[OneWingedShark]

Just to give a concrete example: so when someone talks about government as God (big government) and no government at all (like an extreme libertarian) to me they are just two sides of the same coin; they are both rejections of God. they are grabbing power from God.

The first I can see as straightforward: statism being idolatry of the state... but the second? How is saying Government has extreme limits a rejection of God?
(Yes, a rejection of God could manifest in a rejection of all authority; but rejecting much of government-claimed authority as being illegitimate doesn't necessarily follow.)

[dadfly]

yes. well i have to answer that there is government under God as we were founded. the limits of that government are good.

there is government that is outside of God. man’s government. the government of principalities, of powers, of the wicked in high places. so is the libertarian of whatever stripe governing under God or not? clearly some who call themselves that here are to some degree. that’s good. that’s why we can find common ground.

complete indifference to all around you, complete indifference to your “competitors.” is that government God would approve of?

certainly if you as an individual affected no one outside yourself, you could at least argue you are doing no harm. but is that just another utopian cannard?