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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Is civil disobedience OK when... | Prov 3:13 | stjones | 105009 | ||
Hi, Kathy; Traditionally, an act of civil disobedience has involved two things, (1) publicly violating a law perceived to be unjust and (2) publicly accepting the correspondingly unjust punishment. The intent is to change the law. A modern variant (60s and 70s) is to violate a law in order to call public attention to some other injustice. An example of the more tradional form was 42-year-old Rosa Parks' refusal to sit at the back of the bus (as the law in Montgomery, Alabama required all blacks to do) in 1955. She was subsequently arrested and the resulting publicity eventually produced a change in the law. This kind of civil disobedience is nearly always peaceful - at least on the part of the protester. Probably the most famous practitioner of non-violent civil disobedience was Mohandas Gandhi, who almost single-handedly broke British rule of India by doing nothing more than sit quietly and refuse to obey a particular law. An example of the modern variant was the Berrigan brothers (Phillip and Daniel, both Catholic priests) who occupied or vandalized government property to protest the war in Vietnam. It is important to note that the Berrigans were not protesting the trespassing and vandalism laws they broke; they broke the laws to call attention to their views on the war. This form of civil disobedience is also more prone to violence on the part of the protester. The key, of course, is determining whether or not a law is so unjust that obedience to it is unconscionable. The protesters I mentioned believed that to leave such laws intact was to stand by and see fellow citizens suffer intolerable treatment. To remain passive in the face of oppression was to participate in the oppression. Gandhi's conscience was shaped by his Hindu beliefs. Most of the early Civil Rights leaders' consciences were shaped by the Bible and Christianity. Anti-war protesters' consciences were shaped by many things - Christianity, universal human rights, pacifism, hatred of Richard Nixon, and popular culture. For the Christian, the heart of the matter is probably Romans 13:5 and 7: "Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience." "Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor." My follow-up to kalos' question is this: When one breaks a law and waits quietly for the authorities, offers no resistance to arrest, offers no defense other than conscience, and accepts the punishment, has one submitted to the authorities as Paul admonished us to do? Sorry to be so long-winded. Peace and grace, Steve aka Indiana Jones |
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2 | Is civil disobedience OK when... | Prov 3:13 | khuck | 105030 | ||
Hi Steve! I always Love your responses, to these questions, they are always presented well and well thought out. No apologies required! I understand the meaning of Civil disobedience, (now I am going to date myself) I remember Martin Luther King coming to our neighborhood in Chicago speaking to the young people during the riots and asking that they turn to peaceful modes of protest, watching those young and old black people on the news being hosed down, because the law did not allow them to vote, and Rosa took a seat near the front of the bus breaking the law and being arrested. (Civil Disobedoence I truly understand) But what I hope you will expound upon is the term, Violation of my conscience or your conscience. Can you help? Love hearing from you... -Kathy |
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3 | Is civil disobedience OK when... | Prov 3:13 | stjones | 105123 | ||
Hi, Kathy; Thanks for your kind words. You've already received other responses, but I'll follow up anyway. I described what I think is one form of "violation of conscience" - when to accept the current situation is to stand by and see fellow citizens suffer intolerable treatment. To remain passive in the face of oppression is to participate in the oppression, especially if one has the power to oppose or alter it. The second kind of "violation of conscience" is when the civil authorities compel one to act in a way contrary to one's own consience. Graduating from high school in 1963, I knew many young men who evaded or resisted the draft out of fear or pure selfishness. I knew a few who evaded the draft because their consciences would not allow them to kill somebody or help another to do the killing. Hope this helps. Peace and grace, Steve aka Indiana Jones |
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4 | Is civil disobedience OK when... | Prov 3:13 | khuck | 105129 | ||
Thank you Steve :) It really does help... the only thing that kept coming to my mind was the conscientious objectors during the vietnam era, but I was not sure if it would be the same thing. That the question posed. I do agree with the answers that you and EdB contributed to the thread. Learn something new everyday. I thank both you and Kalos for the extra assist. y'all are great! (grin) -Kathy |
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