The supply of Leopard tanks to Ukraine approved by the federal government does not exactly meet with unanimous approval. Offensive weapons are already a completely different “quality” than defensive weapons. The EKD has developed its very own style to justify these arms deliveries.
Inhalt / Content
EKD endorses tank delivery with “heart bleeds”
The delivery of Leopard tanks to the Ukraine for use against Russian units, announced by the federal government, aroused strange reactions from the evangelical church.
Annette Kurschus, the chairwoman of the council of the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD), explained that she was becoming “increasingly uncanny” about the planned delivery of Leopard tanks. EKD Council Chairwoman Kurschus emphasized, that the delivery of weapons must be aimed at defense and that offensive weapons call this into question. Nevertheless, Kurschus, as the “top representative of the German Protestants,” backs the support of Ukraine by supplying arms. “The Protestant Church supports everything that serves peace and protects life. We stand by those who are attacked,” said Kurschus.
Jesus “maybe” would have agreed
“Weapons bring peace and protect life,” according to the logic of the EKD council chairwomen. Apparently, this also applies when it comes to offensive weapons such as the Leopard tank and this even seems “increasingly spooky”. In order to muddle out of this apparent contradiction, Kurschus relies on an idiosyncratic interpretation of the teachings of Jesus Christ. Although Jesus “clearly relies on the renunciation of violence”, Jesus would probably also say: “You must stand by those whose lives are threatened”. In a nutshell, Kurschus equated a very creative assumption of his own with Christian teaching.
There are differentiated voices within the EKD, some of them negative, but most “in our church support the supply of weapons out of necessity, albeit with a bleeding heart and strong scruples.”
Yes, then everything is fine. Advocate the supply of offensive weapons that build peace and save lives, with blood and scruples, but with full backing. After all, Jesus Christ “presumably” would have given his blessing. With this, Kurschus answered the “questioning” of offensive weapons in one go.
The Bible does not support this
The chairwoman of the EKD Council and “supreme representative of German Protestants” really only needed to look at the Bible to be able to bring back the teachings of Jesus Christ without “own assumptions”. That’s what it says in Matthew 5:39:
“But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.”
Jesus Christ also gave clear “directions for action” against the (declared) enemy, as in Matthew 5:43-44:
“Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;”
As for the type of weapons Christians use and how they are used, Paul has apt answers. As in Romans 13:12:
“The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.”
2 Corinthians 6:7:
“By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,”
2 Corinthians 10:4:
“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;”
The EKD “has finished”. However, this now enormous distance from the word of God is not surprising . I’m a Protestant, but the EKD Council President certainly doesn’t represent me!
Bible verses from King James Version
