Replies to post #144602 on Zeev's Turnips Patch-No Politics (ZEEV)

[TJ Parker]

With people like Pat Buchanan and his band of teletubbies

okay, here i have to disagree. i used to dislike pat buchanan, and did and still do disagree with just about everything he says. but the two things i'll say about him are (1) he's been right on a number of issues (e.g. iraq and his kind of "protectionism") and (2) he's one of the few out there with any integrity.

[mlsoft]

OT/OT/OT

Fred...

"I see very little difference between Osama and Falwell"

I am not that familiar with what all Fallwell espouses, but from what I have seen, he and Osama are light years apart and it is hard to see how you can compare the two.

"In my opinion America has it right. Everyone has a right to their own beliefs and the Government should have no part in this very precious and private matter."

In my opinion, America has it very, very wrong, but submission to God has to be voluntary, not coerced. America is what it is and any change would have to be voluntary and from the heart of the people -- and it is obvious that such a change is not going to happen any time soon and probably not in this era. I actually support the separation of Church and State, but probably for different reasons than most - I do not want the Government to sponsor a watered down secular version of Christianity as a substitute for true Biblical Christianity.

As it is, we are taught to submit to the secular authority as long as it does not contradict the express will of God and even when we refuse to submit to doing what God declares to be wrong, we have to submit to the punishment the state metes out for that refusal to obey the law. We have as our example the submission of Paul and the other apostles (and especially Jesus Himself) to the authority of Rome, even unto death.

Had the law in question prohibited the preaching of the Gospel (as we are commanded to do by Jesus) rather than the display of the Ten Commandments at the courthouse, I would be with those folks on the courthouse steps in Alabama. When the government passed final judgement on me for refusing to obey that law, I would accept that whatever that punishment might be as being the legal prerogative of the state. That does not imply that I would not attempt to use my legal rights to avoid punishment (Paul did the same), but once the matter was settled, I would accept the verdict.

mlsoft