Love, Law, and War in the Old Testament

 

        In between their regular insults of me, the Latter Day Saint Peace Studies group on Facebook asked: How do you reconcile the Old Testament God with Jesus of the New Testament? They ignored my response but it’s worth reading here:

        It’s funny you ask this because it shows a point I’ve made for years, that pacifists have to discount scripture, and can't wrap their minds around a God that uses violence. Patrick Mason and David Pulsipher in their book offered convoluted theories about divine violence that relies on texts that called God a terrorist. Or they suggest that you rely on modern scholarship that disputes the "historical reliability" of the Hebrew Bible. Other pacifists call God schizophrenic over the destruction of 3 Nephi 8.

        The top line summary for those that don’t ignore the nature of God argue that violence is regrettable but sometimes necessary and even exhibited by God. With that point of view Divine violence isn't "incongruous" with a merciful God but part of his character.

        Christians for thousands of years thought they should have a peaceful and conciliatory heart, more representative of the New Testament, while showing enough love for their neighbor to wield the sword and stop their slaughter, which is more like the Old Testament. 

        In fact, God commanded Noah after the flood that "by man shall the blood [of murderers] be shed." As explained by Dennis Praeger in his commentary on the Hebrew Bible: When you compare the flood to similar stories you see a God that is imminently concerned with morality and justice. But you can't rely on eventual love and justice from God. You're commanded to use the death penalty, just as God exhibited in the flood.

        Abraham is blessed a prince of peace (Genesis 14:18-20), but he didn't lift a standard of peace or bear three trespasses before he launched a sneak attack as supposedly required by Doctrine and Covenants 98. Praeger in fact, called Abraham a righteous man of war.

        In Exodus 21, a chapter after the Ten Commandments, God gave laws concerning justifiable homicide. That's why a better translation of the Ten Commandants is "thou shall not murder." The text in the two chapters literally describes justified homicide. The Exodus laws give protection to slaves and offers a route to emancipation that was incredibly progressive for its time.

        This law is often diminished as "an eye for an eye." But the law was fairly progressive because often society would seek a scape goat sacrifice. As in, someone that took your eye would have the eyes of their entire household forfeited. Thus it was more more just that only the person who committed the crime would suffer punishment. Moreover, unlike society at large, the penalties didn't vary between the eye of a noblemen or the eye of a commoner. Everyone was treated equally. Finally, few actually took an eye as punishment. There were financial penalties and fines that acted as substitutes. Even in the Old Testament, the whole world wasn't blind. (Thanks to Dennis Praeger for the extensive and enlightening commentary.)

        Overall the journey to the land God chose for his servants is the basis for the City of God and just war described by Augustine.

        Augustine and Aquinas (as well as Captain Moroni if you look closely enough) discussed the ambush in Joshua 8:2 and found Christlike reasons to support ambushes. If it was for a just cause like defending your people, just like Christ withheld some information leaders may move in secret.

        Even the most problematic chapter, Deuteronomy 20 tells us to "proclaim peace" and provides an off ramp to deescalate violence. (Ironically, I only noticed this after reading the Muslim father of international law, Al Shaybani.) The chapter says "thou shalt utterly destroy,” but in practice told the people to lift a standard of peace and give both sides a chance to accept peace.

        The text doesn't focus on justifying violence. It commands you to love your neighbor, (Leviticus 19:18) and through stories like Lot and his guests, or by command in Exodus, strangers and foreigners are to be treated with hospitability and respect.

        The stories of the patriarchs give us extensive lessons in how to be peaceful and recognize the regrettable, but just use of the sword. Unlike pacifists, the above attitude doesn't need to diminish God or ignore the Hebrew Bible to do it. It enhances our understanding and appreciation of God, and we should study the Old Testament more carefully.