I base my People Power Petition drive, my blogging, and all of my political activity on the axiom that we all have equal human dignity and thus, political/psychological research be jiggered, all deserve to participate in democracy.
My morning clickings lead me to the leaders of the Umbrella City Cyberchurch offering the same justification for Christian participation in the pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong:
A founding principle of the church is that too many local churches in Hong Kong are detached from social issues and that Christians have a responsibility to engage in political advocacy for human rights.
…At a recent service, [Pastor Common] Chan spoke about Romans 13, the famous Biblical passage that says all power on earth is given by God and God’s people should obey those earthly authorities or suffer the punishments that may come for rebelling. Some church leaders in Hong Kong appeal to this passage to steer Christians away from protesting. There’s a caveat though, which Christians like Chan and Chu are quick to point out: the Bible is also full of stories of God’s people rebelling against governing authorities who go against God’s principles, like justice and free will for all people. Just war theory, laid out in the Catholic Church, operates on the same thinking.
“In fact, the police who represent authority are those who are doing evil and that is ironic,” Chu said.
Chan said that the extradition bill goes against his faith, and to an extent, so does the election of Lam.
“Carrie Lam was elected only by a small circle of Hong Kong’s elites and indeed, Beijing,” Chan said. “In the Christian faith, all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights” [Anna Kam, “Hong Kong ‘Cyberchurch’ Equipping Christians to Push for Democracy,” Religion Unplugged, 2019.09.05].
Democracy is the Christian way to run a society.
He’s right. Blind obedience to authority is not a Christian virtue.
The “Christian Right” is neither.
But, not for everybody…..https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/14/us/black-transgender-woman-bee-love-slater.html
18th victim this year alone. I’d like to see some South Dakota alleged do-gooders explain this.
Some probably agree that democracy is the Christian way to run a society. Others probably don’t. I can’t say history bears that out.
Christianity, Freemasonry .. every large powerful organization is invaded by the power hungry lizard brain within each human being.
These organizations are like Spearfish Creek .. sometimes, when there is dredging up the hill, despite the creek always being aptly named, there are dark clouds of isht floating between the banks ..
.. despite the best of intentions.
It’s a strong case for the surveillance state, but only if the information obtained is published very publicly for all to see, peruse, and be paid to analyze (gotta spend that Singularity money somehow).
Christian denominations have moved from patriarchy to democracy, the ministry of all believers. Even the Catholics opened the doors to more inclusive exercise of Christianity with Vatican II.
What Would Jesus Do? Democracy.
That’s true Cory, but the right wing of the RCC is working incredibly hard to reverse the gains of Vatican II and return to an all powerful, unquestioned, clerical rule.
What would Jesus do? Tell you to follow Him.
Another useless response from Steve Pearson.
But then what, Steve? I say, “O.K., Jesus, I’m following you. Now what?” Then what would Jesus do? What guidance would Jesus give us for living in community? What would Jesus the man (that was the whole point of incarnation, to have Jesus come walk and eat and breathe and pee and sweat and fear and thrill and die like the rest of us) do, and have us do? Sitting around all day saying, “I’m following Jesus!” isn’t really following Jesus; it’s just sitting around and talking to yourself.
Jesus would do democracy.
Jesus spent his 3+ years of ministry telling and showing people what it means to follow him. At the top of the list was loving God, followed by loving others.
Jesus elaborated on that by telling and showing caring for and helping people who had little, were sick, scared, hungry, poor, rejected, outcast, etc.
In short, whatever is opposite to what the GOP leadership and “Christian Right” are doing is what Jesus did.