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Thank You to All of the Military Men and Women

Dr. K.R. Allen

Member
Real Person
Today is December 7th, also known as Pearl Harbor day.

I would like to stop and take a moment to give honor to all of those who have served in the armed services for this blessed country we live in called America.

The Bible says: "Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king" (1 Peter 2:17). Also in Romans 13 says "there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God" and these rulers "are God's servant to do you good" (vs. 1b,4).

So to all of you who have served in the military and to all who either have had or currently do have loved ones, family, and/or friends in the military THANK YOU! Your service is deeply appreciated and something to which all right minded Christians can be grateful and thankful for.

Though with some flaws and problems in our own beloved land, I'd rather be here in this country with our set of problems yet with the freedoms we do have, which were gained by sweat, blood, and tears of many men and women who have and still do serve. The very freedoms in which we have to share th gospel with the freedoms that we do have are because many have given of their life, time, and energy to keep the peace while the gospel of peace is shared.

May God bless you if you have or still do serve, and may God continue to protect and give mercy and grace to all of our soldiers who seek to keep us with physical liberties as they fight to keep us safe from the enemies who hate us and our land of liberty.

Know that you are appreciated and loved as either a soldier or family member of a soldier!
 
Well said, gentlemen!

As someone who had the privilege of being in Iraq from 04 to 07, is the daughter of a now deceased WWII Naval Air Corps officer who served in the Pacific, I have nothing but thanks for our troops, and that wasn't always the case. We are indeed blessed right out of our boots, and our soldiers are those "of whom the world is not worthy."

I get to interview a USS Arizona survivor soon, and am so looking forward to it.
 
ylop being no stranger to controversy will take an opposite position here:

Pearl Harbour - now identified by multiple historians as the response by Japan to a series of aggressive posturings by the USA culminating in the freezing of Japanese financial assets in the US. Crucial information withheld from the frontline to allow the first strike to occur providing justification for US entry into WW2.

WW2 area bombing of cities - acknowledged as a war crime by many historians.

Atom bombing of two Japanese cities - ditto

Korea - misadventure to prop up aggressive foreign policy. Corrupt puppet regime installed. What was achieved here? Millions dead.

Grenada - rescuing some medical students???

Vietnam - domino theory didnt quite hold up. Gulf of Tonkin incident discredited. Propped up another corrupt regime that ultimately could not stand on its own. And yes I have many Vietnamese friends who fled communism.

Cambodia - B52 carpet bombing helped to bring Pol Pot to power.

Iraq 1 - why intervene in this particular invasion of Kuwait? What about East Timor? Cambodia? Rwanda (ok that was afterwards you get my drift)

Iraq 2 - oil. 100,000 civilians killed. Christians now heavily persecuted. Thanks for your service.

Afghanistan - 9 years now. Making the world safer.

Plenty of other minor wars, incidents, interventions over the last 60 years that people 'served' in. The body count is huge.

I find the word 'service' confusing. People in the armed services obey orders to kill in return for money. There may be a valid place for this, sometimes. But are you suggesting they would join if it was not paid? I have personally spent a number of years in the Australian army and am no pacifist. But service??? People join the armed services for a range of motivations - way out of poverty, easy job (when not on active service), defend their country, shame, peer pressure, wanting to kill legally, family tradition, etc. Service??? You are serving the dominant power occupying your land at the time, helping that power achieve its policy goals (and supporting associated vested interests). In WW1 Germany and USA both had God on their side, the chaplains must have been slightly confused.

The USA should have stayed at home and remained a beacon for freedom and prosperity, instead of becoming a byword for imperialism.

ylop
 
I too am thankful for all our military men and women. It is such a privilege to live in this country, despite all its flaws. There is no place I would rather live than the country I call home. No country is perfect, but I must say that we have many freedoms and abilities in this country that are lacking in many other countries around the world. Nothing makes me more sad than to hear and see people who can find nothing good to say about this country. I would imagine if you asked these people who are so negative about this country we call home if they wanted to live anywhere else, they too would say no. While the flaws are present, I can find many more things that are good about this country that make me proud to be here!

In this country, we have the freedom to serve the Lord without fear of being killed by our governmental leaders. This is not the case in some nations around the world such as China and India. We also have the ability to speak freely which is also very limited or absent in other nations. We have the ability to write on this board and publish whatever we like in this country but it would be illegal in other parts of the world to a degree that could cost one his/her life. Everyone, regardless of race, sex, socioeconomic status, or age has the opportunity to obtain an eduction. This is not true of other nations either. Women in this country have many freedoms that do not exist in other nations such as Iran, Iraq, and many other nations. There are countless other rights and freedoms that I am sure are missing in this list but these are just a few examples of things that we have the right/ability to do because our soldiers have fought to preserve these rights granted to us in our Constitution.

We would not have these freedoms and rights without the sacrifice being made every day by military men and women, along with their families. To each of you who have served in our Armed Forces at any time, I want to say thank you. I am grateful that you have made the sacrifice but also gotten to return to this great land. I am grateful to your family for sacrificing their desire for you to stay so that our country and our rights as Americans could be protected. For anyone else who has served in any capacity, thank you also. I am honored to be able to live in such a great country.
 
