Tasine wrote:
Bear, I am not a Biblical scholar and not a church goer, though I was when I was young. I know the Bible says to pray for your leaders, but I think I know how God feels about leaders such as much of the world has now, and I think He isn't too enamored of them. And frankly, I don't think He would consign me to Hell if I bopped one of them in the eye. And, ohhhh, how I would so love to do just that!!!
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
Didn't St. Paul say in Corinthians, "Faith without works is dead"? Isn't it true that an unjust law is no law at all? And doesn't from time to time the Catholic Church ask their members for civil disobedience which is different from breaking the law?
We must as Christians shun, evil men, may God rebuke them. We must condemn sin, and convince the sinner to sin no more. Hate the Sin and save the sinner. However, we do not have to tolerate evil when it is on our doorstep, in our homes, and on our property. For our property is ours to do with as we please. However, public property is not ours and we must respect others. However, in respecting others we must also respect ourselves. If it is right for an atheist to make a Christian take down his cross, then it is right for the Christian to make the atheist control their behavior. What is good for the goose is good for the gander. Now mind you the principle stated above used the example of a Christian and an atheist.
If the government of John Q Public is going to assume authority over the people for whatever reason, then the Christian complains about the atheist must be heard, just like the complaints about the Christian. For example, if the Greek God Justice can be raised upon a public building, then the Christian God, Jesus Christ can be raised upon a public building. And if either Justice or Jesus Christ is offense then both must be taken down. In reality however, and based upon this principle, neither Justice nor Jesus is offensive so why have this argument?
Upon examining this situation, more closely we find that the seculars are complaining about bigotry when the Christian complains. However, is bigotry a one way street, I think not! So to ensure Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of happiness, some think that neither the Christian or the Secular have a right to complain.
This stance worked for approximately 20 years in the United States until the seculars pushed too far. Yes in the past the Conservatives who were made up of mostly Christians did abuse their power. However, the pendulum has swung in the opposite direction. Now the bigots are on the otherside. Yet, because these people's parents were truly victims of bigots, the children do not accept either the faith, and they are sensitive to the comments from their adversaries. This is unfair to both groups. Both the Christian and the secular lose and it causes a losing battle for both. Therefore, it is right for the Christian to speak out about this injustice, just as it is just for the secular to speak out against the same injustice. However, prudence shall dictate according to divine providence, that an argument against the foundation of a principle, when it is rooted in sin, is unjust.
Incidentally I do believe I got that last statement from Thomas Jefferson himself in the federalist papers. Now even though the term "sin" is a religious term, man can "sin" against man. Sin is an ancient word meaning offense or trespass. Sin was special for it described an offense against a god or a deity. However, an offense is an offense, a sin is a sin, and a trespass is a trespass. Therefore, the Christians and Jewish people have a common law that is "Love God with all your heart, mind and soul. And love your neighbor as yourself." This is the common theme of the Law of Moses for it is written three times in the Hebrew Law. In Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy. Also I believe it is mentioned in Numbers and many other books of the Old Testament. In the New Testament it is commonly called the "Golden Rule". Now, for Jews and Christians, this is the rule to live by, for this rule sums up their God's law both Christian and Jew. The Chosen people of God are the priestly people of man. For the Jews were entrusted in showing an example for all people. The Jews rejected God many many times and God took them back. Then God chose the Christians.
To every group there is the adversary of that group. If Christians and Jews are "Conservatives" then the "Liberals" are the adversary. However, to be truly liberal is one who believes in Change. Change is accepted by both God and Man, so what's the problem? Right? Well change to promote sin against thy neighbor is wrong Liberals and Conservatives agree on that issue however, when laws are written to only include a Conservative or a Liberal then the Government is not fair for it is supporting one group over another. This supporting of one group over another is Bigotry. This was seen in many recorded Supreme Court cases in History. Just remember if it is a sin against the dignity of man, the justice of man, or the person of man, then it is a wicked evil. If it promotes the dignity of man, justice of man, responsible freedom of man or the person of man then it is an act of righteousness. Yes even a liberal can be just, Robert and John Kennedy are considered by me to be Just leaders seeking to make America greater than it was.
