"I Cannot Serve, For I Am A Christian"

Like most early Christians, Maximilian refused military service

In March, 295 AD, 21 year-old Maximilianus of Tebessa was ordered to appear with his father Fabius Victor before Dion, the Roman Governor of Numidia (modern day Algeria) in order to be sworn into the Roman army. While enlisting was voluntary for most, his father Fabius had served as a Roman soldier before he became a believer, and all sons of veterans were to be conscripted.

Because of the teachings of Jesus few Christians in the first several centuries of the church served in the Roman army, and in fact applicants for baptism were forbidden to enlist. Maxmilian is the first Christian conscientious objector on record to be beheaded for refusing military service. Later canonized as a Catholic saint, March 12 is designated as his feast day.

The following is one of many accounts that have been preserved of his refusal to serve:

When asked his name, Maximilian replied, "Why do you wish to know my name? I cannot serve because I am a Christian." 

Nevertheless, orders were given for him to be given the military seal. 

He answered, "I cannot do it: I cannot be a soldier." 

When told he must serve or die, he said, "You may cut off my head, but I will not serve. My army is the army of God, and I cannot fight for this world," it was pointed out to him that there were Christians serving as bodyguards for the emperors Diocletian and Maximian.

To this he replied, "That is their business. I am a Christian, too, and I cannot serve."

Dion then told Fabius Victor to correct his son. Victor, who had become a Christian, said, "He knows what he believes, and he won't change his mind."

Dion insisted, "Agree to serve and receive the military seal."

"I already have the seal of Christ, my God . . . I will not accept the seal of this world; if you give it to me, I will break it for it is worthless. I cannot wear a piece of lead around my neck after I have received the saving sign of Jesus Christ, my Lord, the son of the living God. You do not know Him; yet He suffered for our salvation: God delivered Him up for our sins. He is the one whom all Christians serve; we follow Him as the Prince of Life and Author of Salvation."
 
Again Dion stated that there are other Christians who are soldiers.

Maximilian answered, "They know what is best for them. I am a Christian and I cannot do what is wrong."

Dion continued, "What wrong do those commit who serve in the army?"

Maximilian answered, "You know very well what they do."

Threatened with death if he remained obstinate, Maximilian answered, "This is the greatest thing that I desire. Dispatch me quickly. Therein lies my glory." Then he added, "I shall not die. When I leave this earth, I shall live with Christ, my Lord."

He was sentenced accordingly: "Whereas Maximilian has disloyally refused the military oath, he is sentenced to die by the sword." 

Just before his execution, Maximilian encouraged his companions to persevere and asked his father to give his new clothes to the executioner.

We are told that Fabius Victor "went home happily, thanking God for having allowed him to send such a gift to heaven."

This account can be found at http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=5018

Peace Churches Should Call For Recognition Of All Conscientious Objectors To War

During World War I US conscientious objectors were forced
into military training camps and endured untold hardships for
refusing to put on uniforms and practicing for combat.

"Wars will be stopped only when soldiers refuse to fight, when workers refuse to load weapons onto ships and aircraft, when people boycott the economic outposts of Empire that are strung across the globe. ”
― Indian author Arundhati Roy, 1961-

"I cannot serve, for I am a Christian."
-- Maximilianus of Tobessa, 295 A.D.

Members of the Society of Friends (Quakers), Mennonites and Church of the Brethren denominations are officially recognized as "peace churches" whose members are granted exemption from military service on religious grounds. During recent wars they have been offered the opportunity to do some form civilian service instead engaging in combat.

For people of other denominations or faiths, or who profess no faith, this kind of exemption on either moral or religious grounds is not so easy to obtain.

Germany, after two unimaginably disastrous wars that left the country in ruins, now permits all youth of draft age to register as conscientious objectors, and over half of them are choosing to do so. While many make this choice for religious reasons, others do so simply because they see taking part in war as morally indefensible, and that saying no to it is necessary if humanity is to survive. Should a draft be reintroduced, all objectors would be protected by the German constitution from having to take up arms against their fellow human beings, and would be expected to engage in some noncombatant service for their country instead.

We should make provisions for the same, and our peace churches should be leading the way in advocating for the right of all to abstain on the basis of conscience. More and more people of goodwill worldwide are seeing warfare as unconscionable, a wonderful development indeed, just as many people of all kinds of faith, or not faith, are speaking out against abortion as a means of birth control on moral grounds.

Members of peace churches should urge legislators to provide protection for all who are conscientiously opposed to war, and ask the two major political parties to make this a part of their pro-life, pro-conscience, pro-liberty platform.

Then if they vote, to vote accordingly.

See https://harvyoder.blogspot.com/2011/01/saying-no-to-war.html