Religion in the Cross Fire

“If I have a guy lined up and have to shoot him, what do I do?” the American soldier asked the army chaplain.

“Shoot quickly,” the clergyman answered, “ . . . but remember life is precious.”

WAGING war and following conscientious religious beliefs are not always compatible. And, yet, when nations go to war, religion often is in the cross fire, as the above example illustrates. The Seattle Times put it this way: “Religion today is more stimulant than sedative in much of the strife troubling the world.”

So in recent years we have seen Catholics against Protestants in Northern Ireland. “Christians” against Muslims in Lebanon. Muslims against Jews in the Middle East. Hindus against Muslims in India. Buddhists against Hindus in Sri Lanka. Shi‘ite Muslim against Sunni Muslim in Iran-Iraq. And the list goes on.

Not that all such fighting is over religious differences. In some cases, it may be a border dispute or a campaign for civil rights. Nevertheless, religion is often the underlying factor, adding fuel to the fire. For example, in the Iran-Iraq border conflict, Iranian Shi‘ite Muslim leaders urge on their young soldiers with the words, “Allah akbar!” (“God is great!”) The young men go into battle against Iraq’s Sunni Muslims believing that dying in battle will guarantee them entrance into heaven.

So when religion is in the cross fire, the inference is, ‘God is on our side.’ Thus the violence, destruction, and killing go on​—all in the name of God. What’s more, when religion is the underlying factor, the warfare is often bloodier and more difficult to stop. As Ernest Lefever, president of the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C., put it: “If you feel God is on your side, you can justify any atrocity.”​—U.S.News & World Report.

The question then arises: When it comes to war, does God really take sides? This question haunted a man who flew some 60 bombing missions over Germany and Italy during World War II. He felt pangs of conscience for taking part in the slaughter of thousands of men, women, and children. We invite you to read, in the article that follows, how he searched for and found the satisfying answer to the question, “Whose side is God on?”

[Picture Credit Line on page 3]

U.S. Army photo