"Picketing Sin and Boycotting Moral Failure" "...When the Gospel is Reduced to Political Protest."

Audience One ^ | 15 May 2005 | Steve Camp

[thePilgrim]

"Picketing Sin and
Boycotting Moral Failure"
by Steve Camp

"...When the Gospel is Reduced to Political Protest."

Several years ago, many in the media and in the church were in an uproar that “Madonna had done it again” – going too far with her book release, SEX, and her companion album, EROTICA. The "Queen of Sensual Shock" had consumers talking, governments banning, educators clamoring, librarians shuffling and, yes, evangelical leaders boycotting. What Madonna had actually done, in an ingenuous sort of way, is to bring to light what our world around us is wrestling with everyday; mainly a self-absorbed, narcissistic, hedonistic belief system absent of moral restraint. Biblically, it is what Judges 17:6 so succinctly states "...every man is doing what is right in his own eyes". That statement sums up the "Oprah Winfrey School of Theology" impeccably. But something more profound was being communicated as well… Madonna is more sold out to her sin, than many Christians are to their Lord.

Read rest of article.

[Revelation 911]

and your comments for this dialogue are what ?

[ksen]

I've often felt that many parts of the American church spend waaaaay too much time picketing and trying to bring about some sort of social change instead of preaching the Gospel.

The Gospel is the cure for what ails society....not more programs.

[TNinga]

Preaching the Gospel? It would help if they practiced it once in a while.

[connectthedots]

Civil disobedience is only allowed Biblically under two strict circumstances: 1.) When the government commands us to do something that God prohibits; and 2.) When the government prohibits us from doing something God commands!

The the scriptural support for this is located where?

[ksen]

Can't practice what you don't preach.

[connectthedots]

Who is Steve Camp?

[thePilgrim]

***The the scriptural support for this is located where?***

Surely you are being facetious!

Christian.

[connectthedots]

I'm serious. I think it is much broader than that.

[thePilgrim]

So, when do you think that Civil Disobedience is Biblically permitted?

Christian.

[Between the Lines]

Since the article comes from a website name audience one, I presume that Steve Camp is the singer songwriter that preforms Audience of One.

I am surprised that he would write of biblical civil disobedience without citing chapter and verse. He came down hard on the CCM industry not long ago for being unbiblical and for bad theology, saying that all songs should be based on Sola Fide, Sola Gratia, Sola Scriptura, Solus Christus, and Soli Deo Gloria. It would seem that he applies his admonition only to songs and not the written word.

[ksen]

He came down hard on the CCM industry not long ago for being unbiblical and for bad theology, saying that all songs should be based on Sola Fide, Sola Gratia, Sola Scriptura, Solus Christus, and Soli Deo Gloria.

If it's good enough for the book of Psalms...... ;^)

[thePilgrim]

***I am surprised that he would write of biblical civil disobedience without citing chapter and verse.***

I think it is fairly obvious that if the government asks you to do something unBiblical that you are under a higher obligation to not comply.

How is it that you need to have a chapter and verse for what is so foundational to what it means to belong to the Lord?

Christian

[connectthedots]

I think it is fairly obvious that if the government asks you to do something unBiblical that you are under a higher obligation to not comply.

From the article: "Civil disobedience is only allowed Biblically under two strict circumstances: 1.) When the government commands us to do something that God prohibits; and 2.) When the government prohibits us from doing something God commands!"

Camp said "only". Those are not the only circumstances where civil disobedience is required. There are some instances when I think more than civil disobedience is required.

[ksen]

As Christians we are also called, when we practice civil disobedience, to submit to whatever secular penalties may be imposed for our disobedience.

To often people think that as Christians we ought not be penalized for our civil disobedience.

[thePilgrim]

Well, I did ask a question in post #10, which you have yet to address.

[reformedcrat]

"To: thePilgrim
Civil disobedience is only allowed Biblically under two strict circumstances: 1.) When the government commands us to do something that God prohibits; and 2.) When the government prohibits us from doing something God commands!
The the scriptural support for this is located where?


5 posted on 05/16/2005 8:51:27 AM PDT by connectthedots "

Ok, two "scriptural support"s jump to mind:

1) Gov't commands what God prohibits. Daniel, Chapter 6. Daniel refuses to obey King Darius' command to pray to any god but the king. Daniel is punished for praying to God and thrown into the lion's den.

2) Gov't prohibits what God commands. Act, Chapter 4:18. Peter and John were arrested for preaching about Jesus. Peter and John refused, saying "Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard." --Marty

[Between the Lines]

How is it that you need to have a chapter and verse for what is so foundational to what it means to belong to the Lord?

Camp said there were "only" two biblical reasons for civil disobedience. He said "biblical", and I want to know where this is found in the Bible if it is indeed there at all.

While this thread has mostly kept to the civil disobedience question. Camp also seems to be against picketing, protesting, marching, boycotting, generating publicity, lobbying politicians, changing or making laws, amending the constitution, etc.

I want to know where in Bible it says that we should not vote for just laws, influence our politicians, protest the unjust, generate publicity, etc.

[Between the Lines]

Civil disobedience is only allowed Biblically under two strict circumstances:

You have shown where it is allowed, but where is it "only" allowed under these "two strict circumstances"?

Everyone on this thread understands that civil disobedience is allowed for the two given reasons. What I and connectthedots doubt, is that the Bible strictly forbids it for other reasons as well.

[FormerLib]

Why did you select the "Orthodox Christian" keyword since this has nothing to do with Orthodox Christianity?