CarolinaButterfly said:
I too am thankful for all our military men and women. It is such a privilege to live in this country, despite all its flaws. There is no place I would rather live than the country I call home. No country is perfect, but I must say that we have many freedoms and abilities in this country that are lacking in many other countries around the world. Nothing makes me more sad than to hear and see people who can find nothing good to say about this country. I would imagine if you asked these people who are so negative about this country we call home if they wanted to live anywhere else, they too would say no. While the flaws are present, I can find many more things that are good about this country that make me proud to be here!

In this country, we have the freedom to serve the Lord without fear of being killed by our governmental leaders. This is not the case in some nations around the world such as China and India. We also have the ability to speak freely which is also very limited or absent in other nations. We have the ability to write on this board and publish whatever we like in this country but it would be illegal in other parts of the world to a degree that could cost one his/her life. Everyone, regardless of race, sex, socioeconomic status, or age has the opportunity to obtain an eduction. This is not true of other nations either. Women in this country have many freedoms that do not exist in other nations such as Iran, Iraq, and many other nations. There are countless other rights and freedoms that I am sure are missing in this list but these are just a few examples of things that we have the right/ability to do because our soldiers have fought to preserve these rights granted to us in our Constitution.

We would not have these freedoms and rights without the sacrifice being made every day by military men and women, along with their families. To each of you who have served in our Armed Forces at any time, I want to say thank you. I am grateful that you have made the sacrifice but also gotten to return to this great land. I am grateful to your family for sacrificing their desire for you to stay so that our country and our rights as Americans could be protected. For anyone else who has served in any capacity, thank you also. I am honored to be able to live in such a great country.

My husband and I both served in the United States Air Force, so your beautifully written post was much appreciated. Our country does have flaws both historically and currently; however, I don't know where else, like you so eloquently posted, where we could experience such freedom as in the good old USA! :D
 
My husband and I both served in the United States Air Force, so your beautifully written post was much appreciated. Our country does have flaws both historically and currently; however, I don't know where else, like you so eloquently posted, where we could experience such freedom as in the good old USA!

What an honor for you both to have served both the Lord and our country in this way! We still live in one of the better countries in the world and I'm ever so thankful for the Lord's providence in birthing our country and even till this day of sustaining it. Our blessed land has come through many trials, and by providence we have made many advancements in the cause and quest of liberty.
 
"The USA should have stayed at home and remained a beacon for freedom and prosperity, instead of becoming a byword for imperialism."

Right out of the communist/socialist playbook. Don't get me wrong, the US has done bad things but if not for USA, Adolf would be the honored guest at french dinners, the Luftwaffe would still be patrolling European skies, the Jews would be a byline in European history, and Japan would have absorbed Hawaii and major portions of Australia.
If we were imperialist, where's our spoils of war? Why do we keep giving things back to the agressors? Britain had their India. Where's ours?
Oil as the motivation? Perhaps in part due to our american appetite but if that is wholly true, why hasn't Fallujah been declared our 58th state (after Prez O's 57) and we get $22 per barrel of the liquid gold? The arguments don't pass the smell test.
In fact, just before our involvement in WWII there were major anti-war movements aimed at letting Europe handle their own problems. December 7 changed all that. Honor those that deserve honor. Will it be the naivete of the "Chamberlins" that we honor or the brutality of PolPot or deceit of Ahmedinejad, or the lifetime president in Chavez?
Yes my buttons were pushed Ylop. Not all that is true resides in the US but consider a world without the good men and women of free will who say enough is enough. Thankyou to our service members in both USA and Australia that make freedom possible.
Blessings, Maddog
 
Hi Maddog. I am honoured to have been nominated as a communist/socialist sympathiser. What astute analysis you have. This is the first time in my life anyone has suggested anything remotely left leaning about me. Perhaps it is my extensive business background, the bevy of employees, my military 'service' or even my publicly-held positions where I am a spokesperson for private enterprise; that deter them from doing this? The more normal mudslinging I receive is "capitalist" (this word is used in a derogatory fashion in Australia sometimes).

"If not for the USA, Adolf". What deep historical study... How about we go back to WWI, perhaps the most pivotal event in the 20th Century. That may well have ended in a stalemate, both sides exhausted (thanks to the blessed 'service' of each side's Christian armies). The 1920's could have been a period of reflection and refreshment by both equally humbled sides. But the entry of fresh US forces in 1917/18 tipped the balance to the Allies favour. Germany was defeated, humiliated, and forced into crushing reparition terms that led to widespread resentment. And who was there to lead them? Our WW1 corporal Adolf, ready to run with that public sentiment into popularly elected office.

"European skies" yes well the Luftwaffe did inflict low to moderate-level damage on a few European cities. However the USA (and UK) totally annihalated a number of German cities - Dresden being the prime example.

"Japan would have absorbed Hawaii" - whose island was it, anyway? You asked about where your spoils of war were, ever wondered about the origins of the US occupation of Hawaii?

Spoils of war - keep giving things back? where do you want to start? The Louisiana purchase, the native American lands, Texas? Guam? American Samoa? Panama Canal? Virgin Islands? Puerto Rico? A network of military bases stretching around the globe?

December 7 - Now generally acknowledged that US Government had knowledge of the attacks the days prior.

