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To: Aquinasfan
Such a law may be impossible to pass. That wouldn't make such a law wrong.

The law would be wrong regardless of it's "passability".

So God requires that we don't punish evil acts?

I never said that, strawman. Turn it around, Does he require us to punish them? Which ones?

He will deal with evil, we must deal with interactions among men in this realm.

You told me that God will pass his judgement at the end. My question to you is, will God look favorably upon me for being indifferent to the criminalization of homosexual acts?

Indifferent? The better question is, will you be looked upon favorably for using violence to enforce what you perceive to be his will?

I can't seem to find where Christ instructed us to enforce his will by violence or threat thereof. In fact, in one instance, he told us to bug off and he would handle it.

366 posted on 03/19/2003 12:36:02 PM PST by Protagoras
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To: Protagoras
The better question is, will you be looked upon favorably for using violence to enforce what you perceive to be his will?


369 posted on 03/19/2003 12:39:53 PM PST by steve-b
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To: Protagoras
I can't seem to find where Christ instructed us to enforce his will by violence or threat thereof. In fact, in one instance, he told us to bug off and he would handle it.

That is incorrect. Consider Romans 13: 1-7. Government is given "the sword" that is an offensive instrument of force and violence, to coerce certain types of behavior in pursuance of justice and protection of the weak.

386 posted on 03/19/2003 1:11:25 PM PST by Zack Nguyen
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To: Protagoras
I can't seem to find where Christ instructed us to enforce his will by violence or threat thereof.

No. Jesus is silent regarding enforcing his will by violence or threat thereof. Certainly, He didn't force anyone's conscience, nor is forcing the conscience of another consonant with the Gospel. But that's a straw man. We cannot know with certainty what God's will is for us in every circumstance. Therefore, it is logically impossible to enforce God's will in every circumstance.

Nevertheless, at the very least we can say with certainty that Jesus accepted civil authority:

Luke 3:14
Then some soldiers asked him, "And what should we do?" He replied, "Don't extort money and don't accuse people falsely–be content with your pay."

Mark 12:17
Then Jesus said to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's."

Scripture tells us what earthly authority represents:

Romans 13:5-6
"Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing."

501 posted on 03/21/2003 5:53:33 AM PST by Aquinasfan
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