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Repentance Or Ruin: The Path Forward After Unjust Wars

Repentance Or Ruin: The Path Forward After Unjust Wars

Last updated on: May 4, 2026 at 1:11 am by Henry Karlson

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Repentance Or Ruin: The Path Forward After Unjust Wars 2026-05-04T01:11:38-05:00 Henry Karlson

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United States Department of Defense: HIMARS Support of the Unjust War – Operation Epic Fury / Wikimedia Commons

The war in Iran continues. Despite Trump constantly claiming that the end is just days away, or that a temporary truce (or ceasefire) means the war is over (in order to say he is following the law), the war continues, and the cost for the war continues to rise. Trump and Hegseth still threaten Iran. The war which Trump began is an unjust war. Not only was there no properly established goal, the way the war has been and continues to be conducted defies just war requirements. Hegseth is clear that the United States will violate the conventions of war in order to attain “victory.” He has no problem targeting non-combatants, those who are no longer combatants (and should be treated as POWs), as well as civilian infrastructure to “win.” To win what? Again, it is not clear. But what I think should be obvious is that Trump is not concerned about the Iranian people; if he were, the United States would not be embracing war crimes, saying the ends justify the means. Thus, not only does the war fail to attain the justification needed to begin, the way it is being waged is gravely unjust, and no moral person should support it.

I find Pope Leo XIV’s declaration that God does not support warmongers with a quote from Isaiah is quite fitting. He shows that Hegseth (and other supporters of the war) are wrong when they think they claim God is on their side as they engage their bloodlust; Isaiah, speaking to the Israelites who similarly thought they could invoke God and use God to support their injustices, said that God rejected their claims: “When you spread forth your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood” (Isa. 1:15 RSV). Isaiah warned Israel that they were a sinful nation; they went against what God expected from them. Their rejection of social justice made them like Sodom and Gomorrah, with the only difference is that God’s mercy allowed more from Israel to survive than those who survived the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah:

If the LORD of hosts had not left us a few survivors, we should have been like Sodom, and become like Gomorrah. Hear the word of the LORD, you rulers of Sodom! Give ear to the teaching of our God, you people of Gomorrah! (Isa. 1:9-10 RSV).

The sins of Sodom and Gomorrah were centered upon the injustices the people of Sodom and Gomorrah engaged, especially against strangers and to those who were poor and needy:

Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, surfeit of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy. They were haughty, and did abominable things before me; therefore I removed them, when I saw (Ez. 16:49-50 RSV).

It is easy for me to see why Pope Leo XIV referenced Isaiah, as there is a clear connection between the actions of Sodom and Gomorrah and the United States. The Trump administration makes it more and more difficult for the poor and needy to survive. For example, it has taken away from more and more of the poor the food stamps and health care they need to live another day. It is not just the Trump administration. We find many states are also doing what they can to hinder the poor, such as those who are making it a crime for the homeless to sleep in public spaces (which, ultimately means, they have no place they can sleep, and so it would seem, it becomes a crime for them to live). With its haughty pride, with its belief it should dominate and control much of the world, the United States has begun taking on the world, going to war with the worst kinds of excuses possible, excuses which do not make sense when they are examined. What was the reason for actions taken in Venezuela? At first, it was said, it was for the good of the people and regime change, but after taking out Nicolás Maduro, Trump has let the rest of the administration stay in place as long as they give him what he wants, which which appears to be oil. And again, if the war in Iran had anything to do with the welfare of the Iranian people, the war would be waged would be with care, making sure the Iranian people are not targets; instead the United States has made universal threats against all the people living in Iran, which means, we do not show any care or concern for them.

Watching the war effort, I have also kept track of how expensive it has become. Even if the war ends right now, the consequences, the true cost of the war, will be paid for years to come. Sin is always its own punishment because it creates the conditions and means by which the punishment will come. The sin of the unjust war against Iran will be felt by the people of the United States (and indeed, around the year) for a long time. Just the monetary cost is huge (at least 25 billion dollars). But it is quite possible the war will lead to the destruction of the US economy itself. Invoking God for an unjust war will always be costly, and the warning of Isaiah to the people of Israel for being like Sodom and Gomorrah represents a warning which goes to all who are like Sodom and Gomorrah, those whose prosperity comes at the expense of the poor and needy. It is a warning which the United States should take seriously. Its sinful war will, done to appease the bloodlust of Hegseth and the greed of Trump, will not be paid only by the Iranians (who will be forced to sell out their country in many ways to bring the war to an end), but the poor and middle class, and the elderly, in the United States. We already see, as a way to pay for the war, Trump is planning to take from Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and other similar programs which help the needy, all the while the cost of oil is on the rise, raising not only the price of gas, but most goods and services. It is going to become very difficult for the poor and middle class to survive. The longer the war continues, the worse the consequences will be. Of course, not everyone will suffer the same, as there are some profiting from the war, such as those making insider bets; while they are profiting on the backs of the poor and innocent, in Iran and United States alike, and seemingly escape the consequences of their action, in the end, they will have to face it, if not now, then in the eschatological judgment.

The Iranwar cannot last forever. The consequences of the war cannot be put off indefinitely. While I can understand why those who are greedy, hateful, and nihilistic might support the war and not care about what happens to anyone as long as they get what they want, I can’t understand why any Christian would condone the war, thinking they can invoke God and have God support them as they bring destruction around the world. How can they not see God is not a God of war, but of love, that Jesus warned that those who live by the sword shall die by the sword? How can they not see wars of aggression have no connection to the necessity that might lead some to engage a defensive war? Have they not read in Scripture that God makes it clear God is not pleased with any killing, even if it is done out of necessity, which is why God said the blood on David’s hands would not allow him to make the Temple? Let them listen even more from the same chapter of Isaiah which Pope Leo XIV quoted from to see how their conduct, both in and outside of the war, show that God will not support them because of their injustices:

Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, sons who deal corruptly! They have forsaken the LORD, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they are utterly estranged. Why will you still be smitten, that you continue to rebel? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it, but bruises and sores and bleeding wounds; they are not pressed out, or bound up, or softened with oil (Isa. 1:4-6 RSV).

We must follow the way of Christ, the way of the prince of peace, not the lord of war. We must decry the miseries of war, see the evil which lies behind all war, and speak on behalf of the innocent who suffer as a result of warmongers engaging their bloodlust. While I fear there is no way for the United States not to suffer some of the consequences their sinful actions, it is possible to mitigate them if we stop and repent. Sadly, when this does not happen, we risk losing it all (like Sodom and Gomorrah did).

* This Is Another Post From My Personal (Informal) Reflections And Speculations Series

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N.B.: While I read comments to moderate them, I rarely respond to them. If I don’t respond to your comment directly, don’t assume I am unthankful for it. I appreciate it. But I want readers to feel free to ask questions, and hopefully, dialogue with each other. I have shared what I wanted to say, though some responses will get a brief reply by me, or, if I find it interesting and something I can engage fully, as the foundation for another post. I have had many posts inspired or improved upon thanks to my readers.

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