Pol Pot - rose to power thanks in part to the extensive bombing of his country by the US. The Cambodian genocide only stopped when the Vietnamese communist forces invaded in 1979.

"enough is enough" seems to generally coincide with US economic interests. Hence no intervention in Rwanda, Congo, Armenia, Bangladesh v Pakistan, etc.

"buttons were pushed" many have served and now serve sitting in missile control rooms, waiting for the order to push the button and turn millions into toast.

Things that I love about the USA - the Constitution, separation of Church and State, free enterprise, independent spirit, right to bear arms, often generous spirit.

Things I dislike - blind obedience to authority, pledge of allegiance, encroaching police state, one of the world's highest imprisonment rates, inability to see themselves from an outsiders perspective, foreign policy meddling, and most of all a tendency to forget the principles upon which the great nation was founded.

The things I love greatly outweigh the things I dislike.

ylop the alleged communist
 
YLOP, I understand where you are coming from. But let me express to you this...

A vast majority of our servicemen and women earn low enough wages that they qualify for food stamps (when they have children.)

A vast majority of the people who are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan right now are "weekend warriors" and have left jobs that pay more than they make as soldiers to serve their country.

A vast majority of the people who are overseas have left their families behind to "fend" for themselves while they are overseas making less money to live in primitive conditions and missing their families.

Many many of these men and women are missing births, deaths, weddings, holidays and so on and so forth.

There is nothing wrong with your views, but sometimes it is better to just not say anything, rather than post an opposing view on what was originallyl set up as a thread for us to thank our veterans. Sometimes "discretion is the better part of valor."

SweetLissa
 
SweetLissa; I often like your posts including this one as they promote peace and harmony. Mrs Ylop says similar things. It is just that in a forum that promotes polygamy, I find it surprising to find such strong support for Caesar and his centurions. ylop
 
Maybe you should then read 1 Peter. The apostles clearly stated it is part of the Christian faith to honor the king (i.e. government or rulers) and it never once ever endorses anywhere the idea of speaking rudely, disrespectfully, or any such thing towards government rulers.

It seems the burden of proof rests upon you in showing how you show respect and honor. I'd like to see you actually do that and see how you faithfully fulfill from the heart a true sense of honor to those who rule.

A disrespectful attitude towards government often shows a disrespectful heart towards authority in general.

And as SweetLissa stated, this post is about honoring the military. It would be very gracious of you to keep that in mind.
 
Well, let us not get too taken up in a rehash of the 60's. Poly ideas do not require any political leanings. Sometimes it seems that liberal ideas are more compatible with freedom, and it seems that Christian labels sometimes lean toward conservative ideas. Neither is completely true. The fact that most of us would claim to be Christians and favor poly, is a remarkable miracle that God is doing. Since God seems to have us as his children on both sides of the liberal/conservative banner I guess we will just need to put up with each other. I doubt that anyone on this forum has exactly the same political ideas about anything. Surely if God wanted a unity of political opinion he would convict the heart so and after every election the churches would be full of repentant voters, which doesn't seem to happen. Political positions are best left to the vote, where forgeting to vote, regreting your vote, neglecting to vote, and for that matter, actually voting may be unresolvable but probably not sinful.
 
Amen brother Welltan! Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians, Green Party, Constitutionalists, Tea Party, no party, or just throwing a party in one's house :lol: , all of them who lead are to be respected and honored. We have that mandate from the Bible to each and every last one of them if they are in any leadership position. Political party, as you noted, should not alter our attitude towards any of them as we owe them respect and honor no matter what. And mercy, that is sometimes so easy to forget we when get party or politically focused instead of biblically focused. There is no mandate to support any party but only a mandate to honor them and pray for them as we live a life of love to them and to our neighbors.

And thus since thinking about it, the bible even says we are to be in prayer for our government and for "all who are in authority" (1 Tim. 1:2).

I think I will do that right now since I'm thinking about it.

"Lord thank you for our leaders from every spectrum or party. Thank you Lord for our military, thank you for the ones who have given of their life to preserve liberty here in America. I pray Lord that you protect our leaders, grant to them wisdom, point them to Christ, place people in and around them that they can trust and who also can show them the truth of God in not only the way they rule but also in their own personal lives. Lord continue to raise up leaders for this nation, men and women who will do what is good for the people and for the cause of liberty and freedom. Lord may we as believers always obey the Bible's command to give them honor and respect even when we may not agree just as we give honor and respect even to our parents when we may not have agreed with them. Use us Lord to be agents of grace to them and to this nation as we seek to be missionaries of grace and love and truth to our culture in which you have placed us. Amen."
 
Mark Twain's "The War Prayer" comes to mind.

It was a time of great and exalting excitement. The country was up in arms, the war was on, in every breast burned the holy fire of patriotism; the drums were beating, the bands playing, the toy pistols popping, the bunched firecrackers hissing and spluttering; on every hand and far down the receding and fading spread of roofs and balconies a fluttering wilderness of flags flashed in the sun; daily the young volunteers marched down the wide avenue gay and fine in their new uniforms, the proud fathers and mothers and sisters and sweethearts cheering them with voices choked with happy emotion as they swung by; nightly the packed mass meetings listened, panting, to patriot oratory which stirred the deepest deeps of their hearts, and which they interrupted at briefest intervals with cyclones of applause, the tears running down their cheeks the while; in the churches the pastors preached devotion to flag and country, and invoked the God of Battles beseeching His aid in our good cause in outpourings of fervid eloquence which moved every listener. It was indeed a glad and gracious time, and the half dozen rash spirits that ventured to disapprove of the war and cast a doubt upon its righteousness straightway got such a stern and angry warning that for their personal safety's sake they quickly shrank out of sight and offended no more in that way.

