Just War Theory

Just in the sense of justice, not "mere"

the Catechism of the Catholic Church, in paragraph 2309, lists four strict conditions for "legitimate defence by military force":

1.the damage inflicted by the aggressor on the nation or community of nations must be lasting, grave, and certain;

2.all other means of putting an end to it must have been shown to be impractical or ineffective;

3.there must be serious prospects of success;

4.the use of arms must not produce evils and disorders graver than the evil to be eliminated. The power of modern means of destruction weighs very heavily in evaluating this condition.

What does God think of this?
Let me tell you what I, God, thinks: Bullshit. Soldiers are not Buddhas. People have a right to defend themselves, of course, but the best way out of a conflict might just be to give in. Turn the other cheek. If you're willing to die, no one's stopping you, of course. War is messy, and although leaders may think they are fully justified in entering a war, jus in bellum (just conduct in war) is basically impossible, I would have to say. In other words, people get kill crazy. But they should be Buddhas. Peaceful, kind, compassionate, loving, friendly, happy, helpful, wise, etc.

Here's what John Kerry said, after his participation in Vietnam:
Asked whether he had personally committed atrocities in Vietnam, he responded:

"There are all kinds of atrocities, and I would have to say that, yes, yes, I committed the same kind of atrocities as thousands of other soldiers have committed in that I took part in shootings in free fire zones. I conducted harassment and interdiction fire. I used 50 calibre machine guns, which we were granted and ordered to use, which were our only weapon against people. I took part in search and destroy missions, in the burning of villages. All of this is contrary to the laws of warfare, all of this is contrary to the Geneva Conventions and all of this is ordered as a matter of written established policy by the government of the United States from the top down. And I believe that the men who designed these, the men who designed the free fire zone, the men who ordered us, the men who signed off the air raid strike areas, I think these men, by the letter of the law, the same letter of the law that tried Lieutenant Calley, are war criminals."

I have an even higher standard than Geneva or U.S. law: Thou shalt not kill.

Only time should kill. Who can say where the road goes? Only time.
There's time-life books. There's also time of death. When you're number's up. As Pink Floyd sang, "shorter of breath, and one day closer to death." Is it fated, people wonder. Nah. You can move your number around. You do that by moving your body around.

As for military defense, murder is always wrong. So just give up, already. Outlaw all militaries, for Christ sakes. Can't we all just get along? Let conflict be interpersonal. Nations are artificial constructs. They don't even exist. There are borders with laws and citizens and pr machines that create identity, in addition to culture, religion, language, which usually transcends borders. But everybody is just PEOPLE. Enough already with the stupid false identities, jingoism, and nationalistic fervor. Get real. Get human.

Not that countries are bad. I mean, why not. But nobody wants to get killed, so I've got to step in as Dad and stop all this stupid squabbling amidst my children. Alright? Now, go to your room.

As for killing plants and slaughterhouses for your carnivorous appetites, well you gotta do what you gotta do. But you don't need to go to war. That's obvious.