The Human Cost of War

Over 1,000,000 largely young men died in America’s civil war.

Over 9.7 million military deaths and over 6.8 million civilian deaths occurred WW1.

The overall death toll is estimated to be between 70 and 85 million people in WW2 Approximately 20 to 25 million military personnel were killed in the conflict.

In the Korean War, the total number of deaths of all armed forces involved is estimated to be more than 1,250,000. It is also estimated that at least two million and possibly as many as four million civilians died. 

As many as 2 million civilians and 1.1 million North Vietnamese and Viet Cong fighters (official 1995 estimate) and, 58,000 killed or missing in action in the Vietnam war. 

In wars from the late 1800’s through to nearly today, it is estimated that 160 million people have died in or because of wars. 

For comparison, half of the population of America is gone.

Wherever we exist, we are given to attempting to spread our authority over others and war results. So millions die. Even with the multiple millions who died before 1860, some  have said that the 20th century was the bloodiest century of human history. And it continues into our century. 

When I see those numbers, and think about all of the young men and women who never had children or established a life and home with a spouse, I wonder, is a piece of dirt we call a nation worth it?

I am not discussing the justifications all sides use to pursue their idea of a just war. I am simply asking myself the human question, is it worth it? 

For Christians it can be an important question. I copy here below my recent blog on the topic…..for Christians. Pagans will be pagans. 

God is moving history (part 2)……and Christians can live under any government.

World leaders (good and bad) too often think that their decisions are the stuff of which history is made. But, from the biblical point of view, God is moving history. If it were not so, there would be no human history. 

Peter tells us in 2 Peter 3:8-10, “But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come….”

Mercy is moving history. And, those of us who have embraced the mercy of God in Jesus Christ, have much more divine design impact on history than we may realize. 

Of the many that have gone on before us in the God designed human history, the writer of Hebrews says, “And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.” Hebrews 11:39-40. 

The day of the Lord is coming. Until it does, God has a mercy plan to fully spread all over the world, and each of us who belong to Him are a part of it!!

In the meantime, Christians all over the world and at any time, will live under differing governments. Some good, some tolerable, some ruthless. 

If the church of the first generations could live, survive and at times thrive under the Roman Empire, so can we, live, survive and at times thrive under our government.  

Realities of the way in which nations organize and govern themselves present all such possibilities. The greater economic opportunity for some can also, even unintentionally, create less opportunity and even poverty for others. 

As we have seen in the past and from other nations, such polarization of opportunity can grow and create moments of national conflict. Where that conflict leads no one can easily predict. 

In much of the world today, such polarization exists and a precipice of conflict overtakes us. The world will navigate it in ways that ultimately yield widespread suffering. No matter the kind of political system, ultimately they all fail. 

Some take longer, some shorter, but Man does not really know how to solve the sin problem and all the inequities and suffering it brings. 

As Christians, while we live in nations that represent the whole gamut of governmental possibility, free to oppressed, poverty to wealth, etc, etc… we remain first and foremost citizens of a heavenly kingdom. 

Paul says to Timothy, “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior…” 1 Timothy 2:1-3

While we pray for a peaceful and godly life we are prepared to live within the confines of what God in His sovereign orchestration of human history, allows.

Where possible, we can vote, let our voices be heard, and, our lives be seen. In today’s tumultuous environment, no nation can be seen to guarantee that Paul’s words to Timothy will be easy. Paul calls us to act in ways that have little to nothing to do with the actual political context. 

In our day when progressive theology and dominion theology have attempted to overwhelm orthodoxy, we are at the risk of forgetting that suffering is a dominant theme in the New Testament teaching. 

As each of us navigates our political realities, some may die, maybe most will live in political tolerance, few will live in the peace we seek. 

All of us, at the very least, given the world wide dash to sexual deviance, will suffer with Lot. The writer of Hebrews says of God and Lot, “and if he rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked (for as that righteous man lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard); then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment…”

While we indeed may suffer for being followers of Jesus, let’s not be the problem that confuses God’s message. 

“Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,

“Awake, O sleeper,

and arise from the dead,

and Christ will shine on you.”

Ephesians 5:8-14

“You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” 1 Corinthians 6:20