But still, we could change all the laws in the world and still fail to change even one heart in the process. Then what have we really accomplished? But if we just focus on changing hearts regardless of the laws, then eventually there's little need to change laws.

But what do i know about politics? i shut my mind off to politics several years ago now, so i don't mean to pretend to have an informed opinion.

–Guy

Also, the bill passed just yesterday (?) that had hate crimes legislation pinned on has the potential to threaten our ability to be able to preach the word denouncing things like homosexuality. The legislation states that should our preaching cause someone or anyone to strike out against a homosexual, then our acts would be considered criminal and we could be jailed.

I think we must do our best to keep our senators and representatives voting in the direction of morality lest our country fall into the hands of those 1% who are now doing the most damage to our country.

The paragraph that I just quoted above could be considered criminal if someone read it and went out and commited a crime to reduce their effect. This according to the bill just passed.

The most basic thing for me is: this isn't stated ANYWHERE in the New Testament. Shouldn't there be an exhortation to participate in the government? To seek political power? If that was God's plan, why didn't He put it into practice then?

There are plenty of exhortations about not getting entangled in the affairs of this world. Verses that emphasize our role as strangers and aliens. Reminders that the Gentiles "lord it over" others, but Christians aren't to behave that way.

I see no positive statements about participating in the affairs of this world and numerous negative ones.

Grace and peace,
Tim Archer

I don't want to reduce pregnancy, marriage or agriculture. I want to reduce the bad parts of those things. In fact, there's a good case to be made that we need more marriages and, in some parts of the world, more agriculture. And I would even argue for more pregnancies among Christians (This always gets me in big trouble). Does this mean I want more government? Well, not here, but there are parts of the world that need more government.

And I would certainly argue for greater Christian involvement in marriage and in pregnancy. Wouldn't you?

And so, I think the church should work to make government better — that is, more like what God intends for government. That may mean more government in some places and less in others. And the church may need to be less involved where it's involvement is contrary to the scriptures, but more involvement where the church has abdicated its prophetic role.

It seems that the logical conclusion, based on your analogy, is that we work to reduce the effects of government on our lives, as we do with death, weeds, labor pains, etc.

Sounds like Christians should be working to reduce their involvement in government, not increase it.

Grace and peace,
Tim Archer

The Hindu religion frowns on alleviating suffering of the poor, because this interferes with the learning of lessons in this incarnation so these souls must then repeat the process in their next reincarnation.

Islam dismisses catastrophic suffering (such as in the tsunami that hit mainly Islamic areas a few years ago) as "It is the will of Allah." This is in spite of one of the five pillars of Islam being Benevolence.

Christians are the only people who, as a matter of course, seek to relieve the pain and suffering in this life – even though we know this life is temporary and but the prelude to better, more glorious things.

But, is it possible that one of the ways to relieve the pain and suffering incurred in war is to decline war, especially those fought more for national pride and glory (e.g., WWI) than for national survival (e.g., WWII)?

I have moved from a strict pacifist position to one that recognizes the need for police, even those using lethal force, and an army to protect citizens. Yet, I doubt that all of the wars we have involved ourselves in as a nation over the past two centuries are necessary – and have likely done far more harm than good.

Does a jingoistic nationalistic mindset contribute to rabid sectarianism when we transfer the "war" to fighting on religious party grounds instead of between nations????