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

[Stephen Montgomery-Smith <EMAIL:PROTECTED>]

Mike Miller wrote:
> 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?  

No.  Read some books before you comment on stuff you don't understand. 
(Clue: your interpretation is clearly in violation with other parts of 
scripture.)

> "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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