The fearsome pirate: "I don't feel like I really got a good answer about who "the state" is that we're supposed to obey in the Lutheran "two kingdoms" doctrine. The problem is with the nature of the state itself. The state is a monopoly of force over a given area. Many states are democratic, but the majority of them, both now and in the past, are simply conquering forces of bandits that managed to consolidate their power. The Lutheran doctrine basically says that Christians owe obedience to any successful conquering force. In other words, might makes right.
And that's really, really weird the more I think about it. ...
It's just weird. We believe murder and theft is wrong, but if someone like, say, Robert Mugabe can murder and steal on a large enough scale, he becomes "the state," appointed by God, the one to whom by right all within the reach of his threats owe obedience."
Hence, my continued question to hypocrite Darryl Hart:
“Does R2k condemn those Christian pastors and churches who participated in the public square to wage civil disobedience against the civil magistrates in England prior to and during the American Revolution?”
The fearsome pirate: "I don't feel like I really got a good answer about who "the state" is that we're supposed to obey in the Lutheran "two kingdoms" doctrine. The problem is with the nature of the state itself. The state is a monopoly of force over a given area. Many states are democratic, but the majority of them, both now and in the past, are simply conquering forces of bandits that managed to consolidate their power. The Lutheran doctrine basically says that Christians owe obedience to any successful conquering force. In other words, might makes right.
ReplyDeleteAnd that's really, really weird the more I think about it. ...
It's just weird. We believe murder and theft is wrong, but if someone like, say, Robert Mugabe can murder and steal on a large enough scale, he becomes "the state," appointed by God, the one to whom by right all within the reach of his threats owe obedience."
Hence, my continued question to hypocrite Darryl Hart:
“Does R2k condemn those Christian pastors and churches who participated in the public square to wage civil disobedience against the civil magistrates in England prior to and during the American Revolution?”