After talking to a christian friend about his religion, I asked him if he thought that since his religion was the "absolute right one" that it should run the country, he then proceeded to tell me about how there are no degrees of right and wrong, so for instance if you steal something that is just as bad as killing someone according to him ??? If this kind of thought process was applied to a government we would have the death penalty for stealing, killing, car jacking, jaywalking? This one of the many reason i think why religion should never be put in power, because the result is death and torture
2007-11-28 08:51:07 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Politics
No, religion should be a capital offense.
2007-11-28 08:57:10 · answer #1 · answered by Holy Cow! 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Thats only one application, and it represents a limited understanding of what your friend was saying. Another application could be that all crimes are fine only offenses. However big or small, your friend was referring to the way God views sin. How man chooses to levy punishment is entirely different. We make laws against crime to protect the majority and to provide deterrents. God's law as interpreted by the Bible, is that all sin is evil and makes us undeserving of His grace. But He does in the end offer forgiveness for those who believe.
Since however, we as humans are incapable of simply always doing what is right, we have to create a separate set of laws that allow us to live without total anarchy. These are state laws and yes they should remain separate from religion, however they SHOULD be guided by morality.
2007-11-28 17:08:05 · answer #2 · answered by David M 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I see what you're saying, but taking the context of the discussion, when he said "stealing something is just as bad as killing someone," I imagine he meant that those are both sins. As Christians, we follow a holy God, and He can't tolerate sin. That's why He sent His son to die on the cross for all of us.
Sin separates us from God and if nothing is done, we end up dying in a sinner's hell for our actions. In truth, every one of us deserves to die in a sinner's hell for our sins (Romans 6:23)...
...but...
Jesus went to the cross to die for us as a sacrifice for our sins. (Romans 5:8) That's how serious sin is to God, that a blood sacrifice is required. But God sent His Son to the cross to take our place, once and for all paying the debt for our sins. All that one has to do is confess that Jesus is Lord and accept Him as Savior, saving you from your sins and you will have eternal life (Romans 10:9)
Now, those are spiritual issues, dealing with the eternal soul.
Regarding laws in the U.S. today...
There are certain moral principles (the 10 commandments) that are good to use as backbone principles for current law, but it can be a problem when religion becomes too much intertwined with law. There are so many differing viewpoints just in the Christian religion that problems could easily develop. The moral law in the 10 commandments provides a good model for law in society, but I would be a little nervous if the Bible were used for every single one of our laws.
I am a Christian and I believe in the Bible, but I think it's a guide for one's personal relationship with God more than anything else. That's what Jesus was focused on, and that's what He preached...a personal relationship with God.
2007-11-28 17:08:20 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't believe there should be an official government religion, nor should the government interfere in anybody's private practice of religion.
That's about it.
However, if a person is elected, and he votes according to his religious convictions, that's fine and in no ways is it contrary to the Constitution.
2007-11-28 17:02:15 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
They do in every form of government.When one is removed another fills the void.We have Secular Humanism in the USA as a State religion.There's never neutrality.
2007-11-28 17:00:36 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Never. Religion and government should be kept far apart at all times.
2007-11-28 17:08:45 · answer #6 · answered by ndmagicman 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You make a logical error: both stealing and killing are wrong, but that doesn't mean they deserve the same punishment. Ask your friend, I am sure he'll agree.
But I agree with you that church and state should be kept separate at all times.
2007-11-28 16:54:47 · answer #7 · answered by Thou Shalt Not Think 3 · 2⤊ 2⤋
Your friend wasn't a Catholic. Catholics used to separate transgressions into two categories, venial and mortal. You could commit as many venial sins as you wished and still get to heaven. One mortal sin, however, and it's curtains for you.
I always liked Catholics. They are a much more tolerant lot.
2007-11-28 16:58:10 · answer #8 · answered by Perplexed Bob 5 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Yes you've all been very naughty. I'll be sure to put something special in your friends stocking.
2007-11-28 16:56:12 · answer #9 · answered by SantaBot 1 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Absolutly.
2007-11-28 16:54:00 · answer #10 · answered by Sain 3 · 2⤊ 3⤋