BHO, WND, snopes, and this follower of Jesus
I'm spilling much digital ink on my facebook wall in discussion with a fellow believer in Jesus and lover of the Haitians, whom I met on my trip to Haiti after the big quake. Sometimes he sends
Image via Wikipedia me articles from sources such as World Net Daily. I can't link to it. It seems to do more harm than good. I will only post my thoughts and not those of my brother in the Lord. Again, one side of a conversation, in which you'll have to imagine a more erudite partner than myself.
Romans 13:1 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.
Paul doesn't discriminate according to which authority is legitimate or not, many of the Ceasars got to power by killing the previous one.
If one should happen to believe President Obama is an enemy, Jesus has a plan for that as well, "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;" Matthew 5:44
According to Jesus, we need to ask God to bless Obama and do good to him. and according to Paul, Obama is there because God appointed him. If there is subterfuge, then God will take care of it, because he is righteous and just. If one does not consider Pres. BHO a fellow believer in Jesus, then we have no place in judging him, see 1 Cor. 5:12-13
I completely agree that when a law of man contradicts a law of God, we need to make a choice. But no one is forcing me to have an abortion. nor do I have to support those laws, but I can defend the innocent, and argue for their God-given lives.
I'm not sure what you mean by my "blind obedience to governing authorities." I only quoted Paul's letter to the Romans. You gotta argue with him, not me.
The early church had no political sway and changed the world. The government over them was more wicked and killed more than any government now. One third of the Roman Empire's people were slaves. Babies were aborted and or left to die when newly born in garbage dumps. Idols were worshipped with the most sickening means, and the Christians just kept preaching the good news and living it out. As Rome collapsed, the church grew. When the government became Christian, many political people all of sudden got religion too. Power attracts sinners. When the Muslim raiders showed up, the church used political means to stop them, armies in response to armies, and the church lost. It's an upside down kingdom bro.
I don't get the "attack one guy" approach vs. help the abundant helpless approach. In a lifestyle of help, serve, love, bless, the verb "attack" just seems out of place.
John the Baptist, according to the gospels, Mark 6:18 For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” It could have been a public proclamation or not. If he was like the prophet Nathan, he might have had an invitation to speak to Herod. We don't know.
The other prophets who confronted kings in the Old Testament seem to have been reacting to the kings misuse of their spiritual leadership, which is not an expectation in our country, because we are not a theocracy.
Is BHO a believer? He says he has confessed Jesus as his Lord. Is he doing things wrong? Yep, and so do I. But God might be working on those things in His time. but Paul has good input in 1 Cor. 5 about who to break fellowship with. "9 I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10 not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. 11 But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people." That list would cover many people even within our preferred political persuasion. Do we hold our noses and let their sins slide because they say the things we want to hear politically?
Look, BHO will never have my vote, but i don't want to be known as a Christian who attacks people. Id like to be known as one who helps and protects people. I'd like to be known as one who will protect other's rights before my own. in 1 Cor 7 Paul asks, "Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated?" Jesus's teaching on turning the other cheek, walking the extra mile, and handing over more than asked for when sued, sounds like forsaking our own earthly rights. When Paul appealed to Ceasar, he was preserving his life, not his free speech or anything trivial to that.
I hope one day I could be known by these qualities of Paul's in 2 Cor. 6:3-10 "3 We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. 4 Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; 5 in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; 6 in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; 7 in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; 8 through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; 9 known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; 10 sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything."
It's the same chapter that goes on to say, "14 Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 15 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God." I'm not yoked to any political party. I'm a registered independent. I could see myself supporting individuals who are in politics, but not a party.
One last thing was bugging me. I don't know why anyone trusts the conspiratorial yellow journalism of worldnetdaily. each piece of slander they throw out there about BHO can be refuted by going to snopes. Here is the article about his social security number, I don't understand why conservatives complain about how the media treats their darlings but give a pass when the same thing is done against liberal targets by conservative media. I'm starting to believe it was easier for Jesus Christ to fulfill all the prophecies about his life than it is for all the conspiracies to come together for BHO to become president. WND fans have more faith in conspirators than in God.
