Protesters at the Pentagon

Every morning I slug (hitchhike) to the Pentagon and get on the Metro to downtown DC. On Mondays, there is usually a group of people outside the Metro stop wanting to quit the war. They usually have banners saying things like "Thou shalt not kill."

I am sure there are disagreements about this, but the Bible, while opposing murder, supports whole heartedly the defense of a nation. The finest example I know of is taken from the New Testament. Luke, Chapter 3, verse 14 says, "Soldiers also asked him [John the Baptist] , 'And what is it that we should do?' He told them, 'Do not practice extortion, do not falsely accuse anyone, and be satisfied with your wages.' (New American Bible)

Here was an opportunity for God to say, "Soldiers shall not kill." Instead He says (through His prophet), "be satisfied with your wages." Pretty anticlimactic, if you ask me.

So, you soldiers out there, go ahead and kill all those terrorists out there before they blow up your wives and children (or my wife and children). It makes sense that if we stop killing them, we are allowing them to kill innocent people. My addition to that commandment, "Thou shalt not kill, nor allow others to kill either." Allowing others to kill innocents is tantamount to killing them yourself.