Ken wrote: ↑Wed Oct 11, 2023 8:22 pm
Did Truman make the choice that led to the least loss of both Japanese and American life and quickest end to the war? That is the question and it isn't an easy one to answer.
Was this an unspeakable tragedy for huge numbers of people? That question is easy to answer. After the war, this kind of thing was declared a war crime. I don't know if war crimes are an effective strategy or not, but surely there are some strategies too terrible to justify.
Maybe we should focus on the easier questions, the ones we know enough to answer. And focus on the place of Christians in such tragedies.
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Is it biblical? Is it Christlike? Is it loving? Is it true? How can I find out?
Ken wrote: ↑Wed Oct 11, 2023 8:22 pm
Did Truman make the choice that led to the least loss of both Japanese and American life and quickest end to the war? That is the question and it isn't an easy one to answer.
Was this an unspeakable tragedy for huge numbers of people? That question is easy to answer. After the war, this kind of thing was declared a war crime. I don't know if war crimes are an effective strategy or not, but surely there are some strategies too terrible to justify.
Maybe we should focus on the easier questions, the ones we know enough to answer. And focus on the place of Christians in such tragedies.
The WAR was an unspeakable tragedy for huge numbers of people. Bringing it to the swiftest end was arguably the most humane thing to do.
For example, our Chinese allies suffered something like 14 million people at the hands of the Japanese and that was still continuing up until the Japanese surrender.
I am by no means defending Hiroshima. Just pointing out that in the midst of a war there are often no good options. The non-Nuclear options were either invasion or to blockade Japan while continuing to conduct conventional bombing against Japanese industry and cities which was one and the same thing since Japanese industry was so dispersed. How many people would have died if we had done that route and staved out Japan up into 1947? Probably many millions.
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A fool can throw out more questions than a wise man can answer. -RZehr
Ken wrote: ↑Thu Oct 12, 2023 10:04 am
How many people would have died if we had done that route and staved out Japan up into 1947? Probably many millions.
Who are you including in this "we"?
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I grew up around Indiana, You grew up around Galilee; And if I ever really do grow up, I wanna grow up to be just like You -- Rich Mullins
I am a Christian and my name is Pilgram; I'm on a journey, but I'm not alone -- NewSong, slightly edited
The old woodcutter spoke again. “It is impossible to talk with you. You always draw conclusions. Life is so vast, yet you judge all of life with one page or one word. You see only a fragment. Unless you know the whole story, how can you judge?"
I am still not convinced that declaring war saves more lives in the end. If millions of citizens were sent to other parts of the world to offer love and peace, people might still get killed, but in the end, I think less people overall would get killed.
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The old woodcutter spoke again. “It is impossible to talk with you. You always draw conclusions. Life is so vast, yet you judge all of life with one page or one word. You see only a fragment. Unless you know the whole story, how can you judge?"
Ernie wrote: ↑Thu Oct 12, 2023 11:10 am
I am still not convinced that declaring war saves more lives in the end. If millions of citizens were sent to other parts of the world to offer love and peace, people might still get killed, but in the end, I think less people overall would get killed.
This sounds more like Gandhi than Jesus.
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Affiliation: Lancaster Mennonite Conference & Honduran Mennonite Evangelical Church
Ken wrote: ↑Thu Oct 12, 2023 10:04 am
How many people would have died if we had done that route and staved out Japan up into 1947? Probably many millions.
Who are you including in this "we"?
We as in the Allies (United States, Canada, UK, Australia, etc.)
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A fool can throw out more questions than a wise man can answer. -RZehr
Ernie wrote: ↑Thu Oct 12, 2023 11:10 am
I am still not convinced that declaring war saves more lives in the end. If millions of citizens were sent to other parts of the world to offer love and peace, people might still get killed, but in the end, I think less people overall would get killed.
Russia is currently waging war in Ukraine. Why don't you try it? Send millions of people to Moscow to offer love and peace and end the war.
Or send millions to Israel to end that war.
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A fool can throw out more questions than a wise man can answer. -RZehr
Ken wrote: ↑Thu Oct 12, 2023 10:04 am
How many people would have died if we had done that route and staved out Japan up into 1947? Probably many millions.
Who are you including in this "we"?
We as in the Allies (United States, Canada, UK, Australia, etc.)
Ernie wrote: ↑Thu Oct 12, 2023 11:10 am
I am still not convinced that declaring war saves more lives in the end. If millions of citizens were sent to other parts of the world to offer love and peace, people might still get killed, but in the end, I think less people overall would get killed.
Russia is currently waging war in Ukraine. Why don't you try it? Send millions of people to Moscow to offer love and peace and end the war.
Or send millions to Israel to end that war.
Well. Jesus did command us to be ambassadors of peace.
Or we can keep stockpiling more arms, build a bigger MIC, make giant alliances and keep having more wars.
