tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10760709.post2345625519633667717..comments2023-10-31T10:28:50.158-04:00Comments on The Zeray Gazette: Just War Theory, Authority, and Self-DefenseJohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04854543617806427302noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10760709.post-45460335524039338992008-10-01T13:21:00.000-04:002008-10-01T13:21:00.000-04:00I think the rigorous standard was established by J...I think the rigorous standard was established by Jesus when He challenged us to "turn the other cheek" and to prepare for a certain and violent reality if we were to choose to "live by the sword" and subsequently "die by the sword".<BR/><BR/>A case for "just war" could be made by WWII, even if the US entry into this war seemed only in response to an unprovoked attack. Jews were being sytematically slaughtered by the millions. I think a case could be made for Darfur for this reason alone.<BR/><BR/>Neither of these can be applied to us as individuals, however, because of certain biblical realities of returning evil for evil. In defense of the weak or otherwise disadvantaged, however, I think a case can be made for an individual who would risk personal safety for the sake and well-being of another.Michaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06046469207005773680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10760709.post-16307431450684745242008-09-30T23:08:00.000-04:002008-09-30T23:08:00.000-04:00Yeah, Peter, Paul, Augustine, and Aquinas seemed t...Yeah, Peter, Paul, Augustine, and Aquinas seemed to have an unhealthy trust in government.Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04854543617806427302noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10760709.post-12129722903810844792008-09-30T22:49:00.000-04:002008-09-30T22:49:00.000-04:00So would I :)I was just trying to treat the proble...So would I :)<BR/><BR/>I was just trying to treat the problem from the perspective of just war theory, like you asked.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10760709.post-41465523274808963182008-09-30T22:31:00.000-04:002008-09-30T22:31:00.000-04:00For instance, if we live on a block together and w...<I>For instance, if we live on a block together and we learn that the government has begun a politically motivated prosecution on trumped up charges to silence Locusts and Honey, and they have a warrant for a midnight raid against your house to confiscate your computer (and will do severe property damage, for which you will never be compensated) along the way, can the elected captain of our neighborhood watch marshall everyone on the block to defend your house against the police? He or she probably counts as a magistrate, right?</I><BR/><BR/>Suppose that my neighborhood watch marshall -- or, in fact, every single person in my neighborhood other than myself -- refuses to intervene, or sides with the oppressors, do I have a right to resist as an individual?<BR/><BR/>I hold, as a premise of my political philosophy, that the basic unit of governmental sovereingty is the individual, so I would answer 'yes'.Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04854543617806427302noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10760709.post-72581532676835863462008-09-30T22:22:00.000-04:002008-09-30T22:22:00.000-04:00I don't really do Medieval philosophy/theology, bu...I don't really do Medieval philosophy/theology, but I think Aquinas sets some pretty rigorous standards for what constitutes a legitimate government. In another example, if I recall correctly, Calvin says that, while no individual can ordinarily revolt against the state, a LOWER LEVEL MAGISTRATE can rightfully lead a revolt against the state that is over him, if that state ceases to be legitimate. I think the idea is that if the overall government ceases to be legitimate, the local government does not necessarily thereby cease to be legitimate, so you can't just unconditionally revolt, because it isn't your call whether the actions of the illegitimate government call for violent response - that's the magistrate's call. I don't know whether Aquinas would agree with this, and I don't know how far Calvin would take this. For instance, if we live on a block together and we learn that the government has begun a politically motivated prosecution on trumped up charges to silence Locusts and Honey, and they have a warrant for a midnight raid against your house to confiscate your computer (and will do severe property damage, for which you will never be compensated) along the way, can the elected captain of our neighborhood watch marshall everyone on the block to defend your house against the police? He or she probably counts as a magistrate, right?<BR/><BR/>At any rate, it seems to me that, if we go this route, a head of household ought to count as a magistrate too, Biblically speaking, because he is responsible for the care and protection of all those in the household. If this is the case, then a head of household has the right (and responsibility?) to take action to protect his own household.<BR/><BR/>This sits well with my intuitions, in general. For instance, it is my intuition that, in general, a man has not only the right, but actually a moral obligation to use whatever means necessary, up to and including lethal force, to prevent an abortion from being performed on his wife. (I use this example because it is one I think about a lot, since it is one of the only cases in which I can imagine a developed modern nation-state killing a family member without any sort of legal proceedings.)<BR/><BR/>As for the Bible, there are, of course, some provisions for defense, and even revenge, in the Law, but it isn't entirely clear how they are meant to apply in the New Testament.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com