Applying God's Word to Politics

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GWH

Groovy
Oct 19, 2024
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@GWH

I think you said you were in the Armed Forces.

Have you ever renounced the oaths you took as a solider now that you are a believer? Many believers don't do this and live lives thinking that orders from their government equate to orders from God. It's part of the reason suicide rates among servicemen are so high once they return from deployment: they are of two minds (double-minded) when it comes to life and living and cannot reconcile the two.

A man cannot have two masters.
Don't get me started on a rant about the immoral stupidity of the way our government has fought its wars in a way that was apathetic about the lives of our military folks! If a strong military does not deter aggression and there is a just reason for waging war, I believe in winning quickly and thus more cheaply than in the long run, including in the number of lives lost on both sides, although if winning gives evil enemies PTSD, so be it/Amen!

Fortunately, I served in the last unit to be stationed in Bosnia because peace had been attained, in Texas assisting the border patrol peacefully interdict illegal immigrants, and in a prison in Iraq peacefully monitoring POWs, so those missions did not put me in a compromising position, although I was once within a hundred yards of a rocket explosion and felt like saying an oath then!

I am thankful that I could tell my folks that we were the good guys/peacemakers, and that they had a greater chance of dying in a car accident in the States than being killed doing our duty. IOW, our oaths to government coincided with our oaths to God per RM 13:3-5.
 

Aaron56

Well-known member
Jul 12, 2021
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Don't get me started on a rant about the immoral stupidity of the way our government has fought its wars in a way that was apathetic about the lives of our military folks! If a strong military does not deter aggression and there is a just reason for waging war, I believe in winning quickly and thus more cheaply than in the long run, including in the number of lives lost on both sides, although if winning gives evil enemies PTSD, so be it/Amen!

Fortunately, I served in the last unit to be stationed in Bosnia because peace had been attained, in Texas assisting the border patrol peacefully interdict illegal immigrants, and in a prison in Iraq peacefully monitoring POWs, so those missions did not put me in a compromising position, although I was once within a hundred yards of a rocket explosion and felt like saying an oath then!

I am thankful that I could tell my folks that we were the good guys/peacemakers, and that they had a greater chance of dying in a car accident in the States than being killed doing our duty. IOW, our oaths to government coincided with our oaths to God per RM 13:3-5.
I once dealt with a Marine who bragged about knowing how to kill a man a dozen ways. He was a "once a Marine always a Marine" guy. Problem was, his oath as a Marine conflicted with his faith and his domestic life (wife and 4 kids). He was a ball or nerves and felt like he never fit into his own family with his own wife and children. One of his oaths had to go. He could keep the one to God or the one to his nation.
 

GWH

Groovy
Oct 19, 2024
1,915
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I once dealt with a Marine who bragged about knowing how to kill a man a dozen ways. He was a "once a Marine always a Marine" guy. Problem was, his oath as a Marine conflicted with his faith and his domestic life (wife and 4 kids). He was a ball or nerves and felt like he never fit into his own family with his own wife and children. One of his oaths had to go. He could keep the one to God or the one to his nation.
Yes, and I am not surprised that many folks today either do not volunteer to serve in the military-industrial complex or else seek early discharge under the Dem woke leadership.
 

Aaron56

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Jul 12, 2021
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Yes, and I am not surprised that many folks today either do not volunteer to serve in the military-industrial complex or else seek early discharge under the Dem woke leadership.
He served when Bush Jr. was president. But I understand your point.
 

GWH

Groovy
Oct 19, 2024
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He served when Bush Jr. was president. But I understand your point.
Don't get me started on GB Jr.'s stupidity in the way he lost two 20-year wars.
 

GWH

Groovy
Oct 19, 2024
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Okay, I’ll come by to watch. :coffee:
At least I understand what you’re saying even when we disagree.
Looks like you’re confusing revelations which is a time which God is going to disperse justice with guns today again.
Yikes.
Never mind Eli. Cameron pooped out!

Too bad, because I was interested in what you were going to say about God using His "guns" at the Judgment per RV.
 

