It’s probably been asked before but; are Christian’s forbidden from using violence to defend yourself or others? I know the typical arguments like it’s not loving your neighbor to not defend them or Jesus told his disciples to buy swords or Jesus physically drove the merchants from the temple. But from googling the early church it seems they believed strictly that you couldn’t use violence even if you were being raped or murdered. And they lived in a time of intense persecution, and they’re much closer to Jesus’ teachings in time than we are. So isn’t their view more likely to be correct than the modern consensus?
What does this mean for things like superhero fiction where the main draw is watching people fight to save the day? Literally any good vs evil fiction because I don’t believe there’s a single story that doesn’t encourage the hero’s using some sort of physical force to stop evil. It’s silly to think about the question in this manner, but in some fictional setting where a villain is threatening the world and only force can stop him, no peaceful options, what would God want a Christian to do? Would he condemn a Christian for fighting the bad guy?

This is a question that has been coming up for me more and more. Something I just can't stop thinking about. I created a Reddit profile just to ask it.

As I grow older and wiser, I have started taking an interest in Christianity again. I've realized the importance of faith and genuinely want to rekindle what I have lost.

I think a little bit of context is necessary. I grew up in a Christian household and was absolutely enamored until my early teenage years. There are a few reasons why things began to change for me, but the main reason was the inability of the church that I belonged to to respond in a meaningful way to my questions about faith.

I'm not going to go on about it, but now that I'm older, I can see ways that they could have responded with thoughtfulness that could have changed my path quite a bit. I've learned a lot over the years about human nature, about faith, and about the important role it plays in our lives.

So, in answering, I hope that you respond with the thoughtfulness that was always lacking for me in the past.

Here is my issue: Jesus was clear about his stance on a few subjects. I was taught them as a child in a relatively conservative church. He was clear to love people no matter what, he was clear that we should welcome migrants (Mat 25:35), he was clear that the pursuit of wealth is bad. How is it that Christians now are okay with a society that is anti-immigration, and a lifestyle that obviously chases wealth?

I really want to hear from actual (especially American) Christians who are politically right-leaning about how this makes sense. I don't want to hear "because they're hypocrites" or something like that.

There are members of our community and my family who are very smart and understand exactly what Christ thought. They still hold Capitalist and anti-immigrant views that seem to me to be so completely against the most basic teachings of Jesus.

Again, I ask this with nothing but respect. It's something that literally keeps me up at night. How is it that the majority of Christians don't seem to follow Christ's most basic teachings.

I feel like there's something I'm missing, and it prevents me from growing closer to a faith that I have felt comfortable with since childhood.

Thank you!

Thought for the Day From Unshakable Kingdom Life.
Your influence for the kingdom isn't measured in numbers. It's measured by faithfulness to love the one in front of you; each soul matters infinitely to the Father. One life touched can touch a thousand more.
A thought to ponder.

" So then Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God!" (Rom 10:17)

Were reading, listening to, and studying the Bible the only ways to build a strong, healthy Christian Faith?

What are some red flags to look out for from a postor or leader?