Texas, Five Other States Considering Secession

[Mountain Man]

Considering that the history of Israel, God's people, is that of a theocracy, living under The Law. God didn't seem to have a problem with that until they stopped obeying him.

What Jesus said: "My kingdom is not of this world."

What Sam hears: "Governments should never observe or endorse Christianity."

The phrase "lost in translation" comes to mind.

[Sam]

What Jesus said: "My kingdom is not of this world."

What Sam hears: "Governments should never observe or endorse Christianity."

The phrase "lost in translation" comes to mind.

Well, I never will accuse either of us of being theologians but I figure that the concept of opposing the implementation of a religious creed with the backing of state power and violence isn't terribly difficult to glean from that and similar passages.

I get the distinct vibe that your interest in the religion is largely reducible to a "power over" dynamic, however, and the concept may indeed be "lost in translation" to that model.

-Sam

[Mountain Man]

Well, I never will accuse either of us of being theologians but I figure that the concept of opposing the implementation of a religious creed with the backing of state power and violence isn't terribly difficult to glean from that and similar passages.

I get the distinct vibe that your interest in the religion is largely reducible to a "power over" dynamic, however, and the concept may indeed be "lost in translation" to that model.

-Sam

That Jesus said he did not come to establish his kingdom on earth can not be reasonably interpreted to mean that governments should have nothing to do with Christianity.

As for your "vibe", it is laughably wrong.

[Sparko]

What Jesus said: "My kingdom is not of this world."

What Sam hears: "Governments should never observe or endorse Christianity."

The phrase "lost in translation" comes to mind.

I think he is forgetting Romans 13 also. Government are SUPPOSED to be doing and promoting God's will.


I would rather have a government friendly to Christianity than one hostile to it.

[Sam]

I think he is forgetting Romans 13 also. Government are SUPPOSED to be doing and promoting God's will.


I would rather have a government friendly to Christianity than one hostile to it.

That was ... not Paul's argument. Three non-theologians.

But, here again, we have a helpful reminder that the "limited government" mindset doesn't mean "limitations on government power over individuals" but "limitations on government power over individuals like me".

-Sam

[Sam]

Very interested in the enthusiasm for this application of government as the agents of God's will, as expressed in Christian thought and Scripture. I assume we'll all be looking forward to the elimination of interest-based loans, the dissolution of 2nd/3rd/etc. marriages, and pseudo-Paul's qualifications for leaders turned into actionable legal items.

In a "small government" framework, of course.

-Sam

[Cow Poke]

Very interested in the enthusiasm for this application of government as the agents of God's will, as expressed in Christian thought and Scripture. I assume we'll all be looking forward to the elimination of interest-based loans, the dissolution of 2nd/3rd/etc. marriages, and pseudo-Paul's qualifications for leaders turned into actionable legal items.

In a "small government" framework, of course.

-Sam

It's been kind of a tough morning, Sam - thanks for the amusement.

[Sam]

It's been kind of a tough morning, Sam - thanks for the amusement.

Genuinely hope the day gets better, Cow Poke.

-Sam

[Cow Poke]

Genuinely hope the day gets better, Cow Poke.

-Sam

It already has - got to play "mediator" this morning between a couple of good women who got crossways with each other, and after hearing each other out, realized they had made some really bad assumptions.
They even hugged and cried and snotted!

[Mountain Man]

Very interested in the enthusiasm for this application of government as the agents of God's will, as expressed in Christian thought and Scripture. I assume we'll all be looking forward to the elimination of interest-based loans, the dissolution of 2nd/3rd/etc. marriages, and pseudo-Paul's qualifications for leaders turned into actionable legal items.

In a "small government" framework, of course.

-Sam

Nobody here has said or implied that governments should conduct themselves according to the rules of the Church. But I remain curious why someone who claims to be a Christian would be so hostile to the idea of the government recognizing and observing certain Christian principles in accordance with scripture.

[Sparko]

Very interested in the enthusiasm for this application of government as the agents of God's will, as expressed in Christian thought and Scripture. I assume we'll all be looking forward to the elimination of interest-based loans, the dissolution of 2nd/3rd/etc. marriages, and pseudo-Paul's qualifications for leaders turned into actionable legal items.

In a "small government" framework, of course.

-Sam

Interesting that someone who calls themselves Christian doesn't want a government that does God's will or is favorable to Christianity.

[JimL]

Interesting that someone who calls themselves Christian doesn't want a government that does God's will or is favorable to Christianity.

So you admit you want a theocratic government.

[whag]

Interesting that someone who calls themselves Christian doesn't want a government that does God's will or is favorable to Christianity.

That’s your passive aggressive way of doubting he’s a Christian. I used to be a Christian, so I observed this a lot.

Sam’s merely arguing that the state and culture tend to disfigure the message, as evidenced in Christmas and Easter evolving into pagan holidays since the rise of commercialism 100 years ago.

Those two holidays are as basic an endorsement as possible, and look what monstrosities were wrought. Sam doesn’t trust that, so it seems reasonable that it has nothing to do with what you implied—that he merely calls himself Christian. No, he’s just not naive that Christian holidays lead to conversion.

[whag]

Nobody here has said or implied that governments should conduct themselves according to the rules of the Church. But I remain curious why someone who claims to be a Christian would be so hostile to the idea of the government recognizing and observing certain Christian principles in accordance with scripture.

No, you’re being passive aggressive in implying he’s a CINO. Sparko did EXACTLY this in the post above.

[Diogenes]

Very interested in the enthusiasm for this application of government as the agents of God's will, as expressed in Christian thought and Scripture. I assume we'll all be looking forward to the elimination of interest-based loans, the dissolution of 2nd/3rd/etc. marriages, and pseudo-Paul's qualifications for leaders turned into actionable legal items.

In a "small government" framework, of course.

-Sam

It's interesting that your only objection seems to be the characterization of people being in favor of "small/limited" government. At least though you've tied elimination of interest-based loans as a government policy to Christianity. I'd like to say you're showing yourself to be reformable in regard to admitting to your Christian nationalism, but you're merely using Scripture to bash people.