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No; for what he is doing through others, he is in reality doing in his own person. Q. May he fight with an army against enemies, or against domestic rebels? A. Of course not. He cannot take any part in war or warlike preparations. He cannot use death-dealing arms. He cannot resist injury with injury, no matter whether he be alone or with others, through himself or through others. Q. May he choose or fit out military men for the government? A. He can do nothing of the kind, if he wishes to be true to Christ’s law. Q. May he voluntarily give money, to aid the government, which is supported by military forces, capital punishment, and violence in general? A. No, if the money is not intended for some special object, just in itself, where the aim and means are good. Q. May he pay taxes to such a government? A. No; he must not voluntarily pay the taxes, but he must also not resist their collection. The taxes imposed by the government are collected independently of the will of the subjects. It is impossible to resist the collection, without having recourse to violence; but a Christian must not use violence, and so he must give up his property to the violence which is exerted by the powers. Q. May a Christian vote at elections and take part in a court or in the government? A. No; the participation in elections, in the court, or in the government, is a participation in governmental violence. Q. In what does the chief significance of the doctrine of nonresistance consist? A. In that it alone makes it possible to tear the evil out by the root, both out of one’s own heart and out of the neighbor’s heart. This doctrine forbids doing that by which evil is perpetuated and multiplied. He who attacks another and insults him, engenders in another