Sunday morning came -- next day the battalions would leave for the front; the church was filled; the volunteers were there, their young faces alight with martial dreams -- visions of the stern advance, the gathering momentum, the rushing charge, the flashing sabers, the flight of the foe, the tumult, the enveloping smoke, the fierce pursuit, the surrender! Then home from the war, bronzed heroes, welcomed, adored, submerged in golden seas of glory! With the volunteers sat their dear ones, proud, happy, and envied by the neighbors and friends who had no sons and brothers to send forth to the field of honor, there to win for the flag, or, failing, die the noblest of noble deaths. The service proceeded; a war chapter from the Old Testament was read; the first prayer was said; it was followed by an organ burst that shook the building, and with one impulse the house rose, with glowing eyes and beating hearts, and poured out that tremendous invocation


*God the all-terrible! Thou who ordainest! Thunder thy clarion and lightning thy sword!*
Then came the "long" prayer. None could remember the like of it for passionate pleading and moving and beautiful language. The burden of its supplication was, that an ever-merciful and benignant Father of us all would watch over our noble young soldiers, and aid, comfort, and encourage them in their patriotic work; bless them, shield them in the day of battle and the hour of peril, bear them in His mighty hand, make them strong and confident, invincible in the bloody onset; help them to crush the foe, grant to them and to their flag and country imperishable honor and glory --

An aged stranger entered and moved with slow and noiseless step up the main aisle, his eyes fixed upon the minister, his long body clothed in a robe that reached to his feet, his head bare, his white hair descending in a frothy cataract to his shoulders, his seamy face unnaturally pale, pale even to ghastliness. With all eyes following him and wondering, he made his silent way; without pausing, he ascended to the preacher's side and stood there waiting. With shut lids the preacher, unconscious of his presence, continued with his moving prayer, and at last finished it with the words, uttered in fervent appeal, "Bless our arms, grant us the victory, O Lord our God, Father and Protector of our land and flag!"

The stranger touched his arm, motioned him to step aside -- which the startled minister did -- and took his place. During some moments he surveyed the spellbound audience with solemn eyes, in which burned an uncanny light; then in a deep voice he said:

"I come from the Throne -- bearing a message from Almighty God!" The words smote the house with a shock; if the stranger perceived it he gave no attention. "He has heard the prayer of His servant your shepherd, and will grant it if such shall be your desire after I, His messenger, shall have explained to you its import -- that is to say, its full import. For it is like unto many of the prayers of men, in that it asks for more than he who utters it is aware of -- except he pause and think.

"God's servant and yours has prayed his prayer. Has he paused and taken thought? Is it one prayer? No, it is two -- one uttered, the other not. Both have reached the ear of Him Who heareth all supplications, the spoken and the unspoken. Ponder this -- keep it in mind. If you would beseech a blessing upon yourself, beware! lest without intent you invoke a curse upon a neighbor at the same time. If you pray for the blessing of rain upon your crop which needs it, by that act you are possibly praying for a curse upon some neighbor's crop which may not need rain and can be injured by it.

"You have heard your servant's prayer -- the uttered part of it. I am commissioned of God to put into words the other part of it -- that part which the pastor -- and also you in your hearts -- fervently prayed silently. And ignorantly and unthinkingly? God grant that it was so! You heard these words: 'Grant us the victory, O Lord our God!' That is sufficient. the *whole* of the uttered prayer is compact into those pregnant words. Elaborations were not necessary. When you have prayed for victory you have prayed for many unmentioned results which follow victory--*must* follow it, cannot help but follow it. Upon the listening spirit of God fell also the unspoken part of the prayer. He commandeth me to put it into words. Listen!

"O Lord our Father, our young patriots, idols of our hearts, go forth to battle -- be Thou near them! With them -- in spirit -- we also go forth from the sweet peace of our beloved firesides to smite the foe. O Lord our God, help us to tear their soldiers to bloody shreds with our shells; help us to cover their smiling fields with the pale forms of their patriot dead; help us to drown the thunder of the guns with the shrieks of their wounded, writhing in pain; help us to lay waste their humble homes with a hurricane of fire; help us to wring the hearts of their unoffending widows with unavailing grief; help us to turn them out roofless with little children to wander unfriended the wastes of their desolated land in rags and hunger and thirst, sports of the sun flames of summer and the icy winds of winter, broken in spirit, worn with travail, imploring Thee for the refuge of the grave and denied it -- for our sakes who adore Thee, Lord, blast their hopes, blight their lives, protract their bitter pilgrimage, make heavy their steps, water their way with their tears, stain the white snow with the blood of their wounded feet! We ask it, in the spirit of love, of Him Who is the Source of Love, and Who is the ever-faithful refuge and friend of all that are sore beset and seek His aid with humble and contrite hearts. Amen.

(*After a pause.*) "Ye have prayed it; if ye still desire it, speak! The messenger of the Most High waits!"