JaumeJ

Senior Member
Jul 2, 2011
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Applying Christian beliefs to politics has been problematic ever since Peter told the Sanhedrin "We must obey God rather than men!" (Acts 5:29)

How should we do this in the current political situation to issues such as national borders, abortion, globalism and lawfare?
When Paul was taken before what he took to be a political leader, Paul was defiant with him until he was made aware that it was the High Priest of that year.
He immediately apologized asking to be pardoned for his behavior towards the High Priest, saying that he was not aware of his station.
This reflects the ones referred to as "those in power." We are now beholding to Jesus Yeshua, our High Priest, not to any mere politician or earthly royalty, for now we are only obliged to believe our King.
It was a law to obey those in power, but those in power under the law are holy men, not, I say again, mere politicians.

When thinking upon these teachings from the Word, think also on the followisng quot and realizing just who is what.

1Co 1:27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
1Co 1:28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
 

GWH

Groovy
Oct 19, 2024
1,915
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When Paul was taken before what he took to be a political leader, Paul was defiant with him until he was made aware that it was the High Priest of that year.
He immediately apologized asking to be pardoned for his behavior towards the High Priest, saying that he was not aware of his station.
This reflects the ones referred to as "those in power." We are now beholding to Jesus Yeshua, our High Priest, not to any mere politician or earthly royalty, for now we are only obliged to believe our King.
It was a law to obey those in power, but those in power under the law are holy men, not, I say again, mere politicians.

When thinking upon these teachings from the Word, think also on the followisng quot and realizing just who is what.

1Co 1:27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
1Co 1:28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
I understand you to be saying the same thing as Peter in ACTS 5:29: We should obey Jesus rather than earthly powers when their orders contradict the teachings of Jesus.

The incident involving Paul and the high priest is related in ACTS 23:1-5. Paul taught in RM 13:1-5 that Christians should obey governing authorities unless they are a terror for those who do right.

In 1CR 1:26-31 Paul refers to the fact that most of the converts were not in the upper class of society but God chose them to shame the elites with the Gospel of Christ, in whom we have righteousness and redemption.

Fortunately, the lowly class defeated the upper class snobs in the recent U.S. elections, so now we should see MAGA folks implementing policies related to issues such as national borders, abortion, globalism and lawfare more in line with the NT moral teachings. Immigration across our borders will be monitored so that evil people will not be allowed to break in, abortion will be limited to the first trimester, globalist dictators will be resisted, and people will be free to speak and obey their consciences. As a bonus, government will not waste as much of our taxes, and it will promote more healthy habits and food. PTL! :^)
 

GWH

Groovy
Oct 19, 2024
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In GN 9:3 God told Noah that every plant and animal is permitted to eat, although not with blood in it. However, in LV 11 some animals are designated as ceremonial unclean. Then Jesus said, "What goes into someone's mouth does not defile them... whatever goes into the stomach and then out of the body." (MT 15:11&17) Mark 7:19 notes that in saying this, Jesus declared all foods to be clean, meaning ceremonially clean or permissible to eat. Paul "amened" this teaching in CL 2:16&22, saying that people should not be judged by what they eat or drink, because those regulations are merely human rules, and in RM 14:17 Paul says the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking. (Cf. 1CR 8:8)

Do these Scriptures have anything to do with the proposed task for RFK Jr.?
 

Eli1

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Apr 5, 2022
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Never mind Eli. Cameron pooped out!

Too bad, because I was interested in what you were going to say about God using His "guns" at the Judgment per RV.
Hey, how you been army?

Think about it. How many verses are in the Bible about God bringing justice and how many verses are in the Bible that you, a mere mortal in year 2024 is going to bring justice?
 

GWH

Groovy
Oct 19, 2024
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Hey, how you been army?

Think about it. How many verses are in the Bible about God bringing justice and how many verses are in the Bible that you, a mere mortal in year 2024 is going to bring justice?
I view the entire Bible as teaching that humans should imitate Christ from year 1 to RV (1CR 11:1, 2TM 3:16-17), and Paul wants you also to serve in the Lord's army as a good soldier of Christ Jesus (2TM 2:3) by imitating him.

Therefore, Paul commends governments who serve God by administering justice (RM 13:1-5) as good soldiers should.
 

Eli1

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Apr 5, 2022
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I view the entire Bible as teaching that humans should imitate Christ from year 1 to RV (1CR 11:1, 2TM 3:16-17), and Paul wants you also to serve in the Lord's army as a good soldier of Christ Jesus (2TM 2:3) by imitating him.

