Protestantism

» paper_turtle - Romans 13:1-7

In response to Evil Is A Concept posted by BrianTubbs:
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Romans 13:1-7 (NIV):
1Everyone 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.
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2Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.
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3For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you.
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4For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.
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5Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience.
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6This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing.
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7Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.
I strongly disagree with your interpretation of this passage. The government cannot be made a higher suthority than God OR one's individual conscience. To do so is to invite the sort of abuse practiced by those who have used civil authority to oppress and destroy whole civilizations.
This passage says nothing about allowing governments the RIGHT to take lives, nor does it say that government may wrest ultimate judgment from God's hands.
Further, to say that any citizen must blindly obey a govenment--even when this government is (at the very least) hardly an example of high moral conduct, is to say that we should turn a blind eye to evil.
Personally, I don't believe in the puppetteer God. I don't believe God established any civil government. If God put George Bush in office, then I have a serious gripe with God.
peace and love,
Paper Turtle

-- posted by paper_turtle