I've pointed out how your interpretation of the Scriptures regarding war and soldiers is incorrect.
Respectfully, I believe that you're wrong about this.
You are making a significant error in interpreting these Scriptures.
I respect your right to your opinion, but please bear in mind that it is just that - your opinion. You may share this opinion with other people, but there are many other scholars and historians who would not share this same opinion with you, and for every factoid that you pull out - they'd have one supporting their opposing view.
...all of the Christians who interpreted and preserved the texts of the OT and NT for Christian use did not use the Scriptures that you cite as a justification or glorification of soldiers or war. In fact, they have unanimously done the opposite.
Not sure where you're getting this. Let me point something historical out: The early church was formed during the Roman occupation of the middle east and most of Europe. Naturally, the early church members would have been suspicious and cautious of anyone who was employed by the Roman government, which was actively persecuting them. Soldiers were employed by the Roman government. The early church was persecuted by a "war machine" and their interpretations of scripture are surely influenced by their fear of the Roman government. Even so, history is full of examples of Roman soldiers and officers who were also members of Christian congregations.
I don't think that you can find a single example of Christians supporting soldiers until Constantine.
all of the early Christians prohibited soldiers from membership, and to become a soldier while a member of a church meant exclusion from the fellowship.
I'd like to see your source(s) supporting your assertion that ALL early church congregations excluded soldiers from their congregations - and I'd like to know where your sources derived their reasons for doing so. Specifically, were their reasons biblical or societal?
I gave several examples in the NT that were positive regarding soldiers - not simply examples of positive statements about armour and defense, but accounts of positive statements about actual, individual soldiers.
I do not see one single reference to soldiers being excluded from congregations in the bible - that is, not because they were soldiers. Like anyone else, individual soldiers can of course be jerks, or exhibit behavior that would bar them from membership in a congregation, but I don't find any biblical support for the assertion that soldiers were excluded from membership in Christian churches simply because they were soldiers.
In Acts 1 we learn of the conversion to christianity of Cornelius, who was a centurion in the Roman army. There is no indication that his conversion included an order or even a suggestion to leave his profession.
The tradition of the Christian Church also records the conversion of the Roman soldier who speared Christ in the side as He hung on the cross. Longinus is said to have converted and was later martyred for his faith. Perhaps his words after Jesus gave up the ghost are a sign of his impending conversion, “Truly this was God’s Son.”
Speaking of the history of the early church:
St Estidus was a Roman soldier who was executed for his Christian faith in ad 60. He had been christened by St Peter.
St Eustace was a Roman general who was executed, along with his wife and children, by Hadrian in ad 118.
St Marcellus of Tangier, a Roman soldier, was executed for his faith in ad 298.
St Mercurius was a Roman officer martyred in ad 250.
St Florian was a general of the Roman Imperial Army and was executed for his faith in ad 304.
St Martin de Tours was an officer in the Roman army (born in about 316 ad). He served in the military for two years after his baptism into the church.
St Sebastion was an officer in the Praetorium guard (he was executed in 286 ad - pretty "early church" I'd say). In fact, he's the patron saint of the Swiss guard and the Spanish national police force.
The 40 martyrs of Sebaste are a famous example of Roman soldiers who preferred to be executed rather than deny Christ. The Eastern army of Licinius had resolved to ‘purge his army of all Christians” and forced sacrifice and apostasy.
St Agathius is the patron saint of soldiers and was a Roman soldier himself. He was executed for his Christian faith in 303 ad.
St Adrian was a Herculian guard and roman soldier and was martyred for his Christian faith in 306 ad.
St Crescentinus was a Roman soldier and is depicted as a "warrior saint." He was executed for his Christian faith in 303 ad.
St Demetrius was a Roman soldier who was martyred for his faith in the early 4th century as well.
St Basil placed on all returning soldiers who had been involved in active wars to abstain from Holy Communion for three years as a penitent. This confirms the Orthodox ideal that ‘killing always involves sin’ even legitimate/legal state approved wars or executions. However, it shows grace that killing in war and executions is -not- to be called ‘murder’ which is referred to in the Ten Commandments “Thou shall not murder.” Yet again, if the Christian had involved himself in denying Christ or sacrificing to Roman idols in order to gain military service again he was imposed a most severe 13 years ban from Holy Communion and could only be re-admitted before that time at the point of imminent death.
However, you see that even these soldiers were not excommunicated or banned from church membership or fellowship.