It was believed afterward that the man was a lunatic, because there was no sense in what he said.

ylop
 
Indeed it is heartless to wish for our own success when it comes at a cost to others. How arrogant to believe my own family and countrymen are of greater importance than a supposed enemy. I will then lay aside any allegiance for it is built on my selfish values. There is no cause that is right, no law that is just. Just beam me up Scottie, my work here is useless. The woof is gone for dog, no longer mad, in a value-less society.
 
the thanks (and i add mine also) was to the individuals who fought for freedom.
policies are arguable, but disagreement about them should not negate the sacrifices of those individuals and their loved ones.
 
I think a good thread on "higher powers" is in order in the very near future.

I "support" the men and women that serve and have served. I have a stronger feeling that is one of sadness because they are serving an "authority" that is different in truth than what is being presented to them. They have fought, died, and killed in the name of freedom and liberty, but the ones that cause the conflicts are not motivated by those things, and the wars are not being fought for those ideals by the ones in charge.

This is the disconnect in this thread.

Those that "support" the troops may or may not like the wars and what is happening but still want the men and women sacrificing to be safe and respected. Their failure is in not seeing the reasons for the war for what they really are, and are coming from this angle.

Ylop and those similar are responding based on the correct assumption that you should know the essence of the one that you swear allegiance to and kill for, and that the world is not brought receiving the social training, media control, and religious nationalism that is used here in the USA, and therefore can more easily see the hypocrisy in the mindset of most "U.S. Citizens". Most in the "United States**" have been brought up in the system of patriotism and religion being intertwined and cannot comprehend the two being apart, and in attacking the "United States**" there is an inherent attack on their religion and themselves as individuals.

This thread argues two different things, supporting men and women soldiers, and an indictment of the "United States**" war machine.

The armies and the like that is the "Department of Defense" is not the war power given by the Constitution. If anyone needs an explanation of this from the Constitution and U.S. law, then please let me know. This "power" is a privately owned and privately controlled entity, as defined by the Constitution and by every State Constitution an is not the militia that we are taught about in schools. The "United States**" is NOT the united States of America, legally or actually, and most don't know the difference and how it effects them and their beliefs. Soldiers today are not fighting to protect us or for freedom regardless of what they believe they are doing. The truth is not impacted by any number of persons that believe something other than the truth.

The irony and hypocrisy of pledging allegiance to anything other than God should be apparent, but when we are taught from birth that this is "God's Country" we have a hard time accepting this.

The ridiculous stance of using the Word to support respecting and submitting to a government that was established by that group of colonists in disrespecting and violently NOT submitting to THEIR authority should not be as hard to acknowledge as seems. The founders of this county were under contract to those that financed them to be on this continent. They saw the wealth, disrespected their own oaths of allegiance, and then violently resisted with life and death those that had the right to collect, and according to the opinions expressed in the majority of this thread, refused to submit to their own God given obligation to submit to England. They were in sin of rebellion to their higher authority and therefore are not deserving of our allegiance in the first place if we want to continue in the logic of the Word teaching submission to man made governments. We would then be submitting ourselves to a sinful group, correct? And now we should give unto them as our authority what they refused to give to those that were over them in authority? This is flawed reasoning.

Compare the rebellion over the 3% tax that was imposed on the colonies with the income tax that most of you pay today, and figure that into your brains and thought patterns.

Read the ten planks of the communist manifesto and see if you live in a socialist nation already. You don't own anything in the "United States**", your property and cars are all property of the state, legally and actually. For goodness sakes, Prescott Bush had his entire BANK seized because he was a communist and was funding Adolph Hitler and the Nazis. This is printed FACT. When he complained about it, J. Edgar told him to shut up, because everybody knew this to be true. You can read about it just about everywhere. Prescott is the father of GHW and grandfather to GW Bush, BTW.

Stop relying on a dead body, a corporation, for your liberty and freedom, and associate yourself with the Most High. Where would we be without the "United States**"? Probably back to trusting in God instead of the strength of man. 1 Corinthians 2:5, "That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God."

BTW, the Constitution has nothing regarding our rights, it is the Declaration of Independence that states,

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness
,

and also states,

That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness

and also states,

But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security
.

Even IF you want to speak allegiance to a man made government, the government of the United States of America says that you can get out when you like and not only that but as stated above it is our DUTY to throw off such a government as is oppressive as the current government is today.


I served in the Gulf War, and have been shot at, beaten up, dragged bodies off of my friends, stood on watch cold, lonely and scared. I knew that something was wrong when I enlisted, as soon as I had to swear away my constitutional right in order to join. That was the starting point for me in wanting to know the truth about our government. I am not anti government or anti patriotism, but I wish that the masses would educate themselves on what the situation really is, no matter how scary or deceptive. The truth is often so gruesome, we tend to want to deny the obvious, especially when our religion and patriotism are believed to be one and the same.

Bring home the troops, they have no reason to be there.
 
Hey Paul,

Yep, probably at some point that is something to discuss. I might even add that to my list of what to write upon in the teaching forums as it is a big issue not just for how to respect the military or government but how one can practice polygyny and still be respectful unto "Ceasar", i.e. unto the existing authorities.

