All lunacy, all the time

I haven't figured out what's sadder here... this lunatic's rant:

Let me put my cards on the table right from the outset. I am sick and tired of hearing Christians who have something at stake in the status quo of economic, social and political systems of injustice appealing to Romans 13 to legitimate unswerving obedience to oppressive and deceitful regimes.

I speak a fair bit in the US and whenever I am addressing the question of the meaning of the gospel for our political lives someone invariably asks, “yes, but what about Romans 13?”

What about it? I reply.

“Well, how can you use language of subverting the empire when Paul says that we are to submit to the governing authorities?”

And for years I have attempted to be patient in my response. My patience has run out. In the light of Guantanamo Bay, the deceit of the administration in leading America into war in Iraq, the refusal of that state to submit to almost any significant international treaty, and the idolatrous protection of the revered “American Way of Life.”

In the face of undeniable evidence of the human impact on global warming, I’ve lost it. I’ve got no more patience for this appeal to Romans 13 to justify idolatry, deceit, violence, repression and imperialism.

To hell with the Romans 13 of the Religious Right! To hell with the Romans 13 of lackeys of imperialism! To hell with the Romans 13 of those who are comfortable in Babylon!

Indeed, to hell with the Romans 13 of those who somehow think that an American Revolution in 1776 was divinely sanctioned but no such revolution should happen in 2007 because we must submit to the governing authorities.

And while we are at it, to hell with the Romans 13 of those who say that we should not criticize the Canadian government for leading us into a military intervention in Afghanistan that had more to do with paying debts to our powerful neighbours to the South than any concern for either international terrorism or the well-being and democratization of the Afghani people.

Or the fact that Mike Todd thinks it to be an outstanding post.

It's one thing to disagree with Scripture.  It's another thing to build that disagreement on seriously flawed and uninformed opinion seen to be factual.  This dude, "an activist theologian and the CRC Campus Minister at the University of Toronto" no less, apparently sees the need to overthrow the United States and apparently the WorD crowd at Mike's place are in agreement.

Amazing.  More amazing is that this is all done allegedly in allegiance with the teachings of Jesus Christ (as they see it). 

America, such a cruel place, such an oppressive place, such a repugnant place, that members of the Religious Left are ready to start a revolution to right this wrong.

Well, thanks to loyal reader tim, there is an America that's decidedly different than the America portrayed by members of the Lunatic Left:

Alone on a dark gritty street, Adam Shepard searched for a homeless shelter. He had a gym bag, $25, and little else. A former college athlete with a bachelor's degree, Mr. Shepard had left a comfortable life with supportive parents in Raleigh, N.C. Now he was an outsider on the wrong side of the tracks in Charles­ton, S.C.

But Shepard's descent into poverty in the summer of 2006 was no accident. Shortly after graduating from Merrimack College in North Andover, Mass., he intentionally left his parents' home to test the vivacity of the American Dream. His goal: to have a furnished apartment, a car, and $2,500 in savings within a year.

To make his quest even more challenging, he decided not to use any of his previous contacts or mention his education.

During his first 70 days in Charleston, Shepard lived in a shelter and received food stamps. He also made new friends, finding          work as a day laborer, which led to a steady job with a moving company.       

Ten months into the experiment, he decided to quit after learning of an illness in his family. But by then he had moved into          an apartment, bought a pickup truck, and had saved close to $5,000.       

The effort, he says, was inspired after reading "Nickel and Dimed," in which author Barbara Ehrenreich takes on a series of low-paying jobs. Unlike Ms. Ehrenreich, who chronicled the difficulty of advancing beyond the ranks of the working poor, Shepard found he was able to successfully climb out of his self-imposed poverty.

He tells his story in "Scratch Beginnings: Me, $25, and the Search for the American Dream." The book, he says, is a testament          to what ordinary Americans can achieve.

Which America do you believe in? Is she a land ruled by tyrants and oppressors as painted by some?  Or is she a place where hard work and commitment to an ideal are rewarded?

Amazing that the question need be asked isn't it?

                                         

Comments

[Mike]

Thanks for the link, Rick. All visitors welcome.

I think you need a time-out from WorD. You're killing the conversation, and you seem to enjoy being mean-spirited. I quite enjoy the give and take with those who disagree with some of my thoughts, but you don't appear to be interested in dialogue. I know, we've talked about this before and you don't agree, and I'm sorry about that.

Peace,
Mike

[Rick]

I think I’ve been polite Mike… you disagree? I’m killing the conversation because I’m disagreeing with you and your friends?

Isn’t this what you abhor in the Bush Administration?

And when you say I need a time-out… is this a self-imposed one or are you exercising editorial control?

Amazing Mike… I think you’ve flipped man… I really do… you’re no longer following Jesus Christ man… you’re following Che Guevarra….

No sh*t.

[Leslie]

If you set aside whether or not you agree with Brian Walsh said: To use a title like "To Hell With Romans 13" even if only for shock value, displays quite an irreverance for Scripture itself. CJ Connor (revcjconner.com) said once that all "liberal" church doctrine -- and by liberal I mean the kind of church doctrine that compels one to spew the archaic "Fie, Imperialism! Fie!!!" -- all that kind of thought goes back to a denial of the inerrancy of the Bible.

Mike doesn't need more give and take about his thoughts; he needs to be reminded of some of the tangible reasons the Bible is an authoritative book.

Brian Walsh too.

[Mommynator]

Dear Mr. Mike:

What exactly would you like to ignore Romans 13 about? Where are you oppressed? What speech of yours has been muffled? What opinion stifled? Which jackbooted thugs have entered your private residence to terrorize you?

I am so disappointed in this emerging church. They took a few good ideas on God's grace and have now gone insane. They have cut themselves off from the long line of Christian fathers and mothers of every denomination whose wisdom has guided us through difficult times and replaced it with whining and thoughtlessness.

I think you need to be dropped in the middle of Africa or some other nation whose government well and truly oppresses its people.

One of my army son's jobs is to (as he puts it) babysit Iraqis who come to work on the base. And why do they need babysitting? Thirty years of terror perpetrated upon them by their OWN LEADER, who was supposed to be protecting them and allowing them to live in peace and prosperity. They are whipped. They are fearful. They are depressed. And all from NOT rebelling against a murderous government.

You have yet to get even one millimeter close to that here in the United States.

You've all flipped, you have. You've forgotten gratitude and grace, you have.

You have liberty to preach, worship and practice what you believe. What I don't understand is your hostility to the people who disagree with you.

How about this? You do your thing and we'll do ours and let's see whose worldview produces the best results. C.S. Lewis said that the best of all human philosophy and wisdom is the closest to reality.

You up to the challenge?

Friends, here is the...