The Wilmington morning star., 1940-10-17
CONFUSED
Dear Sir:

Dear Sir: .... .
We read in the press that certain
theological students are unable to
bring themselves into agreement
with the draft requirements. Let
give these young men credit for
their sincerity but at the same
time we believe that they are con-
fused in their thinking.
They above all should be the
first to take up the quarrel with a
foe who denies the central being
Of their theology and is crushing
Christianity at every turn.
Going a little further back, can
we not say that an omnipotent God
has given unto man the power Of
choosing between right and wrong?
Man is not an automaton but has
freedom Of action. In his abuse Of
his God-given power, he has COW
eted hts neighbors goods and has
killed him for these. Collectively
as a nation, man has coveted his
neishbor's power, influence, riches
and has gone to war to gain these.
God does not make war, bu
man, in his disregard Of God s
plan, makes war. God does not
make man stop wars, for when
God makes man do a thing man
ceases to be free. Man cannot be
morally good unless he is free to
do good or evil.
The Christian way Of life recog.
nizes human freedom. The totali-
tartan way does not recognize such
freedom. It does recognize tn e
great need for a worldwide brother
hood Of man with the state coming
before God.
II there were no abuse Of God s
power which has been given to
man, there would be no war. War
is therefore evil-it is not the per.
feet way. But today the Christian
finds the world at war and it is
no longer a question Of deciding
between the perfect right and
wrong. The decision must be made
between the lesser Of two evils.
We Of this age know the conse-
quent evils Of. war. There are some
who, remembering these vividly
and never having lived under a
totalitarian form Of government,
are opposed to war mo matter
what happens on this earth" The
theological students in question
come in this, class.
We know that when 4 higher
civilization is overthrown by a
lower civilization that dark ages
follow. We know that totalitarian
government denies freed Of action,
freedom Of speech, and freedom
Of worship. Such evils are an alb
straction to US thousands Of miles
from the scenes Of their enact
ment. But certain nations only a
few months ago free have now
awaked to the realization Of them.
Where will they end?
So the question confronting the
students Of theology today is not
one Of choosing between peace and
war, but is one Of choosing be.
tween preparing for war and war,
il it comes, and accepting a civili-
cation dominated by the anti.
Christ. Though never experienced
by US (not yeti the evils attending
such a rule are bound to be worse
than those attending war. The sa.
cred essentials which the Christian
holds dear to life itself are denied
by the totantarian and by him are
crushed.
"As Christ used force to cleanse
the temple, 1t cannot be wrong fbr
a Christian to use force as indivi
duals and collectively to use force
to cleanse this. world of this pres.
ent pagan scourge which is dis.
counting honesty, deriding purity,
and which is destroying freedom
Of faith and life.''
when a just war cannot be
avoided by arbitration or t h I
non-violent means, then, Chris.
tian as a Christian may fight with
out moral condemnation and as a
good citizen must fight if his coun.
try needs him."
Wilmington, N. c.