Quote:
Originally Posted by Calgaryborn
Judges begins as Joshua(Moses successor) dies. They have the high Priest and the Tabernacle for worship but, no political leader. Soon Israel falls into sin. Usually it is the worship of other gods. God is angered and allows the nations around them to be victorious against them. Israel cries out to God. God hears them and raises up a judge who brings military success and justice to the land. Israel behaves themselves while the judge still live. The judge dies and Israel falls into sin. The cycle repeats itself.
You are right that God warns Israel about the perils of government and Kings. The thing is God does this knowing full well they would want one anyhow. In fact he has instructions for Kings in the Mosaic law. Man would do better without government and all its trappings if we were all good people. The problem is that even the best liberal or conservative misses the mark. We all have our dark selfish side. None of us live up perfectly to our ideals and plenty fail miserably at doing what they know they should. Law and order are needed because of who we are.
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Ah, and you were doing so well until you started preaching at the end. I find the whole 'born in sin' approach very depressing and not something from my god. It has more to do with preachers trying to scare the crap out of me so I'll give them money.
I'd quit speaking in generalities such as 'man' and 'people' and 'none of us' and 'we all' and 'they', and tell what you have experienced, not what you've been taught in a second hand way. I've fallen into this trap too and find it better to say, "I have my dark selfish side", recognize it and then forget it. Guilt doesn't help me in connecting with god, in fact it makes it almost impossible. It may have far more truth to it.