XPost: alt.christnet.christianlife, alt.religion.christian.baptist   
   From: shell-stamford@cox.net   
      
   "Mike Painter"  wrote in message   
   news:7h7nk.16194$cW3.6902@nlpi064.nbdc.sbc.com...   
   > Chuck Stamford wrote:   
   >   >>   
   >>> You mean you do not find it disturbing and quite inappropriate for   
   >>> Christ's brethren to fight and kill each other?   
   >>   
   >> Christ's "brethern" were enjoined by their God and Lord to obey the   
   >> legitimate authorities over them, as all authority comes ultimately   
   >> from Him.  The fact men exercise this God given authority over one   
   >> another practically guarantees there will be conflicts.  Is there   
   >> something in any of this you find contradictory?   
   >   
   > Who decides which authority is right. That argument was used by kings and   
   > emporers for thousands of years with great success.   
   > If their authority comes from the same god(s) why is there no piece and   
   > why did kings loose power?   
   >   
   > Mark Twain's War Prayer sums it up nicely.   
      
   Not familiar with much of Mark Twain's body of work beyond Tom Sawyer.  I   
   liked that story as a kid.  It was nice to see that some kids, at least, got   
   to have some fun.   
      
   But I digress.  As to you question:   
      
   "Who decides which authority is right."   
      
   God does.  All I need to know, as a disciple of Jesus Christ, is that the   
   authority I'm following isn't an obvious enemy of the Gospel, or isn't   
   requiring me to do something that directly contradicts a command of God as   
   understood and interpreted by His Son, Jesus Christ.   
      
   Chuck Stamford   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)