Image via Wikipedia me articles from sources such as World Net Daily. I can't link to it. It seems to do more harm than good. I will only post my thoughts and not those of my brother in the Lord. Again, one side of a conversation, in which you'll have to imagine a more erudite partner than myself.Here is where my political philosophy starts.
Romans 13:1 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.
Paul doesn't discriminate according to which authority is legitimate or not, many of the Ceasars got to power by killing the previous one.
If one should happen to believe President Obama is an enemy, Jesus has a plan for that as well, "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;" Matthew 5:44
According to Jesus, we need to ask God to bless Obama and do good to him. and according to Paul, Obama is there because God appointed him. If there is subterfuge, then God will take care of it, because he is righteous and just. If one does not consider Pres. BHO a fellow believer in Jesus, then we have no place in judging him, see 1 Cor. 5:12-13
I completely agree that when a law of man contradicts a law of God, we need to make a choice. But no one is forcing me to have an abortion. nor do I have to support those laws, but I can defend the innocent, and argue for their God-given lives.
I'm not sure what you mean by my "blind obedience to governing authorities." I only quoted Paul's letter to the Romans. You gotta argue with him, not me.
The early church had no political sway and changed the world. The government over them was more wicked and killed more than any government now. One third of the Roman Empire's people were slaves. Babies were aborted and or left to die when newly born in garbage dumps. Idols were worshipped with the most sickening means, and the Christians just kept preaching the good news and living it out. As Rome collapsed, the church grew. When the government became Christian, many political people all of sudden got religion too. Power attracts sinners. When the Muslim raiders showed up, the church used political means to stop them, armies in response to armies, and the church lost. It's an upside down kingdom bro.
I don't get the "attack one guy" approach vs. help the abundant helpless approach. In a lifestyle of help, serve, love, bless, the verb "attack" just seems out of place.
John the Baptist, according to the gospels, Mark 6:18 For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” It could have been a public proclamation or not. If he was like the prophet Nathan, he might have had an invitation to speak to Herod. We don't know.
The other prophets who confronted kings in the Old Testament seem to have been reacting to the kings misuse of their spiritual leadership, which is not an expectation in our country, because we are not a theocracy.
Is BHO a believer? He says he has confessed Jesus as his Lord. Is he doing things wrong? Yep, and so do I. But God might be working on those things in His time. but Paul has good input in 1 Cor. 5 about who to break fellowship with. "9 I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10 not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. 11 But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people." That list would cover many people even within our preferred political persuasion. Do we hold our noses and let their sins slide because they say the things we want to hear politically?
Look, BHO will never have my vote, but i don't want to be known as a Christian who attacks people. Id like to be known as one who helps and protects people. I'd like to be known as one who will protect other's rights before my own. in 1 Cor 7 Paul asks, "Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated?" Jesus's teaching on turning the other cheek, walking the extra mile, and handing over more than asked for when sued, sounds like forsaking our own earthly rights. When Paul appealed to Ceasar, he was preserving his life, not his free speech or anything trivial to that.
I hope one day I could be known by these qualities of Paul's in 2 Cor. 6:3-10 "3 We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. 4 Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; 5 in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; 6 in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; 7 in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; 8 through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; 9 known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; 10 sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything."
It's the same chapter that goes on to say, "14 Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 15 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God." I'm not yoked to any political party. I'm a registered independent. I could see myself supporting individuals who are in politics, but not a party.
One last thing was bugging me. I don't know why anyone trusts the conspiratorial yellow journalism of worldnetdaily. each piece of slander they throw out there about BHO can be refuted by going to snopes. Here is the article about his social security number, I don't understand why conservatives complain about how the media treats their darlings but give a pass when the same thing is done against liberal targets by conservative media. I'm starting to believe it was easier for Jesus Christ to fulfill all the prophecies about his life than it is for all the conspiracies to come together for BHO to become president. WND fans have more faith in conspirators than in God.
Comments
I just recently found your blog, and while I haven't gotten to read much of it yet, I enjoyed what I have read. I started a blog of my own a couple of months ago if you would like to check it out. It's mostly about my thoughts on various aspects of Christianity and the world, as well as some of my photography. You can find it at joerudin.blogspot.com if you're interested. Have a great day!
I figure the reasoning in this post is true for Obama or Nero.
God is good
jpu