Scripture also commands you to obey the laws of the land.....
Romans 13:1-7
Many people here claim to be Christian and so this text plays a common part in this thread. After all this is America and not some muslim or Eastern Country. People have forgotten the roots of our early colonial fathers. The Bible played a part in their lives one way or another but it always did. Mine came here 150 and 300 years ago, or 1000 depending upon which branch of the tree you follow. This verse was used in many wars of self-defense and many men fought or died while still wrestling with it. And I supposed we all will continue to do so...
But at least remember something which our ancestors knew very well -
whether they agreed or not with each other -
You MUST take the Bible and Paul's writings in their entirety. He is referring to
Lawful Authority, and not government in general (not exactly, for that is another discussion entirely)! And that is plainly in context here as well as Luke 22. God does not Ordain Sin and therefore when the Authority or individuals behave contrary to Law (such as robbery) You have the God-given right to defend yourself and your property (again, read the rest of the Bible in context to see that there are no contradictions).
Murder is against God's Law and yet killing while in the act of defending your family from an attacker intending harm - is lawful in God's eyes. This is not a contradiction.
We have the right to protect ourselves but not to act rebelliously or act in a manner which repays evil to others (see previous chapter). Some people reject ALL authority because of the bad - we know them as those which use the term Anarchists. Paul was saying that there is JUST AUTHORITY and that is must be followed Unless is rebells from the Creator - In which case the Disciples' answer was to "Obey God rather than Man".
Certain forms of government may legalize certain forms of murder under
color of law. However that does not mean that all such Authority is Ordained of God. Just look at 1st century Judaism which Paul and the Church were commanded by Jesus to Reject. Because rebellion is not sanctioned by the leadership.
So back to topic. Nuremburg trials - where Nazis were not allowed to use "Just following orders" to justify moral-criminal acts. There is a Moral Authority that all people recognize as inherently foundational to a just society. And when leadership fails to follow that Moral Authority, it has failed entirely. All Authority is from God but not all actions....
That is what Romans 13 is about here. According to a proper reading of Romans 13 - Germans were accountable to God to disobey Hitler - not to follow him. And the same would be true here if Hitler had won. Read verse 1 again, there is no real power (authority) but that of God. That is the point, not blind obedience to corrupt laws and leaders. Any ready of the Gospels shows that point.
And the Right to Keep and Bear Arms is part and parcel to that issue.But occasionally,
people forget their heritage due to failure of teachers to pass that on - as in my own case. And it takes time to unlearn the propaganda and relearn the pass ethics which were forgotten.
It comes down to a failure to Learn and Teach History, Correctly! We see the exact same problem in Churches and the same results of that failure in society as a whole. When people can harm children without regret, or refuse to protect them - Then we have forgotten our moral authority.
And that is why we are all here...
I'm through. Anyone wishing to go further on this topic can PM me for study assignments.
