Why I Left the Military — Dean Taylor — Ep. 007

Dean Taylor describes how he came to the decision to leave the US military after becoming a follower of Jesus. Dean and his wife Tonya served for years in the army before becoming convicted of Jesus' teaching of nonviolence and love for our enemies.

This episode is also a podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and SoundCloud.

[josiahblevins]

Powerful stuff! What a challenge and encouragement stories like this are! God bless you guys and keep it up.

[TheArtistFormerlyKnownAsLW]

It grieves my soul that this is even a debate...REPAY NOT EVIL WITH EVIL!!!

[johnserrato]

I've made big decisision over the last two or three years that it is wrong for saints in God's kingdom to bear arms against our enemies. I'd rather put on the whole armor of God and pray for my enemies whoever it may be.

“I serve Jesus Christ the eternal King. I will no longer serve your emperors…It is not right for a Christian to serve the armies of this world.”
~ Mercellus the Centurion, spoken as he left the army of Emperor Diocletian in 298AD

[BlessedHavenFarm]

Thanks for your heartfelt story! Praying for you may God lead you ever closer to Him!

[Backwardsman]

I'm certainly intrigued by nonresistance. One of my biggest objections is that nonresistance requires only nonbelievers working in government, police, etc. which seems like the opposite of making any progress. I'm a libertarian so I don't even believe in perfecting the world through moral force. The other regards self defense. In my opinion, it's a hard sell that defending yourself and others even up to lethal force can only be an evil rather than an honorable action.

[briannastegall]

I’m curious to know what an anabaptist would think regarding the original translation of “thou shalt not kill”. I read some where it is actually “thou shalt not murder” - murder and killing being two totally different things. Killing can be an accident or for war or capital punishment. Murder being the malicious taking of a life. Really curious!

[GardenerEarthGuy]

Jesus was offered all the kingdoms of the world if he would bow to Lucifer....

Thankfully, Jesus refused a government job and we should, too.

[rustytrubey]

Yes or no…is serving in the military a sin?

[jazzB]

Well egatro savatkis, it's Dean Taylor. Hope all is well, sir. Looks like you're doing great.

[andrewrutt]

thanks Dean for sharing!!! What if Jesus mean everything He did

[jeremiahzeiset]

Interesting perspective. My theory is that scripture never contradicts itself, and after God gave the children of Israel the 10 commandments, He didn't violate His own law by then telling the children of Israel to kill entire cities of men, women, and children. If that commandment says "do not murder" instead of "never, ever kill anyone, " then scripture is not inconsistent as some wrongly assume. Likewise, Jesus can say in the sermon on the mount that we should love our enemies, yet also commend a centurion as having the greater faith than could be found in all of Israel, neither feeling compelled to reprimand him for his job. If the centurion should have left his post, we can be sure that Jesus was have told him the same, as Jesus elsewhere consistently sent people away appropriately, either with commendation, or instruction as to how they live from that time forward.

Anyway, that's my theory of how this topic is reconciled in scripture, as it does need to be reconciled. I love how scripture reconciles itself in so many difficult topics. It can be confusing to the causal reader, but it doesn't have to be. God is so good, and so consistent.

[professionalbiologist]

Sounds like that chaplian had the wrong heart, he was right in believing you can defend yourself but he was wrong on his approach. it's like i think king ahaz who obeyed the lord but his heart wasn't perfect in doing so. Read Acts 10:1-4