Letter From Birmingham Jail

Romans 13 was written to Christians in Rome about Jews and Gentiles under the heel of Rome. Obey or die. It is not applicable to a democratic republic. Paul spoke to the issues then. He had no concept of a democratic republic, as in the USA.

King's letter is well-written, whether one agrees with it or not.

 

The ten commandments were written to the Jews when they were running from the egyptians so they are not applicable to us today. Riiiiiiiight.:BangHead:

Bartimaeus

 

If you say that MLK was wrong, then you also have to say that the founders of this country (USA) were wrong to rebel against the British athourity.

 

Completely deleted due to technical difficulties.

 

What happened above is what you find when your daughter signs on with your computer and you don't know about it. Then when you sign on it automatically comes up signing in under her sign in name and you are too tired to realize it. Crazy world we live in and it ain't gettin' any better folks.

Truly Bartimaeus in his own place now.

 

1) Be careful DeeJay there are some highuppers here on the board that believe we should still be drinking tea at 4PM and saluting the Union Jack. They would have been the Tories that we all know about. They sure are enjoying the blessings of rebellion (as they call it) and have taken no thought about packing up and moving to where they ought to be.

2) MLK was absolutely right. I do not care for his teachers as he listed them but, he was correct and the actions he led people to do were right.

3) The Doctrine of the Civil Magistrate is lost in America. It is not correctly taught in 99% of American Baptist Churches. As it is taught the Germans were wrong to disobey Hitler and the Russians were wrong to disobey Stalin and on and on.

Bartimaeus

 

The Apostle Peter's grand declaration, "We must obey God rather than men" has to be factored in to this discussion. King's ethic, fully worked out, included a recognition that those who engage in civil disobedience must be prepared to accept the consequences of that disobedience. To attempt to avoid arrest and due process would be to suggest that the civil powers have no proper jurisdiction. King would argue that the state is ordained of God to wield the "sword", but that unjust laws have to be challenged in order to bring the state into line with God's standards.

Incidentally, a friend and fellow church member of mine was the young lady who typed Dr. King's letter as it was smuggled out, in bits and pieces, on newspaper margins, toilet tissue, and other scraps. She has a fascinating story to tell!

 

MLK is quoted as saying had he been in Germany at the time of Hitler---he would have come to the aid of the Jew-----well, yes---I suppose with the ability to look back knowing what he knew about German history---had he lived then knowing what he knew at the present

But had he been reared in Germany from childhood like the rest of the citizens there at the time---not knowing nothing but what he heard coming from the radio and newspapers and from word of mouth----most likely 99.999% chance he would have joined in the malay of Krystalnight. He would have been "hoo-dooed" like the rest who were "hoo-dooed" and lived in a state of deniel of anything wrong with bringing terrible insult to the Jewish German citizen!!

 

Gershom----"could" have been is a better word than "would" have been

The National German citizens "could" have----they all had the potential to --- but many turned their backs while the Jews turned their cheeks

Lets just say that MLK was living in Germany----the year---1936---he knows nothing of democracy---only socialism---the only thing being "fed" to the German people was National Socialism with a twist for hatred---Hitler him own self saying that if he fed the stupid German people a lie long enough---after a while they'd grow to believe with all their hearts it was the truth!!!

Knowing nothing of the ringing of freedom----he(MLK) would choose socialism with its bent toward hatred.----just like you and I would have had we been part of the 80 million citizens.

MLK was born in '29----just a few years after Hitler's Munich Beer Hall feasico and the publication of Mein Kiempt----a publication absorbed by obsessed Germans----a publication ignored by ignorant Americans

By the time MLK would have been old enough to understand what was going on----he would have been learning the Goose Step technique and had made his way in line to receive a Brown shirt---he too, would have been assimulated and would have been one of thousands upon thousands who mysteriously showed up at various German airdromes to "hear the latest!!"

 

Any one of us could be "hoo-dooed" (like the word :smilewinkgrin: ).

But the thinking man/woman looks back at history and sees the mistakes made. Then they try to avoid being "hoo-dooed" themselfs. I think that is what MLK was saying. He is saying that looking back knowing what he knows now he would have been on the right side of the issue.

We all can admit that we can be "hoo-dooed", maybe by our up bringing. But at least we should be able to look back and see what was right and what was wrong. And attempt to choose right the next time history repeats itself.

 

"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?"---Jeremiah 17:9

Given the circumstances that surrounded Nazi Germany at the time---had he been a citizen of that fair country NOT knowing then what is known now----he'd been "hoo-dooed" like the rest of 'um!!

The Dietrich Bonhoeffer's and Brother Andrews of the then world were few and far between!! Sad but true!!:tear:

 

But there are examples of Non-hoo-dooed citizens of Germany at the time. Right, who is to say if MLK would have been one or not. Speculation.