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Similitude
Registered Member

Date Joined Apr 2004
Total Posts : 4968

Posted 8/3/2012 9:46 AM (GMT -6)

http://reknew.org/2012/06/three-generations-of-evangelical-politics/

about 45 minutes in to the above video, Greg admits that God uses government to deter by vengeance. But he infers that we are not to be involved in that since Paul had just said that Christians are not to avenge themselves in chapter 12. But he has no problems with voting. How is legislating or judging in government avenging in a way that voting is not? I don't see how he makes the distinction. Judges, legislators and voters intentionally promote deterrence via negative motion for other human beings. So what's the relevant principled difference?

One Love
Registered Member

Date Joined Jan 2003
Total Posts : 13888

Posted 8/3/2012 10:53 AM (GMT -6)

Greg has been tremendously inconsistent on this from the jump. Back when I was on WHC staff, before "Myth of a Christian Nation" was put out, I KEPT on him about this. I told him about just what you are saying: being a actively participating citizen (ie voting, etc) in a society that uses government sanctioned "vengence". I told Greg that, using his logic, there could be no way that Christians could either VOTE FOR or RUN FOR being mayors, commissioners, judges...and definitely not policemen or military servants. He poo-pooed those concerns back then.

Seems that nothing's changed. Oh well...

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

Similitude
Registered Member

Date Joined Apr 2004
Total Posts : 4968

Posted 8/5/2012 4:16 PM (GMT -6)

On the video, it seemed (haven't completely finished it yet) that Colson goes to the other extreme--i.e., love your country up to and including fighting wars with no regard for just war criteria. By this approach, Christians in countries at war with one another are obligated to kill one another for love of their respective country. If I'm understaning Colson, he is surely wrong since Paul tells us to do good unto ALL men, but ESPECIALLY those of the household of faith. Just war criteria has to trump love of country in that sense.

BBBCanada
Registered Member

Date Joined Jun 2001
Total Posts : 2763

Posted 8/6/2012 2:11 AM (GMT -6)

"...being a actively participating citizen (ie voting, etc) in a society that uses government sanctioned "vengence". I told Greg that, using his logic, there could be no way that Christians could either VOTE FOR or RUN FOR being mayors, commissioners, judges...and definitely not policemen or military servants. He poo-pooed those concerns back then."

That is exactly right. Spoke about that along time ago on these boards as well. Go figure...you vote for someone to tax not only yourself but others for policies that create a JUST arrangement for a particular state of affairs. ie., tax citizens to help the poor, (given that personal charity won't cut it). Thereby you are coercing others via your voting for that mayor.

Brandon

Since love grows within you, so beauty grows. For love is the beauty of the soul.--Saint Augustine

BBBCanada
Registered Member

Date Joined Jun 2001
Total Posts : 2763

Posted 8/6/2012 12:27 PM (GMT -6)

I started blogging about this here: theatompanopticon.wordpress.com/

Brandon

Since love grows within you, so beauty grows. For love is the beauty of the soul.--Saint Augustine

Similitude
Registered Member

Date Joined Apr 2004
Total Posts : 4968

Posted 8/7/2012 7:58 PM (GMT -6)

Hmmm. I wanna read all of that Brandon. Nice look to the blog, too.

BBBCanada
Registered Member

Date Joined Jun 2001
Total Posts : 2763

Posted 8/10/2012 10:27 PM (GMT -6)

Thanks Jeff. Appreciate it. I'm gonna hop back on this when the summer is over. My summer hours for work make it harder to blog.

Brandon

Since love grows within you, so beauty grows. For love is the beauty of the soul.--Saint Augustine

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