises to the extent that a few were unconscious for some minutes. They kept it up for the greater part of the afternoon, and then those who could possibly stand on their feet were compelled to take cold shower baths. One of the boys was scrubbed with a scrubbing brush using lye on him. They drew blood in several places.

—Mennonite from Camp Lee, Virginia, United States, 16 July 1918

South Korea continues to jail them.

oddly specific with your sympathies there....why single out christians. dont the rest deserve your consideration?

a reply to: TzarChasm

If Muslims wants to object to being drafted into there nations army I support them 100% .

It should apply to all humans regardless of religion or those with no religion that don't want to harm their fellow humans, the documented historical cases seem to show more Christians objecting. A simple Google search can show you that.

If a draft for war was instituted amongst the western nations today I think we would have a massive amount of objectors non-religious and religious alike. Actually atheists and agnostics are usually intelligent people and critical thinkers. I don't think most of them would blindly follow there governments edict to the slaughter/maiming of themselves and their appointed enemies.

originally posted by: Blue_Jay33
a reply to: TzarChasm

If Muslims wants to object to being drafted into there nations army I support them 100% .

It should apply to all humans regardless of religion or those with no religion that don't want to harm their fellow humans, the documented historical cases seem to show more Christians objecting. A simple Google search can show you that.

If a draft for war was instituted amongst the western nations today I think we would have a massive amount of objectors non-religious and religious alike. Actually atheists and agnostics are usually intelligent people and critical thinkers. I don't think most of them would blindly follow there governments edict to the slaughter/maiming of themselves and their appointed enemies.

i would hope most would have more sense than that, regardless of their demographic.

a reply to: Blue_Jay33

Could you give us a link to these studies that show Christians object more than other demographics?

All wars waged by America in recent memory were authorized by Christian presidents so I find that a little hard to believe. Maybe I'm wrong though? I did a quick search and came up with nothing.

a reply to: 3NL1GHT3N3D1

Well this is a quick link

Conscientious Objector

a reply to: Blue_Jay33

That's a summary on what conscientious objection is, it doesn't say anything about Christians objecting more than other demographics. Maybe I'm missing where it says that?

a reply to: 3NL1GHT3N3D1

This is the excerpt i am referring too .

Many conscientious objectors cite religious reasons. Unitarian Universalists object to war in their sixth principle "The goal of world community with peace, liberty and justice for all". Members of the Historic Peace Churches such as Quakers, Mennonites, Amish, Old Order Mennonite, Conservative Mennonites and Church of the Brethren object to war from the conviction that Christian life is incompatible with military action, because Jesus enjoins his followers to love their enemies and to refuse violence. Since the American Civil War, Seventh-day Adventists were known as non-combatants, and had done work in hospitals or to give medical care rather than combat roles, and the church has upheld the non-combative position. Jehovah's Witnesses and Christadelphians, refuse to participate in the armed services on the grounds that they believe they should be neutral in worldly conflicts and often cite the latter portion of Isaiah 2:4 which states, "...neither shall they learn war anymore." .


In the early Christian Church followers of the Christ refused to take up arms.In as much as they [Jesus’ teachings] ruled out as illicit all use of violence and injury against others, clearly implied [was] the illegitimacy of participation in war... The early Christians took Jesus at his word, and understood his inculcations of gentleness and non-resistance in their literal sense. They closely identified their religion with peace; they strongly condemned war for the bloodshed which it involved.
—The Early Christian Attitude to War.

And this is the sad part

After the Roman Empire officially embraced Christianity, the Just War theology was developed in order to reconcile warfare with Christian belief. After Theodosius I made Christianity an official religion of the Empire, this position slowly developed into the official position of the Western Church. In the 11th century, there was a further shift of opinion in the Latin-Christian tradition with the crusades, strengthening the idea and acceptability of Holy War. Objectors became a minority. Some theologians see the loss of a pacifist position as a great failing of the Church

Great failing is an understatement, for example we have that German Catholic mentioned early that was executed because of his stand, because he would not take up arms against his fellow humans.
At the same time you have this going on.....



So really who was reflecting true Christian qualities, the Catholic Clergyman in the picture or Franz the German/Catholic who died for his peaceful beliefs ?