XPost: alt.religion.christian.east-orthodox, alt.politics.religion,   
   soc.rights.human   
   XPost: alt.christnet.ethics   
   From: hayesstw@telkomsa.net   
      
   On Thu, 06 Mar 2025 20:39:46 -0800, Dr.Who  wrote:   
      
   >On Mar 6, 2025, Steve Hayes wrote   
   >(Message-ID:<5boksj1imumpcjtdj7c703oficashcd5ub@4ax.com>):   
   >   
   >> On Thu, 6 Mar 2025 19:54:12 +0300, "Oleg Smirnov"   
   >> wrote:   
   >>   
   >> > Steve Hayes,   
   >> > > On Wed, 5 Mar 2025 11:31:12 +0300, "Oleg Smirnov"    
   >> >   
   >> > > > > > Any authority is a good from God, it's established by God.   
   >> > > > >   
   >> > > > > Indeed, but when it is corrupt, its corruption is not from God.   
   >> > > >   
   >> > > > It's sinful to think one can know God's will/plan in full.   
   >> > > >   
   >> > > > Holy Scripture says clearly any authority is established by   
   >> > > > God, whereas a Christian's duty is to submit to authorities   
   >> > > > rather than "fight" against what he or she may dislike.   
   >> > >   
   >> > > St Peter and St John seem to disagree with you:   
   >> > >   
   >> > > Act 4:19-29 - But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether   
   >> > > it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto   
   >> > > God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen   
   >> > > and heard.   
   >> > >   
   >> > > Act 5:28-29 - Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should   
   >> > > not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with   
   >> > > your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us. Then   
   >> > > Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God   
   >> > > rather than men.   
   >> >   
   >> > Here "men" is generic, while "authorities" is more specific,   
   >> > and since an authority is a gift from God, obendience to God   
   >> > implies obendience to what is established by God.   
   >>   
   >> When Enver Hoxha was the ruler of Albania he gave a similar order.   
   >> Some did not obey it and continued to worship God. Were they thereby   
   >> wrongly disobeying what God had established?   
   >   
   >He banned places of worship such as mosques and churches. He did not ban   
   >worshipping gods.   
      
   Enver Hoxha banned *talking* about gods, just as those mentioned in   
   the book of Acts of the Apostles did to St Peter and St John. Freedom   
   of thought, yes. Freedom of speech, no.   
      
   Teachers used to ask children at school what they had been eating at   
   home during Lent and Ramadan, and passed this information on to the   
   enforcement authorities.   
      
      
   --   
   Steve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa   
   Web:  http://www.khanya.org.za/stevesig.htm   
   Blog: http://khanya.wordpress.com   
   E-mail - see web page, or parse: shayes at dunelm full stop org full stop uk   
      
   --- SoupGate-DOS v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)