In short, and I do not have time to carry on a week or so long dialog about this subject herein now, but simply to say in short there is a difference in absolute allegiance and a good faith effort to always show respect even if it might at times not carry forth or translate into exact and unquestionable obedience.

No doubt there exists corruption in all places authority as all people who lead have various degrees of sin in them. But even the most vile leader or leaders still deserves respect and honor in some degree. I think the issue is then one of degree. But then there are those who think we should not have any respect or show any honor to any existing leader and we ought to make it our goal to speak ill of them at every opportunity we can. It is those that I think are totally outside of the boundaries of biblical revelation as it gives none of us that freedom to bad mouth a leader.

It is kinda of like in a home. A husband may actually tell his wife and children to do something terribly wrong. Even if he is wrong it does not justify the wife or children to be ugly, rude, disrespectful, or hateful towards the man. The wife might, if the directive is a direct conflict with Scripture and/or others laws, along with the child refuse to obey but may do so with a very gracious, kind, and respectful attitude. Suppose for example the man says: "Our neighbor is always playing loud music every night and I cannot sleep. Tonight I want you and the kids to go and cut his power off at the box and then cut his tires to his car while I distract him in the front yard." The wife, if godly, will say, "My beloved husband, I know you are so frustrated about this. I'm so sorry you are feeling bad from your lack of sleep. Do you think we have tried all of the options we have at our disposal? I do not think I can help you in this specific way because my ultimate purpose is to do you good and I fear that if I do that then we'll all be arrested and then I'll be away from you and will not be able to fulfill my ultimate purpose towards you and the family and I do not want to see you get hurt like that."

Now the way she spoke to her head was very kind, gracious, and loving and respectful. But look at the other way and I think the difference will be clear about the attitude of the heart.

"You stupid man, have you lost your mind? I'm not doing that and you are simply an evil leader. Why should me or my child ever listen to you. you are just a goob and a jerk. You can kiss my butt and jump off into a hornet's nest for all I care. If you want something like that done then you go do it your dang self and shut up bothering me. I do not have to answer to you and will not answer to you anymore no matter what you lazy, corrupt, devilish, good for nothing bully say.."

There is a clear difference in the heart and attitude within both examples.

The way we are to speak to an authority figure is in respect and grace, not in bitterness and anger, malice, and with contempt. But so many do this today not only to their husbands but husbands and men and saints in general do this to bosses, employers, government, etc. It is a sign of a sin-filled heart. It is not the model we have of Christ or the apostles. Attitude of the heart makes so much of the difference in whether it is honorable or dishonorable. And a truly pure attitude will show up in gentle and kind speech.

Furthermore, and my last point on this. There is a legitimate historical debate by scholars on the proper means of revolt. Some scholars, like the Evangelical Scholar Dr. Norman Geisler, indeed think that the actions of the founders were sinful because the Bible never justifies revolt. If the "revolutionary war" were indeed just that a clear cut case of a citizenry revolt then Dr. Geisler has a case to be made and I think he would be right as we find no Bible verse showing a saint revolting by taking up arms against any corrupt government. No such verse exists anywhere in the Holy Bible anywhere. There are cases of disobedience towards authority (but again not disrespect) but the people who disobeyed were willing to be punished by the unjust government for their righteous disobedience (see Daniel's example and the Apostles in Acts who where beaten for sharing the gospel).

But, in regard to our good brother Dr. Geisler who is a great man with so much wisdom and knowledge that we all can learn from, he seems to have missed one point that applies herein. If sub-level governments or lower level, or distinct and separate authorities who are rightfully granted the authority of the use of the sword declare that another portion of government is so corrupt that they must to be right before God act with that sword to protect their citizens under their sphere against another portion of the government that is out of control then that is not a revolt. The word and idea of a revolt has to do with attacking to overthrow an established authority from the people who are not in authority.

But as it seems from my readings and historical records of study it appears that there were government officials in Colonial America, who were duly established as an authority with the right to use the sword by the existing authority of England, and thus when England became so out of control these existing leaders in authority here used their authority to protect those under their care by defending them from the evil corruption of the other government powers. In such case these people were not in revolt but in defense mode that led to unjustified attacks by other government authorities whereby the existing local authorities defended their sphere of sovereign rule with those people under their rule being called to fight under that duly established authority. In such case, if the truth of the matter which does seem to be to me, it would simply mean that the revolutionary war was not an exact a revolution as it was a just defense of a people under a ruler or set of rulers who broke with the other existing rulers of the day.

Some of the ethicists of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest NC also came to the same conclusion as this. Some might think this is just a play on words but in reality it makes all the difference in the world as to obedience to the specific texts of Scripture and the way in which we view history of how our nation was founded. Dr. Geisler recognized this years ago and even went so far to say that if it was indeed a Revolutionary War then the acts were indeed sinful even though God may use sin or turn sin for the good. But, if we see the Governors over a sphere, who had the right by God to use the sword in defense mode of those under their care, then it changes the way we see the founding of our country. If true, then our country was not founded upon the principle or seed of revolt but upon a just defense of those who were being abused by portions of a government that had become so corrupt they were abusing the citizens. In such a case the leaders who stood before both other portions of government and before God and over the people had to make a decision just like the wife had to make a decision in not doing something evil in the scenario above.

