Question: Sarah thinks that laws are created only by societies. Are governments the ultimate authority for creating laws?
Response: In simple terms, no, governments are not the ultimate authority for creating rules. However since this issue is complex as opposed to simple explanations must be given to show why this is the case.
To start, one must define the terms used in the question. The easiest being government, which is the head of the country either by election in those countries running by democracy or dictators and monarchies in the countries that function without democracy as the method of choosing officials. The government is the highest man-made authority in the land.
The next term is law. The tricky portion of this question is that law and morality are not always defined as being inter-dependent or even connected. Law is the manifestation of commands issued to ensure the survival of a countries citizens. These are rules and guidelines for living within the jurisdiction of a government's authority. In a sense the laws are created by the state. Morality however is a higher law that superseded that of the state. Do not confuse the term morality either though, this is not personal subjective morality but the law of human nature and how humans ought to act.
The reason why morality supersedes Law is because laws are subject to society's whims and the efforts of lawmakers making them fluid. This is not true law but man-made law. If law contradicts morality then it is not lawful but a sort of pseudo-law that does not fulfill what it is supposed to. Laws that oppress or hinder the survival of individuals are not lawful because they contradict morality. THe decrees of kings to execute innocents are immoral and follow the same unlawful example.
Rather than being ensured with the task of making laws, governments are trusted with the task of enforcing the law of morality in that they ensure the safety of their citizens by holding them accountable to true moral standards. Again these are not the mores of society but laws derived from what humans ought to and ought not to do.
If Governments are the supreme lawmakers and their laws are in and of themselves fair, just, and right then the obviously corrupt governments of dictators like Adolph Hitler and Joseph Stalin were in the right. Since however it is irrational to argue these men exemplars of morality, and that it is fact that they did not protect their citizens in view of what humans ought to do, they are great examples to use why governments are not by definition right and lawful.
Another reason that even democracy cannot be trusted to be lawful in and of itself is the rule of the 51% which says that if even one voting member more than one side is in agreement with a piece of legislation it will pass. In this case federal laws can go awry a prime example being the Japanese interment camps. By no means were these lawful in the sense of just and moral yet they were decreed by the government.
In then end the government must find the truths of the moral law and find the ways to apply them to the daily lives of its citizens while still working within the same laws. In short governments are to enforce the law that is already been made not make up laws according to its own agenda.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Monday, February 14, 2011
Question: What is the Christian view of feminity or how should Christian respond to feminism? You choose which one to answer. Your response must be posted by Monday, midnight.
Response: The Christian response to feminism is both simple and complex. The simple answer of course is with scripture. Too often people approach hot subject such as feminism, homosexuality, and abortion with their own thoughts and label themselves as attempting the Christian approach. This is wrong and not only creates a false view of the Christian belief on said topics but will create unneeded tension between debating parties. While truth cuts down problems, misconceptions add to them.
The complexity arises from deciphering what scripture says on the subject. From scripture, mainly the account of creation, the role of the woman is defined as a completer, a warrior, and a helper. She completes the man, as without her he cannot accomplish the tasks God assigned to him nor can he truely be what God intened for him to be. She is a warrior for her family moreso than the man because she will fight harder with more passion for her family in nearly every situation. Lastly she is a helper. This word is too often likened to servant, this is not what scripture promotes. She is a partner, a teammate, and a friend, one to be listened to for advice and to be considered in everything.
Once the role of a woman is defined the church can see both how well it is being adhered to as well as the opposing message non-believing society is promoting. In today's culture women in general are not being treated as they should according to their role, but neither are they acting as they should according to their role. In examining this Feminism breaks into two camps, practical feminists and radical feminists.
Practical Feminist are those advocating on behalf of the issues that deal with human rights and basic equality. The message fights for equal pay for women, for women to be respected and not objectified, and to liberate women from the subjugation they have in numerous societies that lack in civil rights. The more extreme version of Feminism, seeks to abolish the gender roles all together. While disregarding gender may seem like a fantastic idea for equality, it is ultimately destructive for society. When the warrior cast down her position the family is torn apart, when the helper ceased to aid goals are not met, and when the completer refuses to complete lives are half fulfilled. While an over-simplification it is true that society shifts in a negative direction. Women begin to take on the immoral nature of men as well as the sin nature they already had, society prompting young women to be as sexually hungry as testosterone compels the male.
The church's response to Feminism is then two parts. One to continue to the spead of biblical rights ordained by God and promote equality, and two to halt the radical wave of sexual indifferance with scripture and the truth of Christ.
Response: The Christian response to feminism is both simple and complex. The simple answer of course is with scripture. Too often people approach hot subject such as feminism, homosexuality, and abortion with their own thoughts and label themselves as attempting the Christian approach. This is wrong and not only creates a false view of the Christian belief on said topics but will create unneeded tension between debating parties. While truth cuts down problems, misconceptions add to them.
The complexity arises from deciphering what scripture says on the subject. From scripture, mainly the account of creation, the role of the woman is defined as a completer, a warrior, and a helper. She completes the man, as without her he cannot accomplish the tasks God assigned to him nor can he truely be what God intened for him to be. She is a warrior for her family moreso than the man because she will fight harder with more passion for her family in nearly every situation. Lastly she is a helper. This word is too often likened to servant, this is not what scripture promotes. She is a partner, a teammate, and a friend, one to be listened to for advice and to be considered in everything.
Once the role of a woman is defined the church can see both how well it is being adhered to as well as the opposing message non-believing society is promoting. In today's culture women in general are not being treated as they should according to their role, but neither are they acting as they should according to their role. In examining this Feminism breaks into two camps, practical feminists and radical feminists.
