The Charlotte News
Sunday, February 9, 1936
EDITORIAL
Site Ed. Note: "With God on our side…"
War Without God.
A strange, impious war, one without either adequate gods for the battles or authentic heavens for the slain, is in the making between Russia, on the one hand, and Japan and Germany on the other. Christians must find themselves confused and very disapproving of any such come-to-pass.
Now we, who worship the True God, never permit ourselves to be lacking in spiritual military assets. When we go forth to war it is only with special Divine approval. It is all prearranged. Whatever may be the commercial and political side-issues, we really fight the battle of righteousness, and call fervently upon the Most High to give force to our guns and direction to our gases. It must be very embarrassing in Heaven, for almost invariably those we fight also are calling upon the same God for success in battle and a Valhalla for the dead of their side.
But, should Germany and Russia and Japan fall afoul of each other, the war would be such as to make it practically senseless to Christians. The Nazis, mouthing of blood and soil, have no god to speak of and, by edict, no heaven at all. The Soviets have packed up God, bag and baggage, and deported Him. They perform, proudly, in the name of Atheism. The Japs have a combination of the ancient Shinto and the hardly less aged Buddha religions and only a vague and cheerless hereafter in prospect. Christians must view any such war with distaste and disapproval. It would be so irregular.