From the best of my ability it looks like it was not just citizens in revolt. It looks like to me it was actual government rulers who were an existing authority duly justified to use the sword to protect their people under their direct care that rejected the evil rule of the England King who then attacked in several different places the people and thus the rulers here did not so much revolt as they did defend and fight to protect those under their care. It certainly led to a War but the war was not a revolt against authority as it was direct authorities defending those charged to be under their direct care. The result certainly led to a break in the union but it was not done out of a spirit of outright rebellion, or at least not the way I see the overall development. Granted there were some rebellious citizens, which is to be expected because not all citizens have the Spirit of Christ indwelling them to where they will be respectful. But overall most of the founders of our Country did have a strong degree of respect and appreciation for authority. And the saints in Christ did as well.

This ideology also makes a great contribution to us today. Many do not realize why our founders set up the national and state systems. The national system does not overrule the state or the state overrule the national system. They are two distinct sovereign systems. Why did our great, brilliant, and most intellectually gifted founders do that? Because from my historical readings in Colonial America to the Revolution and Establishment of our Country these men understood this principle I am talking about above. They realized that if they set up a three branch national system, as well as three branch state systems, this created a strong safety net for the people or the citizenry. If the national system got out of control the states could and would have the right with the sword to step up to defend their own citizens under their own rule. If a state government with its leaders authorize to defend their own interests then it is not unjust, evil, or ungodly for saints to join in with that existing authority to defend the interests of those under that sphere of the duly established government.

And this is exactly where the battle is being fought today in this land. The 10th Amendment Organization, the many states that are now starting to stand up to the federal system that has indeed violated it's purpose and role, and the movement across the land to starve out that corruption by returning or swinging back to a state's rights emphasis in the country. Even Chuck Baldwin, the leading Constitutionalist party leader, along with most of the Libertarians are on board with this philosophy even though they have some other differences among themselves. So the move is underway, which is also seen in the recent Tea Party activism.

That is not to suggest I endorse all of those organizations above. But it is to say that there is a legitimate means established by our founders in the way they envisioned us to fight corruption. They had the unbelievable foresight to actually set in place a system where people could righteously protest and alter the government through a civil process that duly authorized leaders who had the God ordained and God-given right to use the sword even against other portions of government if needed. No citizen has the right to by himself or herself call for a revolt with arms against any duly established government because all authority is established by God (Rom. 13:1), and even if it is a corrupt government it still is established by God and thus only another government entity can use the sword against another government entity. Our founders understood this and set in place such a system.

This mind set is also even in our local government systems. Sheriff's are some of the most powerful people and hold some great power constitutionally. A Sheriff has rights to keep out even Federal agents in some ways. We can see this with the famous Sheriff in Arizona who has held off feds from doing things in his county that he believed to be unconstitutional.

In Texas today there is even a drive to pass laws that if a federal agent tries to enforce something in regard to the healthcare that state officials will charge, prosecute, and jail the federal agent.

This all points to the healthy sign that America is alive still and the spirit of our founding fathers is not totally obsolete. These rumblings are signs of an awakening coming to the land. People are still seeing the need to use the means given to us by our founders to alter and change the course of this country. And I am ever so grateful that our founders saw to it to make sure this type of system is in place because it gives us saints room to oppose government through the civil government process. In doing so we have the shield of the local leader(s) or the duly established leader(s) who is working with the sword in their sphere to protect those under their sphere.

Of course some like to say, well we just need God, or we just need to trust God. But that is a simplistic statement that fails to see that God works through a means to the end. God gets people saved through the gospel by people sharing it. God uses human officials in government to accomplish his sovereign purposes just as God always has a means unto the end (Eph. 1:11). People can trust God because it is that God who works and wills to move and turn a King's heart as he so sovereignly wills, something that is precisely and exactly clear in Proverbs 21:1. I find it odd that people all of sudden become some of the most extreme high Calvinists when held to a standard of action yet by and large they are totally opposed to that view of God's sovereignty. It leads me to believe those that do such things are really looking out for their convenience, not seeking to be biblical. When it is convenient to escape the biblical requirement to act and do good to all people a person with a sinful spirit will resort to the ole "God is control so I do not need to do anything but trust him" argument. It really is not about trusting in God as much as it is an effort to escape accountability. Likewise those who resort to total isolationism in regard to government and use that God is sovereign line are often failing to see the fact that God uses his people to accomplish his sovereign purposes, just as our first President George Washington so clearly believed and stated in his writings.

Thus, my point is this:
1. Our hearts and attitudes needs to always show honor and respect to all who are in authority. This is to be modeled in the home, in the church, in the community, in business, and in dealings with government officials. We should never call them derogatory names, or speak rudely or disrespectfully to them, or enjoy or like the idea of revolting against them. Such an idea, if we are filled with the Spirit, ought to grieve our hearts and not give us joy to celebrate. We ought to be men and women of self-control who use our speech not to injure but to bless.

