What about when the state is the church?
Once again, I find it interesting that in the name of God, Iranian leaders conclude that their interpretation of their scriptures gives them license to suppress people using methods very much like the Shah. What we are seeing in Iran is an example of why American founding father separated religion and state. What we are witnessing is what happens when a population is mobilized insufficient numbers by clever politicians who are fearful of losing power. That’s why they want to inflict physical pain out of sheer hatred.
Comment: People continue to allow cruel and despotic leaders to use hatred to stay in power? None of those brave demonstrators are doing so to overthrow the religion. Like them, I will not be suppressed by a religion so afraid of what I might choose to believe that they will harm me to make me believe, nor does God or Allah expect me to. That is 80-99% why there is heaven and hell! Do you agree?
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Who are we to judge other countries based on their political and or religious doctrines. Did we not discover(used lightly) a new land inhabited by Indians that did not adhere to our our moral standards? Did we not seek to exterminate those same inhabitants because we believed it was the devine will of God that we expand our territory in the same manner as was done throughout the bible? Did we not incorporate slavery and oppression to build a land that was not even ours? The same methods used today to keep people in check were used throughout history. Oh my bad. They didn’t destroy the family unit with bombs and guns and political sabatoge and the many other modern day methods of destruction. But surely if one looks back in history the methods were the same but the weapons were different. However the results were the same.
So who are we to say that another country’s methods of dealing with their people are all wrong and that their religion is firmly ingrained in this wrong doing? Oh that’s right our methods are more civilized. We don’t resort to outright terrorism, instead we use more subtle ways to kill the family,we call it laws and of course our methods of enforcing the laws are more civilized, but the results are the same.We don’t send our military (well not any more) to suppress. Instead we use the system to destroy people. No, you will rarely see riots of large groups of people. Not because they don’t want to, but because we have more advanced methods of neutralizing the unhappy folks be they right or wrong.
So who are we to say that the Iraq’s and Iran’s of the world are wrong? They have not done anything different from what we have done down though our short 300 year history. Hmmm come to think of it, Those cultures have been around for thousands of years. So who are we to say that their culture, their religious doctrines, their political practices etc. are wrong? OK Ok ! So we separate church and state but do we really? Is our political system any less corrupt then other nations? Doubtful. So today, we pray and then slay who we deem the enemy. No different then any event that occurred throughout biblical history. So who are we to judge? Only God can pass judgment and only God can determine the final outcome of turmoil amongst his people. And so I say
let’s stop trying to do God’s work. He will do what is right for the Iran’s and Iraq’s of the world.