Re: [MLUG - DISCUSSION] [POLITICS][RELIGION] Billy Graham and the Presidents

[Mike Miller <EMAIL:PROTECTED>]

On Mon, 3 Sep 2007, Stephen Montgomery-Smith wrote:

> Mike Miller wrote:
>
> > Apparently, this is what the Bible says in Romans 13:1:
> >
> >     Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there
> >     is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities
> >     that exist have been established by God.
> >
> > Putting that together with what you are saying, this means that in 
> > Christian theology, God gave Hitler his authority and by following 
> > Hitler, the Nazi soldiers were following the will of God.  That's 
> > pretty sick and crazy in my book.  I know there are plenty of good 
> > things in Christianity, but this kind of authoritarianism isn't one of 
> > them.
[snip]
> Your interpretation of Romans 13:1 is essentially correct. 
> Nevertheless this does not conflict with the notion that what Hitler and 
> the Nazis did was very wicked and wrong.

Sure, but isn't the problem with this verse that it is telling the people 
to follow their leader even if the leader is wicked and wrong?  "Everyone 
must submit himself to the governing authorities" - what else could that 
mean?  Here's my slogan:  "Fight the power!"

Doesn't "submit to authority" lead to fascism, e.g., Nazism, and to 
empowering of the wicked?  I think we should not submit to power and 
should fight for justice and against evil even when evil men have been 
given authority through some mechanism.  Of course, I don't believe that 
Hitler's authority (or anyone else's) was established by God.

Mike

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