didn't he say "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's"?
2007-07-02 17:43:50 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
The quotation certainly suggests an affirmative answer.
2007-07-02 17:47:26 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
+PAX
Hmmm... Loaded question.
Yes, He did say that, however he was not speaking of setting up a government.
In a Republic, people should be free to worship.
In a Democracy people should be free to worship.
In a Democratic Republic people should be free to worship such as the Constitution of the United States declares. Nowhere in that document does it say "separation of church and state".
In a Theocracy the government decides what religion will be enforced and is often enforced with brutality. Think Taliban.
You may or may not be old enough to remember the old days of the USSR where religion was forbidden. Religion objects, Religions necklaces, rings, tokens, books, bibles all forbidden. Next, the churches were closed and forbidden. If you got caught trying to worship, often it was off to Siberia with you to some prison camp for the rest of you days, which weren't many.
Which would you think Jesus would want? Pray freely or go underground with your Christmas tree and ten commandments?. I believe he would want us to worship freely. He would want no impediments on anyone coming to Him.
2007-07-03 01:04:03 · answer #2 · answered by teresa_benedicta_of_the_cross 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Jesus was saying that we owe taxes pay them- but that does not mean that He believed in separation of church and state- Jesus has ultimate authority over everything- not just the church- and as believers we cannot separate the secular from the Holy. If we are believers everything we do, including paying taxes should we done for the glory of God. Don't take one sentence in scripture and "make it fit your beliefs". Jesus said "He has authority over all"
2007-07-03 02:41:51 · answer #3 · answered by AdoreHim 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Jesus also spoke out against religion. Look at the stories of the Money Changers and the Good Samaritan. He was spiritualist teaching a spiritual path to salivation.
2007-07-03 00:57:32 · answer #4 · answered by Yahoo Sucks 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No Jesus didn't believe in seperation of church and state...
He was referring to taxes (money) being owed to Caesar...
and since money is man-made and managed by governing bodies than obviously it's owned by man...
But considering Everything on the earth is God's - and He is supreme ruler over everything; than everything ought to be submissive to him including governing "state"...
We are suppose to honor God with all we have; not just certain things...
2007-07-03 00:56:10 · answer #5 · answered by redglory 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
No
Israel was to only follow God.
That wasn't a PC question (render to Caesar).
2007-07-03 00:48:56 · answer #6 · answered by robert p 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, he did.
Jesus did not become involved in the politics of his day.
Many left him because they thought the Messiah, predicted for 1500 years, would free them from the Roman system.
They were wrong.
Freedom will only come when wickedness is eliminated.
(Psalm 37:9) For evildoers themselves will be cut off, But those hoping in Jehovah are the ones that will possess the earth.
(Psalm 37:11) But the meek ones themselves will possess the earth, And they will indeed find their exquisite delight in the abundance of peace.
(Psalm 37:29) The righteous themselves will possess the earth, And they will reside forever upon it.
(Psalm 37:34) Hope in Jehovah and keep his way, And he will exalt you to take possession of the earth. When the wicked ones are cut off, you will see [it].
2007-07-03 00:54:37 · answer #7 · answered by pugjw9896 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If we believe in the implications of the gospels, Jesus was partial to neither Church nor State.
2007-07-03 00:49:59 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
He also said , that we can do nothing without Him, so if we try to run a government without Him , I suppose that sooner or later we have to pay the consequences.
2007-07-03 00:48:41 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
No, but He did say that His Kingdom is not of this world and we shouldn't bring Him into wordly matters, or something.
Anyway, yeah He would approve of it, but it wasn't something thought of back then.
2007-07-03 00:48:51 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