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RE: Theology of Steemit Series: Article 1 - Introducing the Series
Hello @mysearchisover - I'm an ordained pastor serving from within the Lutheran-types branch of Christianity who also happens to be really fascinated with crypto-currencies in general and increasingly Steem and the way it works around social interactions.
So a long way of saying that "yes" a good chunk of my education and also real life experience has been wrestling with Christian theology and the intersections it has with people's lives.
I don't like how American Christian churches seem to worship the government more than "God". I also wish the American churches would use a fully English bible especially when it comes to the really important names like "God" and "Jesus Christ". Are you familiar with that 666 stuff?
Sadly all too true.
I'm another Christian theologian, and you won't find me toadying up to government or giving a pass to the churches that do. Just FYI, in case you might want to see how "the other 2%" of Christianity views the whole guv'mnt thing... ;)
Do you go to a government run/"regulated" 501c3 church?
I don't believe that churches should ever seek government approval. I consider all human governments, as we know them, to be instrumentalities of the devil.
As far as "where I go," I don't "go to church." I meet with God's people.
I don't consider "church" to be an organization in any case, it is a body, a gathering of Christians.
I don't even accept "church" as an appropriate word to describe what is really intended to be an organic gathering of God's people.
I think we could have a more Christian government or at least a much less Satanic one. I like how a lot of the black churches will go against the government and basically endorse politicians like Obama. I don't like how they endorse baby killers like Obama though.
I appreciate your comments, and would encourage you to do more reading on voluntaryism. "Christian government" is really an oxymoron, it makes no sense.
Why?
Jesus himself said this:
How much authority? ALL
Where? In heaven only? No, on Earth also!
If Jesus has all authority, how much does that leave for human "government?"
Other than Jesus himself, no man or group of men has any right to rule other men.
Christian citizens could vote in a government that supports Christian values instead of Satanic values. Theoretically we could switch to a more servant form of government.
You're still missing the point, my friend.
Voting implies a democracy, which is still a method of ruling, or exercising power over other men. It is one of the worst forms of rule, sometimes called "mob rule." Jesus had this to say about that:
Your phrase "servant form of government" is a complete oxymoron. You can either have an organization that serves, or one that "governs," i.e. rules by force. The two concepts are incompatible, no matter how America's founding fathers may have pretended to marry the two.
Strangely enough, it has taken me a lifetime to understand this. A fellow by the name of Larken Rose helped me to "see" the truth, and I would strongly recommend his book to you:
And yet Jesus lived under the protection of the Roman government and not only did not encourage rebellion against it but told them to pay to Caesar what was due to Caesar.
I've never thought of the "all authority" saying as applying to civil government. Not sure why anyone would.
I appreciate your comments, @kirbyhopper, but must respectfully disagree with them.
The institutional church has become so corrupt that it encourages misrepresentations of what Jesus said. The enemy controls not only the Powers That Be (human government) but a great deal of "organized" Christendom as well. For example, Jesus remarks about Caesar in no way instruct us to pay tax.
While Jesus did not "encourage rebellion" against government, he taught that it had been replaced by the Kingdom of God. Why do you suppose they crucified him?
If you care to delve much more deeply into this, I invite you to read some of the articles I've already written on the topic. You can find them readily accessible on my Library Christianity Shelf, just click the shelf below:
Jesus statement about "all authority" is an absolute. There are no exceptions. Any individual or institution that departs from Jesus' specification of what is right and wrong will ultimately face destruction. God's perspective on such rebellion is laughter (Psalm 2).
Well as a Christian who also happens to be American too, I can't say I fault you for your critique. Sometimes the shoe absolutely fits... thank God not always, but enough that we need to be listening intently when people mirror to us that particular concern. I'm not sure its exclusively American though as I think one could see similar dynamics present in the conflation of church / state power in many different times and places both historical and modern. I'd suggest that it is one of the realms that people have fallen prey to for a very long time... sin kind of does that.
I'd be curious to know what you mean when you say a "fully English bible," I could think I know what you mean, but it would be conjecture and speculation on my part. And as for the 666 stuff, again what aspect of "stuff" are you asking about? I'm familiar with the reference from the book of Revelation, I'm familiar with the numerology that historically underpins it... what is it you are referencing, if I may ask?
And then just because I am curious, do you come from a particular faith tradition? I'm always curious how a person self-identifies...
Peace
Eric
Yes hopefully Trump can lift the gag order in America and then we can try and free churches around the world.
Yeshua and Yahwey had meanings and those meanings weren't Jesus and God. I had a secular bible study class in college and had it explained to me about the importance of the names.
https://steemit.com/steemit/@johnnyyash/is-the-steem-logo-satanic-symbolism
Orthodox very similar to Catholic
Whoops I left this out. https://steemit.com/steemit/@johnnyyash/is-the-steem-logo-satanic-symbolism