Comments on: Enough is enough and its time for a change http://churchvoices.com/archives/159 Fri, 29 Aug 2008 04:03:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Tim Reed http://churchvoices.com/archives/159#comment-460 Tim Reed Thu, 14 Jul 2005 22:32:13 +0000 http://churchvoices.com/archives/159#comment-460 My point was not to create either a support or a critique of the Iraq War based on scripture but rather to show how wrong many of the critiques (and some of the supports) that have been written and/or spoken. Quoting "turn the other cheek" and "love your enemies" as a proper way to conduct government is just plain wrong. These are commands given to individual Christians, not to governments. Meanwhile, as made clear by Romans 13:1ff, one of the primary functions of government is to pursue justice by "bear[ing] the sword". It is positively insane to suggest that individual Christians should be bearing the sword in pursuit of justice ala The Punisher. The point is that the individual believer, and governments are two entirely separate categories. When someone gives an interview, who's primary credential for theological commentary comes from their ability to play a guitar and look all emo and sexy, makes this extremely absurd category error it irritates me. My point was not to create either a support or a critique of the Iraq War based on scripture but rather to show how wrong many of the critiques (and some of the supports) that have been written and/or spoken. Quoting “turn the other cheek” and “love your enemies” as a proper way to conduct government is just plain wrong. These are commands given to individual Christians, not to governments. Meanwhile, as made clear by Romans 13:1ff, one of the primary functions of government is to pursue justice by “bear[ing] the sword”. It is positively insane to suggest that individual Christians should be bearing the sword in pursuit of justice ala The Punisher.

The point is that the individual believer, and governments are two entirely separate categories. When someone gives an interview, who’s primary credential for theological commentary comes from their ability to play a guitar and look all emo and sexy, makes this extremely absurd category error it irritates me.

]]> By: Chris http://churchvoices.com/archives/159#comment-459 Chris Thu, 14 Jul 2005 20:33:46 +0000 http://churchvoices.com/archives/159#comment-459 So, what exactly is the Biblical position on the war? I see that you assert that the role of government is given by God, but I don't see what exactly that role is or how it relates to the war in Iraq. Could you spell it out a little more? So, what exactly is the Biblical position on the war? I see that you assert that the role of government is given by God, but I don’t see what exactly that role is or how it relates to the war in Iraq. Could you spell it out a little more?

]]>