But every leader, no matter how ruthless they may be,(Bobby Kennedy was considered to be a ruthless Attorney General because he enforced the law), when they advocate true justice and true heavenly peace, end up paying for it with their lives. Example of this in the previous century are John and Robert Kennedy, as well as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and John Lennon. There were many others but these four stand out for America wept for them. Conservatives and Liberals alike, even our enemies wept for these great men. But what made them so great?
Now this is what we as Christians must keep in mind, one of the greatest qualities of these great men was "They accepted the duty that was given to them without compromise." When they were presented with a problem, instead of pleasing the crowd and putting a bandaid on the problem, they sought solutions that would be permanent. Each of these men, including yes, John Lennon believed in Divine Providence. When they "had the opportunity to act, they accepted the responsibility and duty to act", this founding principle is not only a founding father principle but a basic Christian principle. Let it now be known that this principle is the duty of every Christian. An example of this is when Bobby Kennedy said to the young people of the United States in the 60s, "Stamp out injustice wherever it may be."
Now injustice comes in many forms and remember the rule is if a man sins against another man it is unjust. Therefore, we must stop sin the cause of injustice. This is not a movement, this is a founding principle. Known to not only our founding fathers, but every leader of every group of humans since the dawn of time and the discovery of awareness. "I think therefore, I am", "I am therefore I have dignity", "I have dignity therefore my dignity must be protected"
Also man has a need to find a higher power. This need for the higher power, grants dignity and shows love to thier fellow man. This concept is true of every religion across the world and does not differ from one culture to another. This concept is the common theme that draws all people together. This is why the freedom of religion, or lack there of, is so important. This is why freedom of conscience is so important. If I am to believe in Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I dream" speech of 1962, when he commanded that we should be judged by the "content of our character." then what character content would be considered acceptable? Upon further research we find that Dr. King was Christian and Robert and John were Catholic.
In a time of great trial in the United States, two Catholics accepted a Baptist minister on judging a man, by the content of his character. Thus, Civil Rights was reborn. These founding principles of Civil Rights should be known for today we forgot what the Civil Rights were about and now today the meaning is pushed too far to the liberal side that Sin is hard to determine logically, but the conscience knows sin and will make a man with a conscience feel guilty should he act in a way contrary to this principle.
The principle of Civil Rights are born with the Christian ideology of "hate the sin, not the sinner" which extend Civil Rights to include the Unborn Child, the Old, and the Criminals on death row. The dignity of Life is more precious to the one believing in Civil Rights, to be subjected to a Court Order of Death.
However, should the knowledge of wickedness, twist the principle, that wickedness must be as Robert put it, "stamped out". So, keeping with these principles and in conclusion, to act in a matter, to preserve the spirit of the Law and its interpretation, we must as Christians, and Conservatives, as a people, Liberal, we must stamp out injustice, while preserving this principle. This single principle, was described by Thomas Jefferson in the first few lines of the Declaration of Independence that began with "When in the course of human events...."
God bless America, and hopefully in the Grace of God's blessing, Christians, Liberals and Conservatives alike will remember the principles and defend the Constitution and bring back the rule of law. I have shown in my first post the "sin" of Obama against the Constitution in Article II and III of the United States Constitution. It is up to us as a people to force our elected officials to act against this sin of tyranny. We have a duty and a responsibility to act. Our Congressmen have a duty and a responsibility to act. Therefore it is our time to show the greatness of America, during our test, and show God and the world that America is great, and has not lost favor or grace with God, it just took time, for our light to speak as it is being blotted out by our transgressors.
God bless you all and may God grant you peace in your endeavor to fight for what some stated to me as a lost cause. However, Jimmy Stewart did say in, "Mr. Smith goes to Washington", "Lost causes are the ones you fight the most hard est for because of one rule, 'Love thy neighbor' and I will stay here and continue to fight for this lost cause until this room gets filled with lies like these. Somebody will listen to me. Somebody.."