Therefore, Paul commends governments who serve God by administering justice (RM 13:1-5) as good soldiers should.
There was a member here who was in the military like you.
After many years of being in USA born and raised and being in war zones, he finally left America and settled somewhere in Asia in the Philippines region, i don't remember where exactly.
He was a new man basically in the way he spoke here in the forum and how he understood things being away from USA and looking from the outside.
But, there was one thing which he couldn't let go. GUNS!
I understand that the programing is hard, not just being born in USA with a 2nd amendment but being in the army which completes your indoctrination.
And i understand that it's a very hard thing to let this go.
This would be the equivalent of taking away baklava as a national dish from Turkey and Greece, despite knowing that it's going to kill people with diabetes.
Addictions are hard to let go army, but they're not impossible to let go.
 

GWH

Groovy
Oct 19, 2024
1,915
462
83
There was a member here who was in the military like you.
After many years of being in USA born and raised and being in war zones, he finally left America and settled somewhere in Asia in the Philippines region, i don't remember where exactly.
He was a new man basically in the way he spoke here in the forum and how he understood things being away from USA and looking from the outside.
But, there was one thing which he couldn't let go. GUNS!
I understand that the programing is hard, not just being born in USA with a 2nd amendment but being in the army which completes your indoctrination.
And i understand that it's a very hard thing to let this go.
This would be the equivalent of taking away baklava as a national dish from Turkey and Greece, despite knowing that it's going to kill people with diabetes.
Addictions are hard to let go army, but they're not impossible to let go.
I fail to see what that rant has to do with what I said. You prefer to monologue?
 

Eli1

Well-known member
Apr 5, 2022
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I fail to see what that rant has to do with what I said. You prefer to monologue?
ForgetAboutIt. What's important is that you're as high as a kite on this topic and i hit the pinata with the eyes open, which is not even fun. Which means that we can't understand each-other.
I'll be around if you want to talk about anything else other than guns and KOG + Politics. ;)
 

JaumeJ

Senior Member
Jul 2, 2011
21,465
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ForgetAboutIt. What's important is that you're as high as a kite on this topic and i hit the pinata with the eyes open, which is not even fun. Which means that we can't understand each-other.
I'll be around if you want to talk about anything else other than guns and KOG + Politics. ;)
God bless you for opening my understanding more clearly.
 

GWH

Groovy
Oct 19, 2024
1,915
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ForgetAboutIt. What's important is that you're as high as a kite on this topic and i hit the pinata with the eyes open, which is not even fun. Which means that we can't understand each-other.
I'll be around if you want to talk about anything else other than guns and KOG + Politics. ;)
If you want to avoid admitting that God uses "guns" (RV 15&16) including those wielded by humans (RM 13:1-5) to accomplish His will (MT 6:10, 23:13-33), then feel free to introduce a topic more to your liking. I'm flexible. :^)
 

JaumeJ

Senior Member
Jul 2, 2011
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God certainly does use a weapon, the Two-edged Sword emitting from His mouth, that is to say, the Word. He speaks it and it is. Very much like when the Apostles had one Sword, and it was enough.
 

GWH

Groovy
Oct 19, 2024
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God certainly does use a weapon, the Two-edged Sword emitting from His mouth, that is to say, the Word. He speaks it and it is. Very much like when the Apostles had one Sword, and it was enough.
Yes, but perhaps ECC 3:3 applies to that situation: There is a time to kill (in self-defense or to punish murderers per EX 21:12-14), but that was a time to be killed to accomplish/fulfill God's POS (cf. MT 3:15).
 

JaumeJ

Senior Member
Jul 2, 2011
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Yes, but perhaps ECC 3:3 applies to that situation: There is a time to kill (in self-defense or to punish murderers per EX 21:12-14), but that was a time to be killed to accomplish/fulfill God's POS (cf. MT 3:15).
We are to model our behavior after that of our Lord and Savior. I am quite aware that I have yet to hone that ability to perfection but I do aspire to do so one day, soon.
 

GWH

Groovy
Oct 19, 2024
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We are to model our behavior after that of our Lord and Savior. I am quite aware that I have yet to hone that ability to perfection but I do aspire to do so one day, soon.
Our Lord's behavior in MT 26:52-56 was modelled after fulfilling OT Scripture, but we might aspire our passover will be less painful.