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Okay...I've been thinking alot about this subject, and I agree with Charles' response- that violence is not of the Lord and directly contradicts his nature. I am in no way suggesting that violence is good or needed. I am simply trying to express that it is something we must learn from. Enough said about that. But after reading Charles' entry I began thinking about all the Old Testament battles and bloodshed. I looked up 1 Samuel 15- the battle between Israel led by Saul and the Amalekites. In this passage God instructs Saul (through Samuel) to put to death every man, woman, child, and animal belonging to the Amalekites. When Saul spares Agag the king and the best of the livestock, God rebukes him for not fully obeying his instructions- which were to kill everything. The prevailing message here is complete obedience to God, but what about the violence done in the process? Isn't is safe to say that God deemed this violence to be neccessary? It says the Amalekites were wicked and should be destroyed. And he instructed Saul to commit these murders. How do we explain this? I realize this is in the Old Testament under the old law- does that have anything to do with it? In my own mind I can only justify it by realizing that God is the supreme being and what he says goes. Is there a better explanation? Also please understand that I'm not just trying to stir the pot- these are genuine questions of mine and I want to more fully understand these concepts. Thanks in advance for your input. I know these aren't easy subjects to deal with. Alena
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