Lexington'96
New member
It depends on if any of them deserve my, or anyone else's, vote.
Voting is not a 'duty' of a Christian.
Despite protestations to the contrary, the American public, including Christians, expects their leaders to make decisions that contradict fundamental Christian principles on a daily basis.
There is nothing in the New Testament that commands us to kill our enemies!
Voting is not a 'duty' of a Christian.
In fact, it being a 'duty' is something of a fiction created by more modern society. America was never founded on a principle of everyone and their little brother voting.
That may be a bit of a big pill for new age patriots to swallow, but it's the truth. The President wasn't meant to be some emperor either. In a way, voting could even be seen as feeding that unorthodox standing that the country has adopted.
The first priority of any state is to preserve its existence using any means available.And "we" aren't supposed to. That is the job of the state, which is well in keeping with the NT. And not everyone in the early Church was pacifist, although some definitely were.
The first priority of any state is to preserve its existence using any means available.
That can be justified based on secular conventional wisdom but I have yet to find a verse in the New Testament that condones the killing our enemies under certain circumstances.
The early Christians were pacifists for a reason - despite repeated persecutions and executions by a succession of Roman emperors, there appears to have been no instances of organized resistance or any attempts by Christians to revolt against Roman authority.
Given that it was the Romans who crucified Jesus, executed Peter and Paul, destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple, killed and/or enslaved millions of Jews and martyred countless Christians during the first 3 centuries, I find "brewmama's" interpretation that it served as the "minister of God" somewhat bizarre.Romans 13:4
For he (the state) is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.
Yes, Christians did not rise up against the Roman gov't, but they did serve in Rome's military.
There is nothing in the New Testament that commands us to kill our enemies!
And "we" aren't supposed to. That is the job of the state, which is well in keeping with the NT. And not everyone in the early Church was pacifist, although some definitely were.
Jesus was pacifist. He and His disciples did not kill anyone, not even for self defense.
Given that it was the Romans who crucified Jesus, executed Peter and Paul, destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple, killed and/or enslaved millions of Jews and martyred countless Christians during the first 3 centuries, I find "brewmama's" interpretation that it served as the "minister of God" somewhat bizarre.
Paul, the reported author of Romans, was arrested, sent to Rome where he was jailed and later executed for his religious beliefs!
Well talk to him about it, not me. He's the one who said it.
Do you vote meshak ?
This country is for, of, and by the people. We should vote.