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Bootlicking Christians Part 783

Here’s a quick conversation I had with a Christian acquaintance. I posted about how voting for a tax increase is committing the sin of covetousness. I can’t remember ever getting a good argument against that. Here’s another terrible argument.

Her first argument is that voting for a tax increase isn’t covetousness because I don’t live in Canon City. The second response isn’t really an argument at all, just alleging that I’m a heretic without giving any reason at all. But she supports my First Amendment right to spread heresy. That certainly wouldn’t be my response if someone I knew was spreading heresy.

Her next comment is just to quote Romans 13. This happens so often that I coined this term a few years ago. I’m hoping the verb to “romansthirteen” someone catches on some day.

Romans 13, when properly understood, is dynamite laid at the foundation of tyrannical government. I would love it if as Romans 13 teaches, government left people doing good alone and pursued as criminals those who did something to earn God’s wrath.

Of course, no response to an actual explanation of what Romans 13 teaches except a laughing emoji. I think I’ve been Romansthirteened about 20 times by Calvary Chapel people.

Can someone please get these people some brain cells to rub together so I can have an actual conversation at some point? I don’t say that to sound pompous. I am the most humble man alive. The only reason I’m right is because I believe what the Bible teaches.

_______________________________________________________________________________The rest of this is the original post I wrote, to which she was responding:

Voting for a tax increase for a swimming pool is committing the sin of covetousness (the Tenth Commandment, Exodus 20:17). Coveting is wanting something to the point that you’re willing to get it by dishonest means.

Taxes are collected by government threatening to confiscate property or threatening imprisonment. What you are advocating when you vote for a tax increase is more violence, or at least threats of violence from government. I realize it rarely comes to violence, because most people would rather just pay than suffer serious loss. A mugger says “Give me your wallet or I’ll shoot you.” That is exactly what government does to collect taxes, except they do it through the mail and it takes longer. Voting is not a magic ritual that turns stealing into righteous taxation. Voting is just an attempt of a majority to force a minority to do something they don’t want to do.

If you are willing to pay for a pool, you’re free to do that. Rather than coveting, why don’t those who want a pool do honest work and raise money for it?

Abolish The Police

DUI Checkpoint in a Church Parking Lot?

After watching this video, and seeing that a DUI checkpoint was held in a church parking lot, I decided I must contact the church. I included the email I sent them below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsiXDz6REMY

Hello,

I attend a Calvary Chapel. I became aware that in April 2014, you allowed police to conduct a DUI checkpoint in your parking lot.

I’m certain you had good intentions in allowing this checkpoint on your property. Minimizing drunk driving is a worthwhile goal. However, the ends do not justify the means.

This nation was founded on the Bible. The founders attempted to implement biblical law in our country. This country certainly was not perfect (slavery was an egregious exception), and no society of men ever will be perfect, even though we have access to God’s perfect law (Psalm 19:7).

However, we have descended from there at an ever-accelerating pace. My explanation for why this has happened is that Christians have abandoned our place as people who proclaim right and wrong to the government. We have the only source for absolute morality: God’s law. Only Christians can tell the government what is right and wrong, because no one else has God’s law.

There may be other contributing factors to America’s decline, but the blame for why government has become tyrannical must be laid at the feet of Christians. In the case of the DUI checkpoint, rather than proclaiming why checkpoints are evil, you offered your property to them. In that, you failed to be salt and light and contributed to the degradation of our freedom.

As with most other American institutions, police have become more and more unbiblical. I would like to make the case to you that the police as we know them are horribly unbiblical and Christians should not support them any longer.

1. Police are allowed to lie, and do so often.

2. Normally, police can’t pull drivers over unless they are suspected of a crime. That in itself is unbiblical. But at a checkpoint, they can pull everyone over. This is a heinous violation of the 4th amendment upheld only by lawless judges, of which we have an abundance.

3. Police are under a special set of laws. They aren’t held to the same standard of conduct as citizens. This is grossly unbiblical.

In ancient Israel, there were no government agents going around looking for trouble. It was the victims who pressed charges when they were harmed.

This is much like the system the founders gave us. In early America, victims would often act as the prosecuting attorney (or hire an attorney). Victims or private citizens would execute search and arrest warrants. There weren’t even police until the 1830s.

I’m not saying their system was perfect, but it was way closer to the biblical example than we have today. Check out http://www.constitution.org/lrev/roots/cops.htm for a free history lesson.

I have only learned these biblical principles within the last couple years, so if I say anything harsh, I say it humbly, knowing that I blindly supported the police not that long ago. I pray that you receive this as a Berean.

I can send you more information if you’re interested.

—————–UPDATE 7/4/15—————–

The email was not well-received by Dave Dodge, an assistant pastor. His email response today says,

“I don’t see anything humble or revelatory in your email. Be a a Berean yourself and read Rom 13, especially the first six verses. Please don’t send us anymore of your information. Renew your with real vision and under the on going revelation contain in the depth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. “

I’m glad there’s nothing revelatory in my email. Sometimes I worry that I’m the only one who hasn’t bought into peitism. Unfortunately he must have rejected previous revelations. And as far as my desire to be humble, to clarify, I don’t mean to be humble about declaring what the Bible teaches. I want to be as bold as a lion (Proverbs 28:1) in that regard, but humble in not looking down on others who haven’t yet learned what I have learned. What do I have that wasn’t given to me?

As far as Romans 13, if he believes that it teaches that he ought to rent his parking lot to the cops, that would be the most radical interpretation of that passage I’ve ever heard. That would mean that we must grant every request of government, even if it involves us sinning. I have to assume that isn’t what he meant, because that would mean they’re not even Christians.

Renting your parking lot to police is not required under Florida law, and it is sinful under God’s law. When confronted with their sin, they respond defensively and with a false interpretation of Scripture.

Here is the email I sent in response:

Your surface-level interpretation of Romans 13 contradicts the rest of Scripture. You’ll soon be marrying homosexuals under a judge’s order if you’re going to remain consistent with that, right?

Happy dependence day.

I certainly hope that he would say that he’ll never in a million years perform a same-sex marriage, no matter what a judge says, no matter what it might cost, even to the point of being thrown in jail.

So even he would say (I trust) that there are limits to Romans 13. What it really teaches is that the magistrates are God’s ministers for rewarding good behavior and punishing evil. What is good and evil apart from God’s standard? If the government defines good and evil, then you better get ready for the gay marriages at Calvary Chapel St Pete.

Here’s the pastor’s info where you can send an email.