2. There is a proper and established means, at least here in this country, whereby people can through duly established government structures, which have the God ordained right to both protect, defend, and use the sword to do that protecting and defending, organize and use those means to protect and defend those under their sphere or rule from evil acts from other government entities. Citizens do not need to, nor should they, seek to overthrow a government as citizens because in this country our brilliant forefathers actually put into place a system that I believe they actually used in a degree in their own acts to defend people under governors from the evil acts of the King of England. Thus, having good foresight these founders established a system here whereby if one sphere of government, or multiple spheres of government get so corrupt that the people are being abused by it then those people can through other spheres of government, such as through states or even through counties with the local Sheriff, oppose the sphere of the government that has become so corrupted that it now is abusing its own people. These are the proper checks and balances that God ordained in his gracious providence here in this country and one of the reasons why this is such a blessed land to live in even today with the various problems that do exist.

But as is the case so often, many people want the quick fix. The fruit of the Spirit is patience. We did not get into this problem overnight and it will take years of hard work by many good, honorable, and upright citizens who love this land enough to get involved in the process to help overrule some of this mess that has developed in various spheres of the national government structure. We got into this mess by the will of the people allowing it to happen. But thank God our founders set up a means to where we can in time if we work hard, organize with others of good will and like mindedness, and work with a respectful attitude towards those with whom we might even be opposed to that in such effort God might just honor that effort and restore that which we over time lost. He might restore all of it, some of it, or none of it but that is for him to determine; we are only responsible to be active agents in that process.

We do this in our homes when we are opposed to something. We, if righteous, will work in respect and in grace to oppose the sin that has taken root in our homes. We teach our children to be respectful to us even if we might be wrong. We do not train them to always do everything we tell them if we were to tell them to do something that is evil. In such cases we are teaching on a smaller scale the idea of checks and balances even in our own homes. Our founders did this with our country.

But what often happens is people lose patience and they want a fix right now and will do whatever it takes to get what they want right now. Some revolt, some do evil things like attack government officials, and some just get so bitter and frustrated that they withdraw from the process of the democratic republic and become antagonists against any and all government officials, which is usually displayed through harsh rhetoric, ugly and rude comments about them, and other such comments that do not reflect the Spirit of Christ. But there is a better way, a way that exemplifies the Spirit of love and Christ where instead of being rude, ugly, and disrespectful to our government we get involved, engaged, and hard at work to use the means that God has so graciously provided for us to alter that which has become corrupted by the civil process that gives us through that process a means to place in office people who can organize with the sword to defend us if or as the corruption in one sphere abuses us when we are under another sovereign sphere.

And all of this is to be done of course, in the Spirit of what Paul said: "Do EVERYTHING without grumbling and complaining" (Phil. 2:14). And I admit I am not to the point where I can do all of this without grumbling and complaining. But I know that is the law of Christ and the standard to which I am held.

Anyway, just my few abbreviated thoughts on this matter. We can certainly some time discuss this more and maybe (Lord help I tremble at the thought of it) discuss this in a forum thread (if people can actually do so without being bitter and angry with one another).
 
Just reading through this thread, its sad that there is division even when our brothers and sisters are at war. Regardless of who is at fault and whether they should be there or not, they are still defending us and im sure not all of them think they should be there either. I am proud of the Australian and Allied troops in Afganistan and elsewhere and am deeply saddened by the thought of them not being home for Christmas.

I get older people all the time saying that us "young people" take things for granted. Id like to think im a young person and although I cant list out every conflict that Australia has been part of, I am very thankful for the sacrifices made and that continue to be made under our countries flag.

There are horror stories that have happened through the years that we will never hear about and to dismiss these men and women and what they do just because we dont believe in what their leaders say? Its a horrible thought.

God bless all of them..and I hope they all get home very soon.
 
Great post Paul NTA, thanks for some support. Given that we are advocating an illegal practice here (polygamy), I naively thought there might have been a few more similar posts from others. Also perhaps because like you mentioned, the USA was founded upon rebellion from the established authority of the King of England. Kind of a double-standard really to then insist on obedience to the new guys in charge.

Here is what governments do: (1 Samuel 8)
v11: Military conscription
v12: Control structures, orders, military-industrial complex
v13: Enslave women (in our day via taxation and institutional child care)
v14: Taxation to pay for government workers.
v15: More taxation and creation of governement officials.
v16: Even more taxation as the government takes the best bits for the godly ruler himself.
v17: Enslavement of the people.
v18: The people beg for relief from God but he will not give it.

Ylop's interpretation of v18: God will not listen because the people were stupid enough to ignore God and demand "godly leaders".

In my experience many people want to be told what to do, given orders, have someone in charge, follow instructions.

And if you are "serving" and end up killing someone who is innocent, Deuteronomy 27:25 comes to mind: 'Cursed is anyone who accepts payment to kill an innocent person.' And all the people will reply, 'Amen.'

Life is precious, and should be treated with high regard.

I dont think the USA spending $663 billion a year on the military makes the world a better place. Actually it makes a mockery of proclamations about liberty; and is a very long way from "That government is best that governs least" (Thoreau). All that money comes from taxation. And all that hardware and troops often end up being used somewhere, sometime, onto some unfortunates.

Power kills, absolute power kills absolutely (R J Rummel, author of the excellent and well-researched book "Death by Government"). Governments killed around 262 million people in the 20th century. Yes, Governments did all that killing, you know, our godly leaders, our appointed authority, God bless them all.

If you agree with any of my sentiment, you can personally choose to not 'serve', and even encourage others to do likewise. I certainly have asked my children to not join the military, and pray that they respect my request.

ylop
 
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