Why should something some guy wrote a few thousand years ago to control the masses have any relevance in todays world?
The New Testament was not written for the masses, but for a relatively small segment of society. Even today, it still really is, despite its appropriation by "the masses." Jesus said that the masses would never believe in him, and He predicts that "many" would come in His name that were false. That is what I see today.
And, I don't think the idea of governments waging war was introduced in any holy book. They've been waging war for all history. Paul in Romans 13 was referring to secular governments in general. His purpose was to teach Jesus' followers to honor the government for their role in this world. He wasn't speaking of, or advocating, a Christian government, which was to him, an oxymoron. The Muslims, though, wish to have government and the Muslim religion be the same thing, a far cry from what the New Testament teaches for its adherents. The Muslims want to see "the Kingdom" brought today by force. |
