Do they think we're morons?

Which is why I have and use several different versions: the old King
James version, the Revised Version, the Revised Standard, the NIV etc
etc.

And if all that fails I have Triglott (Hebrew, Greek and English
(literal and grammatical stlyes)) and concordances like Youngs and
Strongs.

Sorry - what 'dirty work is that'? I don't consider voting to be 'dirty
work'..

Phil.

 

There isn't a "but" or "unless" or "excepting" so please don't add
extras. I chose this quote because it is entirely in context of this
discussion.

 

Oops yes indeed, well spotted that man. But at least you recognised my
fallibility.

So then you could accept that you should be taking part in the general
election because you may have got the wrong end of the stick, as it
were.

Ah ok, so there's a difference depending on where elections occur. Hmm I
shall think about this. But my initial reaction is to say that this
doesn't sound right. I would have thought it to be elections all or
nothing, but I shall have a think anyway.

I didn't point it out because I was unaware of this practice in your
church.

 

Christian democrats?

But that is being part of this world. You cannot ignore one set of laws
and yet employ other laws to support your cause.

 

I really can't believe the violence you are doing to the texts you are
supposedly basing this all on.

Where does it say, directly, that you are not to be a part of human
government?

And the second bit is such an appaling misquote. The section about tow
masters doesn't mention government _at all_. It's about "Mammon",
riches, wealth, love of possesions etc.

Are you sure you know what you're talking about?


--
John

SV650
Black it is
and naked

 

Pooh, you've over snipped and I forget what thread I was developing. I
think I was saying that "dodgy" word choice can lead to interpretations
that are at a remove from the author's intent.

However I am not convinced that this opt-out is what was meant. I
thought that the idea of "not of this world" referred to the moral
laxity of the general population. The kind of admonition being to not
join in with lechery, debauchery, sexual perversion, drunkenness etc and
so on. Otherwise you would restrict your ability to support your fellow
man and contribute to the common good.

It's a phrase, it saved me typing out a long-worded argument and you
knew what I meant

 

But what if God want's one person, and you vote for another? You could
well be working against the will of God. Why is this any less of an
issue in the church setting?

Actually, not quite. Isn't 'casting lots' more akin to rolling a dice
to choose?

--
John

SV650
Black it is
and naked

 

I think "casting lots" is one of these translation issues. It could be
everyone has a small token, something like a matchstick, and they place
it in one of two containers depending on which candidate they choose.
[NIV] Acts 2:26 says "... drew lots ..." which sounds more like the
candidates picking a scrap of paper from a hat, much more like your
rolling dice idea.

 

You been taking patronising lessons from Blaney?

Given the rate of change, I very much doubt I'll be alive to see any
government other than the 'big two' That in itself makes me feel that the
process shoudl be quicker. Rapid googling indicates that the last liberal
government was voted out in 1915. That is two long a time to only have one
of two choices.

However, this is getting off what the original point was: i.e. If those who
did not vote are 'allowed' to whinge about the governemnt.

So far no-one has convinced me that they can't. I've heard good arguments
for voting, that I'd not thought of, but they don't apply to me since I
will vote anyay.

The only difference I can see is this: If you *refuse* to vote because you
are nto satisfied with the options or system as a whole, then whinge away.
If you can't be bothered to vote, however, tough.

--
Catman MIB#14 SKoGA#6 TEAR#4 BOTAFOF#38 Apostle#21 COSOC#3
Tyger, Tyger Burning Bright (Remove rust to reply)
Alfa 116 Giulietta 3.0l (Really) Sprint 1.7 155 TS
Triumph Speed Triple: Black with extra black bits
www.cuore-sportivo.co.uk

 

It was somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the

Doctor, Doctor,

 

Because if you believe it, you're looking in the wrong place for
salvation mate

 

And of course, if you have trust that some god is interested in
unfolding his plan, then he can do it through a dice roll.

I think Diceman took it to extremes, though..

--
John

SV650
Black it is
and naked

 

But you can if you are willing to rely on misquotes and misinterpretations.

--
John

SV650
Black it is
and naked

 

Nope. You postulate an impossible situation (everybody taking my view)
so I counter with an equally impossible situation.

Slightly better than you it would appear.

Phil

 

I don't get a choice on that - other than to move to somewhere like
China.

Phil

 

Err - I don't know about you but a group of friends deciding which pub
to go to doesn't come under 'rule making' for me. Social contract
maybe.

I still disagree with you putting an informal, non-binding agreement
between people together into the same category as the law making
apparatus.

For one thing decisions that small groups make within themselves are
not binding on others - just because I choose to go to one pub does not
mean that everyone is required by law to attend that pub as well!

So you can make a decision to add 1p to Income tax? And make it binding
on everybody?

Indeed you can. And will suffer the penalty if caught and convicted.

Phil.

 

And I answered it as someone that it aware that Biblical interpretation
is not always as simplistic as you imply.

The fact that Gods laws always over-ride human ones is a constant in
Biblical doctrine. Which is why it is perfectly reasonable to apply it
in this case.

If it was otherwise then the passage you quoted could mean that we have
to do things that explicitly break Gods laws because of human laws.
Which is not a good thing.

Phil