Customer Reviews

When is It Right to Fight?

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I bought this book looking for enlightenment on the concept of the Just War, i.e. how and why wars can and should be fought. The title led me to believe that this book would address my questions.

However, the book is actually a Biblical and historical refutation of pacifism. It accomplishes that goal well enough, so if that is what you are looking for, this book is adequate. It addresses the data from the Old and New Testaments, atristics and later theologians, and summarizes with a Q&A format. I'd suggest that a more appropriate title for this book would be, "Is it ever right to fight?"

If, on the other hand, you are looking for a discussion of the just war, i.e. WHEN and HOW it is right to fight, look elsewhere.

Bob Morey's book, "When is it Right to Fight," gives the greatest defense of the Just War Theory ever given. Also, it refutes pacifism and non-resistance and shows their unreasonableness. The book uses the Scripture to justify war in necessary circumstances.

This book deals in stereotypes and caricatures. It ignores the example of Jesus Christ, and denies the exile status of God's predestined elect people. It begs the question continually by assuming that the "responsible" thing to do is to kill the bad guys. As in his book on hell and the immortality of the soul, there is no evidence of Morey carefully reading the literature of those he attacks.

For a page by page refutation of this book, I recommend Richard Barber's "When
is it right to Fight? Never", available from Pilgrim Brethren Press, po box 171, Petersburg, Ohio 44454. Barber is a sovereign grace pacifist, like me.

The Bible teaches the rights of resistance. The Bible teaches self-defense. The Bible teaches that there are distinctions of governments. Self, family, church and state government. All of these governments are under God. God is the source of all authority and law. If anyone of these governments go outside of their jurisdiction as laid out in the Bible by God, then at that point, it can and should be resisted. Morey explains this in detail very well.

I would recommend this book to the United States of America. Americans need to know again why our founding fathers did what they did and why it is the duty of Christians to stand against tyranny.

The best thing about Morey's book is the Recommended Reading list at the end. Too bad he didn't study some of the books he listed. John Howard Yoder could have helped him tremendously. For the most part he omitted the most significant pacifists of the twentieth century. Yet he claims to offer a rebuttal to a position he doesn't remotely understand.
This ill considered little book is filled with poorly examined assumptions. If you are looking for a thoughtful and biblically insightful defense of war , this is not it. But if you want a shallow piece of work that may reinforce your prejudice, When Is It Right To Fight? may be exactly what you have in mind.