Re: Priests as freedom fighters

On Mar 8, 2025, Steve Hayes wrote
(Message-ID:<[email protected]>):

> On Fri, 07 Mar 2025 18:59:52 -0800, Dr.Who<[email protected]>  wrote:
>
> > On Mar 7, 2025, Steve Hayes wrote
> > (Message-ID:<[email protected]>):
> >
> > > On Thu, 06 Mar 2025 20:39:46 -0800, Dr.Who<[email protected]>  wrote:
> > >
> > > > On Mar 6, 2025, Steve Hayes wrote
> > > > (Message-ID:<[email protected]>):
> > > >
> > > > > On Thu, 6 Mar 2025 19:54:12 +0300, "Oleg Smirnov"<[email protected]>
> > > > > wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > > Steve Hayes,<news:[email protected]>
> > > > > > > On Wed, 5 Mar 2025 11:31:12 +0300, "Oleg Smirnov" <[email protected]>
> > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > Any authority is a good from God, it's established by God.
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > Indeed, but when it is corrupt, its corruption is not from God.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > It's sinful to think one can know God's will/plan in full.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > Holy Scripture says clearly any authority is established by
> > > > > > > > God, whereas a Christian's duty is to submit to authorities
> > > > > > > > rather than "fight" against what he or she may dislike.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > St Peter and St John seem to disagree with you:
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Act 4:19-29 - But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether
> > > > > > > it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto
> > > > > > > God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen
> > > > > > > and heard.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Act 5:28-29 - Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should
> > > > > > > not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with
> > > > > > > your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us. Then
> > > > > > > Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God
> > > > > > > rather than men.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Here "men" is generic, while "authorities" is more specific,
> > > > > > and since an authority is a gift from God, obendience to God
> > > > > > implies obendience to what is established by God.
> > > > >
> > > > > When Enver Hoxha was the ruler of Albania he gave a similar order.
> > > > > Some did not obey it and continued to worship God. Were they thereby
> > > > > wrongly disobeying what God had established?
> > > >
> > > > He banned places of worship such as mosques and churches. He did not ban
> > > > worshipping gods.
> > >
> > > Enver Hoxha banned *talking* about gods, just as those mentioned in
> > > the book of Acts of the Apostles did to St Peter and St John. Freedom
> > > of thought, yes. Freedom of speech, no.
> >
> > In the Book of Acts it was the religious leaders that ‘banned’ Peter and
> > John. In what way was that similar to Enver? After all, false prophets are
> > false prophets.
>
> And your point is?

At that time Rome was the ruler of that nation, not the High Priest and his 
crowd.
The disciples were no longer under the Old Covenant of Law, and they, like 
the Born Again Believer of today, have Jesus the Messiah as their High 
Priest.

You know, perhaps better than I, the governmental rule of that day and the 
reasons why the Romans allowed the High priests to lead the Jew according to 
their religious covenants. Even Jesus, before he wa sacrificed spoke out 
against the religious leaders for their following the traditions of men and 
placing them as equal to or above the law Covenant.

According to the scriptures God sets up and or allows governing ruler 
befitting to the needs of the people, and in the case of the Israelites, 
every time they wandered away from God and would not repent, they were taken 
over by others. When they returned to Him as their God and repented, he 
restored them.

The Romans ended up destroying that religious system as it was the source of 
rebellion against Rome, instead of following the God they laid claim to. Like 
some of the ‘churches’ of today, their religion turned into the 
worshipping of rites and rotes, as their hearts were not focused on God and 
establishing a relationship with Him.

Christians should have learned that lesson as the Israelites were an example 
of what happens when we follow God, and or turn away to fulfill the desires 
of the flesh, and even trying to mix the two lifestyles as one, as did the 
Jew in the days of Jesus.

As Oleg pointed out from scriptures, we need to fight the real enemy not the 
fleshly perceived enemy.
>
>
> >
> > Enver Hoxha desired to ban thought as well as freedom of speech. Declaring
> > that the religion of atheism was the theme of the day. Although he may not
> > have put it in those terms, yet atheism is a belief system.
>
> So he, like the Jewish leaders at the time of the Apostles, was a
> relgious leader.

It might seem like that to you, but my point of him following a different 
belief system is something that he while fighting against one, he did so 
without realizing he had chosen just another belief system. Not that he was 
purposely advocating a religion.

He had a particular problem with the RCC, and as a result condemned all forms 
of religion, possibly thinking he was a do-gooder when he started out. 
However, this is just one of many situations where the root problem is 
spiritual. A lesson many do not understand especially in the ‘christian’ 
realm. The real warfare is spiritual, hence the scriptures speaking to,... 
“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:” (2Co 
10:3) “For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; 
but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.” (Rom 8:5)

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, 
against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against 
spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour 
of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done 
all, to stand.” (Eph 6:12-13)

One must pay attention to the suit of armor and the weapons used in this 
battle.

And for these reasons the Wars going on with Israel, is solely because of the 
evil one, and the war in the USA likewise. Which is why the believer is to 
pray, seeking the Lord and standing in the power of His might.

I apologize that my thoughts are not fluid here and may seem disjointed in a 
way, yet it does all tie together if there is understanding.

>
>
> >
> > >
> > > Teachers used to ask children at school what they had been eating at
> > > home during Lent and Ramadan, and passed this information on to the
> > > enforcement authorities.
> >
> > I was unaware of that. He obviously failed at accomplishing his goals as the
> > country allowed religion after his death. He aspired to be a leader like
> > Marx