Practical Feminist are those advocating on behalf of the issues that deal with human rights and basic equality. The message fights for equal pay for women, for women to be respected and not objectified, and to liberate women from the subjugation they have in numerous societies that lack in civil rights. The more extreme version of Feminism, seeks to abolish the gender roles all together. While disregarding gender may seem like a fantastic idea for equality, it is ultimately destructive for society. When the warrior cast down her position the family is torn apart, when the helper ceased to aid goals are not met, and when the completer refuses to complete lives are half fulfilled. While an over-simplification it is true that society shifts in a negative direction. Women begin to take on the immoral nature of men as well as the sin nature they already had, society prompting young women to be as sexually hungry as testosterone compels the male.
The church's response to Feminism is then two parts. One to continue to the spead of biblical rights ordained by God and promote equality, and two to halt the radical wave of sexual indifferance with scripture and the truth of Christ.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Sexist? Homophobic Response
Question: One of the charges frequently made against followers of Christ is that the church is sexist and homophobic. While there are some who this may be true off, how would you respond to the charge that the Bible teaches this?
Response: The assertion that Christian doctrine or Christians in general are either sexist or homophobic is based in a lack of detailed study of scripture. There are indeed isolated statements and actions made within scripture that if taken out of their proper context can be used to propogate such claims. This is true however of everything. With scripture quoted out of context one can make claims does not even exist. With a verse from Psalms one can cry "There is no God." Yet if the whole verse is read Psalms 14:1 "The fool says in his heart 'there is no God'" then the message becomes not a critque on God's existance but an affirmation as only the foolish believe otherwise. Thus inaccurate study of the Bible will lead to such false messages as the one that has created the stereotype of Sexist or Homophobic Christians.
Another issue is the habit people make of observing the people of a cause and passing judgement on the cause itself. While observing the character of Christians should be a window into the true values of Christianity, the few people we encounter daily out of the 6 billion worldwide cannot be used to create a full picture of the Cause behind which they stand. This is to say that finding a homophobic or sexist Christian does not make Christianity homophobic or sexist. Quite the opposite, it proves only that the individual or individuals are not adhering to their proclaimed faith and are misrepresenting Christianity as a whole.
Returning to scripture, I find it difficult to understand those who label the church as either sexist or homophobic. It is the duty of the church to be like Christ and accept everyone as they are in order to transform them into followers of Christ. The Gospel does not see gender nor sexual orientation in regards to salvation and it is the duty of believers to carry this out as well and bring the message to all corners of the world, without bias and without discrimination. After the message takes heart then there are rules within scripture that deal with the roles of the Sexes and Homosexuality.
In fact if Scripture is taken seriously, Women are actually treated in a much more pleasing fashion than in other belief systems. Again people can pick examples of the Mistreatment of women in the Bible, but these examples are not included to be followed but to be learned from to teach a point in God's plan of redemption. Likewise Homosexuality is not addressed to be a way of discrimination or dehumanizing efforts. Rather it is addressed to again show the power of God's love and ability to redeem.
In closing I realize people will most likely refuse to change their view on the Church and Christianity, it is easy to resort to Ad Homin and like tactics to tear down an opposing belief. This does not take away from the truth of the matter however, the truth that Christ's message is one of redemption and salvation for ALL who believe in Him and in His sight we are all equal, equally condemned by sin and equally saved by the grace given by His mercy.
Response: The assertion that Christian doctrine or Christians in general are either sexist or homophobic is based in a lack of detailed study of scripture. There are indeed isolated statements and actions made within scripture that if taken out of their proper context can be used to propogate such claims. This is true however of everything. With scripture quoted out of context one can make claims does not even exist. With a verse from Psalms one can cry "There is no God." Yet if the whole verse is read Psalms 14:1 "The fool says in his heart 'there is no God'" then the message becomes not a critque on God's existance but an affirmation as only the foolish believe otherwise. Thus inaccurate study of the Bible will lead to such false messages as the one that has created the stereotype of Sexist or Homophobic Christians.
Another issue is the habit people make of observing the people of a cause and passing judgement on the cause itself. While observing the character of Christians should be a window into the true values of Christianity, the few people we encounter daily out of the 6 billion worldwide cannot be used to create a full picture of the Cause behind which they stand. This is to say that finding a homophobic or sexist Christian does not make Christianity homophobic or sexist. Quite the opposite, it proves only that the individual or individuals are not adhering to their proclaimed faith and are misrepresenting Christianity as a whole.
Returning to scripture, I find it difficult to understand those who label the church as either sexist or homophobic. It is the duty of the church to be like Christ and accept everyone as they are in order to transform them into followers of Christ. The Gospel does not see gender nor sexual orientation in regards to salvation and it is the duty of believers to carry this out as well and bring the message to all corners of the world, without bias and without discrimination. After the message takes heart then there are rules within scripture that deal with the roles of the Sexes and Homosexuality.
In fact if Scripture is taken seriously, Women are actually treated in a much more pleasing fashion than in other belief systems. Again people can pick examples of the Mistreatment of women in the Bible, but these examples are not included to be followed but to be learned from to teach a point in God's plan of redemption. Likewise Homosexuality is not addressed to be a way of discrimination or dehumanizing efforts. Rather it is addressed to again show the power of God's love and ability to redeem.
In closing I realize people will most likely refuse to change their view on the Church and Christianity, it is easy to resort to Ad Homin and like tactics to tear down an opposing belief. This does not take away from the truth of the matter however, the truth that Christ's message is one of redemption and salvation for ALL who believe in Him and in His sight we are all equal, equally condemned by sin and equally saved by the grace given by His mercy.
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