War & Christians

[Gregory Matthews]

Gary Kulik is a Roman Catholic historian that hs written an important book on Christians who participate in combat (war) as unarmed medics.   A large part of his focus is on unarmed Seventh-day Adventist medics.

https://spectrummagazine.org/culture/tired-of-kissing-the-dead-the-untold-story-of-adventist-medics-in-the-vietnam-war/

For more specific information on the book that he has written see:

https://www.amazon.com/Conscientious-Objectors-War-Forgotten-Conflict/dp/1682832600

 

 

[Joe Knapp]

Quote

So if Kulik’s brief, clearly written volume addresses a debt owed to the forgotten, many from our own community, it is also, for anyone who, after Christ’s command, is fully “awake,” a jolt out of war complacency. Adventists who care, and certainly every Adventist librarian, should take note.

We need more open discussions about war.  People who were there are excellent resources. I know several war veterans. 

None want to talk about it. It was so bad, even many years later, they don't want to talk about it. 

It looks like war is spreading around the planet. We should be talking about our role, as a church, as a prayer group, as parents, and as ambassadors of Christ. 

 

[Gregory Matthews]

The reality is that war involves Christians.

The reality for us Seventh-day Adventists, living in the United States, is that a much larger number of SDAs join the military than most members realize.

 

 

[JoeErwin]

Most readers here are aware that Gregory served as a military chaplain. He has much expertise on this topic.

[Gregory Matthews]

I was the first US Army unit chaplain to go into combat in a 
COED unit.  One other chaplain went at the same time, but he served directly as a translator for a General.  I served in the unit.

NOTE:  We were involved in combat in an English speaking nation.  However, The diplomatic staff from Russia refused to speak to us in English.  So, this chaplain who was fluent in Russian was brought in to aid in communicating with the Russian diplomatic staff.

[JoeErwin]

I was a medic in the army, stationed in Heidelberg, Germany. As a conscientious objector (1-A O), I would have gone into combat unarmed if I had been deployed to combat--which I was not. I simply worked in a hospital.