Saturday 29 September 2018

Are Authorities Ordained By God?



Step back. Who tells us this? Who benefits? Why are they telling us? Did they ask the oppressed and workers what they think?

Authority has been telling us this for-ever: going back to Caesar, and earlier. He, whom considered himself to be God and to be obeyed. Religious, political, military, police leaders have continued this en-force-ment for-ever!

Today, some like Jeff Sessions say the same: we should obey the government's terrible treat-ment of immigrants, or whatever they say/do. Of course, such rhetoric is especially alive during war times. "National security" trumps all.

The most cited verses found in Romans 13. Apartheid, slavery, and much of history reveal how these verses were used to subjugate the masses. Sure, it says that authority is ordained by God. So what? Why do we feel compelled to obey some text? It goes on to say that authority rewards those who do good and punishes those who do evil. Really? Unfortunately we oft turn off reason when told this and other such foolish things. Go to the prisons. Who is there? The rich? The polluters? The war mongers? The bankers that caused the 2008 collapse? No! It's the poor, the blacks, ... those who can't afford expensive lawyers. So where is God? Where is the truth of this verse? It's not true. It's propaganda to control people!

But we stop. We submit. We fail. We reject reason, truth and justice.

Ask any reformed evangelical/fundamentalist [not just religious!]. One verse strangles. The authorities in the churches, mosques, religious groups, political groups, etc. pressure the individual and mass. It's hard to believe that  one verse can bury the mind and reason. But it has/does! When those around us convince us to submit, we too often fail and obey them. But they get us when we are young, or desperate, or lonely.

Of course, no one tells us that the writer, Paul, was jailed and fought the authorities for over 3 years! Numerous Christians fought against obedience.. And remember the ones fed to the lions. Did they believe Caesar was god? No! Ok...time for dinner!

Any sense of logic leads us to the strange point then that Hitler, Stalin, Pinochet, etc. were all ordained by God. All are. So which do we obey? I'm confused. Please help me. Where is Jeff when I need him?

Of course no one talks about Christ. He disobeyed  religious/political authority....I wonder if that is why the authorities murdered him for treason.  Read again, the authorities killed the Christ: not the poor, the workers, the immigrants...He constantly and consistently opposed authority! He took the side of the 'scum': the women, the poor, the prostitutes, the outcasts, .... all those who were oppressed by these wonderful authorities!

We need to challenge authority. We need to all be one. The rich and ruling class must become workers like us. We do not need authority figures. They need us. [oh oh commi scare!] ... Remember what Jesus said [Mark 10:42-45 NIV]:

You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles
 lord it over them, 
and their high officials exercise authority over them.
Not so with you.
Instead, whoever wants to become great among you 
must become your servant,
and whoever wants to be the first
must be the slave of all.
For even the Son of Man did not come to be served,
but to serve,
and to give his life as a ransom for many.

This demands a total reversal of the hierarchical model thrust upon us.  Let us love: serve others [and ALL creation]: not oppress nor support anyone or any system that does so.

We are told to follow, like little children, singing "Jesus loves me, yes I know, for the bible tell me so...." Sing with me, Mr. Sessions....You can hear him sing: "Obey me, for the bible tells you so".....amen.

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