Like those in the Watchtower, this relies on a misinterpretation of the Scriptures. We must keep things in context. While the commandments in the Old Testament tell us to love the Lord Thy God with all thy heart, soul and body and to love thy neighbor as thy self, the Israelites launched their military campaigns into the Land of Canaan when they came out of bondage in Egypt. They committed genocide at the command of God. (Deuteronomy 10:12; Leviticus 19:18; Matthew 22:37-39). Likewise King David and many other Kings of Israel engaged in wars against pagan nations and subdued them.
God never sanctioned a war for Christians. Read your Bible. Once the Jews no longer occupied the Promised Land, ( when they were dispersed into other nations) there were no wars sanctioned by God for Israel because there was no longer a land to defend. That is the only time they fought a war. If God was not backing them when they chose to fight an enemy, they were defeated.
When we come to the New Testament, we are told to love your enemies. Here is one rule, but there is another rule which we find in Romans 13:4:-
Romans 13:4 (KJV)
4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.
Generally speaking, we are to love your enemies, but there are times of national emergency, when your loving enemies are not an option, nor practical. Anyone who sits at home while your neighbors go to war to protect the country from evil, is not loving. Certainty for eternity.
You seriously say that JW's misinterpret scripture and then go ahead and misinterpret one yourself.
Anyone with a modicum of knowledge of the Christian scriptures understands what it means to
"love your enemies and to pray for those who persecute you"...it's a bit hard to do that with a gun or a bomb.
You quote Paul as saying that "
for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to
execute wrath upon him that doeth evil."
Lets look at that scripture in context....Romans 13:1-4:
"Let every person be in subjection to the superior authorities, for there is no authority except by God; the existing authorities stand placed in their relative positions by God. 2 Therefore, whoever opposes the authority has taken a stand against the arrangement of God; those who have taken a stand against it will bring judgment against themselves. 3 For those rulers are an object of fear, not to the good deed, but to the bad. Do you want to be free of fear of the authority? Keep doing good, and you will have praise from it; 4 for it is God’s minister to you for your good. But if you are doing what is bad, be in fear, for it is not without purpose that it bears the sword. It is God’s minister, an avenger to express wrath against the one practicing what is bad."
This is about law breakers, and those who oppose the rulers of their nation.....it's not talking about fighting in a war. Political squabbles especially over oil or land are nothing to do with God.
What is a "minister"? Is it not a servant? That is the political and religious meaning of the word. Ministers in a government serve the interests of the people. Those in government are under the authority of the leader of that government....to serve the interests of the people and to protect their citizens from evildoers. God protects his own in that arrangement.
Those who "bear the sword" are not the Christians but "the rulers"....those who hold governmental authority over them. (Romans 13:1)
No Christian in the first century held political office or were part of the military forces...their Christian conscience would not let them. (John 18:36)
The authorities at times arrested the Christians and made life hard for them. But this gave them no license to rebel, nor did it give them license to make a better government for themselves. They were to obey the governing authority in everything except when they were told to do things God had forbidden...or were told not to do the things God commanded. (Acts 5:29)
Perhaps you should temper Paul's words with what he said in the previous chapter?
"Return evil for evil to no one. Take into consideration what is fine from the viewpoint of all men. 18 If possible, as far as it depends on you, be peaceable with all men. 19 Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but yield place to the wrath; for it is written: “‘Vengeance is mine; I will repay,’ says Jehovah.” 20 But “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by doing this you will heap fiery coals on his head.” 21 Do not let yourself be conquered by the evil, but keep conquering the evil with the good." (Romans 12:17-21)
It doesn't say to conquer evil with weapons....it says to conquer evil with good. Do you need an interpreter?