tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19785125.post5182535299425303454..comments2024-01-03T07:56:32.311-05:00Comments on quaker oats live: "be subject to" your governmentAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07488876505679035140noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19785125.post-46356527898135327982008-11-08T01:50:00.000-05:002008-11-08T01:50:00.000-05:00Cherice, I think I gave my simplistic response las...Cherice, I think I gave my simplistic response last time you brought this up: (1)Does Romans 13 really say that Hitler was ordained by God? (2) If Paul was saying we should always obey our government, why was he executed for disobeying his?<BR/><BR/>I believe God speaks to nations, but God doesn't expect nations to obey. God speaks to individuals, and expects them to obey (love their nations' enemies), and to influence those gov'ts toward nonviolence. Of course, if every individual in a nation followed the commandment to love our enemies, we would treat other nations so kindly and unselfishly that they wouldn't fear us and we would share with them, and we would soon be out of enemies. <BR/><BR/>Gr. RalphAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19785125.post-40844477274474331922008-11-07T20:13:00.000-05:002008-11-07T20:13:00.000-05:00It might be helpful to look at government from the...It might be helpful to look at government from the perspective of what is called a "visionary planner": <BR/>1. What will likely occur in the absence of planned intervention? <BR/>2. What would be preferred to occur? <BR/>3. How do we administer the vision?<BR/><BR/>In this case, you can consider: <BR/>1. What will happen to government (and to society) if good people do nothing?<BR/>2. What, as a good person, would you rather have happen?<BR/>3. What will your course of action be to try to influence the course of events so that your vision is most realized?<BR/><BR/>There is a risk of having the ends justifying the means, so it's important to examine your actions to be sure that they match your ethical values. A government that represents the people should also reflect the people's ethics. <BR/><BR/>I'm losing my concentration, so I'll let these thoughts go for now. But it's satisfying to shift gears occasionally and ponder the thoughts you express. <BR/><BR/>~KurtSwallowtailhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14680272802378923184noreply@blogger.com