By Theodore Shoebat
Christians living in the small border town of Qaa, that lies between Syria and Lebanon, have taken up their cross, and are now holding up automatic rifles to defend themselves against ISIS.
They take up positions on hills and lay ambushes, being always vigilant and ready for the ISIS Muslims. One of the militants, with an assault rifle next to him, said,
We all know that if they come, they will slit our throats for no reason
the consternation of the locals increased tremendously last month after Muslim militants overran a border town and killed and kidnapped a number of Lebanese soldiers. For the first time since the Lebanese civil war that ended in 1990, Lebanese Christians are now arming themselves. Local Christians fear that their very existence is on the line.
When the Disciples asked Christ, “Lord, should we use our swords to fight?” (Luke 22:29), then was not the time to utilize arms, for Christ had to drink the cup of His passion, saying to Peter, “Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?” (John 18:11)
But in such a time as this, this is the adequate time for Christians to take up arms to defend themselves and their Faith. For, if St. Paul could have “two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen” (Acts 23:23) protect himself, then the Church, surely, can use militias and armies to protect itself.
If Nehemiah set up a militia to protect the building of the Holy Temple, saying “I even set the people after their families with their swords, their spears, and their bows” (Nehemiah 4:13), then the Church can set up militias to protect itself.
If the priest Jehoiada gave “king David’s spears and shields” (2 Kings 11:10) to the soldiers of Israel in order to protect the infant king Joash from the pagan queen Athaliah, then the Church can have an army protect its flock from the heathens of our own times.
If Israel had warriors “in all the business of the Lord, and in the service of the king” (1 Chronicles 26:30), then Christendom surely can arise with a holy army, dedicated to God and the Christian state, following the great precept of St. Peter,
Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king. (1 Peter 2:17)
When Christendom arises, this line of St. Peter should be the slogan of the Holy Empire. It encompasses the spirit of Christendom in one succinct line. The love of God and obedience to the Divine Law, and honor to the king and the state, are merged together in one sublime precept that binds the people together in conformity to the very heart and nature of Christendom.
Those who are a part of Christendom honor all men in devotion for sacred justice and hatred for tyranny and evil; they love the brotherhood, that is their fellow Christians who uphold the Orthodoxy of Christendom; and they honor the king, that is the state of Christendom.
This entire way of life involves militancy; for to fear God, to love the brotherhood, and to honor the king, consists of the willingness to use armies to protect that very brotherhood, and to defend that very state of Christendom.
Within the beautiful line of St. Peter, in his first epistle, there lies the whole of Christendom.
So then let us follow his precept, Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king ; let it be our slogan, let it be on our banners, let it be on our flags, let it be on our weapons, let it be on our hearts.
Let it be written in our language and in Latin,
omnes honorate fraternitatem diligite Deum timete regem honorificate
The title of King of the Jews was written in Hebrew, Greek, and in Latin, so let the Churches of the East and the West unite; let Israel and spiritual Israel merge together as one, to fight for that very King Who stood upon the Cross in royalty, so that we may have victory carrying our own crosses.
Christus Vincit!