Anonymous wrote:There's no such thing as a Gnostic Christian, and the snake on your profile shows who you serve. Christians are not under the law, but under grace, and God's grace is freedom, not tyranny. But nice try.

GnosticChristianBishop wrote:Give to Caesar. Why? Better law and justice?

Do you theists crave God’s law on earth, --- or do you think Jesus was saying that secular law was better?

Giving to Caesar includes loyalty and allegiance to the law of the land.

Jesus would not recommend an inferior justice system.

I guess that the choice is between God’s tyranny, --- and liberty to only follow the law, --- another tyranny, --- which has already negated any notion of freedom for man.

Is secular law inferior or superior to the laws of the Gods?

Regards
DL

Anonymous wrote:There's no such thing as a Gnostic Christian, and the snake on your profile shows who you serve. Christians are not under the law, but under grace, and God's grace is freedom, not tyranny. But nice try.

Anonymous wrote:

GnosticChristianBishop wrote:Give to Caesar. Why? Better law and justice?

Do you theists crave God’s law on earth, --- or do you think Jesus was saying that secular law was better?

Giving to Caesar includes loyalty and allegiance to the law of the land.

Jesus would not recommend an inferior justice system.

I guess that the choice is between God’s tyranny, --- and liberty to only follow the law, --- another tyranny, --- which has already negated any notion of freedom for man.

Is secular law inferior or superior to the laws of the Gods?

Regards
DL

We live in a religiously pluralistic society. To impose a religious law on such a society requires imposing a shared religious conception on it - such attempts have resulted in massive bloodshed (in the West, see the Thirty Years War, the English Civil War, etc) So for the sake of life and peace (religious values) we accept a secular concept of law.

Anonymous wrote:You are not only a citizen of your church, you are a citizen of the state. Pay your damn taxes. That is all it means.

Anonymous wrote:I was always taught that "render unto Caesar" means that Christians are not exempted from following the law and paying taxes and all the other obligations of citizenship.

I've also heard it with a twist--once you accept the benefits of the secular government, you can't beg off your obligations by appealing to your religion. Henry David Thoreau wrote: "If you use money which has the image of Caesar on it, and which he has made current and valuable, that is, if you are men of the State, and gladly enjoy the advantages of Caesar's government, then pay him back some of his own when he demands it; "Render therefore to Caesar that which is Caesar's and to God those things which are God's" – leaving them no wiser than before as to which was which; for they did not wish to know."

A Mennonite wrote: "My perception of this incident is that Jesus does not answer the question about the morality of paying taxes to Caesar, but that he throws it back on the people to decide. When the Jews produce a denarius at Jesus' request, they demonstrate that they are already doing business with Caesar on Caesar's terms. I read Jesus' statement, "Give to Caesar…" as meaning "Have you incurred a debt in regard to Caesar! Then you better pay it off." The Jews had already compromised themselves. Likewise for us: we may refuse to serve Caesar as soldiers and even try to resist paying for Caesar's army. But the fact is that by our lifestyles we've run up a debt with Caesar, who has felt constrained to defend the interests that support our lifestyles. Now he wants paid back, and it's a little late to say that we don't owe anything. We've already compromised ourselves. If we're going to play Caesar's games, then we should expect to have to pay for the pleasure of their enjoyment."

So, if you are willing to participate in the system, which provides many benefits to you (currency, roads, schools, military protection, etc.) then you must fulfill your legal obligations under that system.

Anonymous wrote:Then as now, Caesar will crucify your ass if you don't.

GnosticChristianBishop wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's no such thing as a Gnostic Christian, and the snake on your profile shows who you serve. Christians are not under the law, but under grace, and God's grace is freedom, not tyranny. But nice try.

I see denial without argument against the premise.

Nice brain dead try.

Smart to stay anonymous. Dim bulbs should all be.

Regards
DL

Anonymous wrote:You are not only a citizen of your church, you are a citizen of the state. Pay your damn taxes. That is all it means.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You are not only a citizen of your church, you are a citizen of the state. Pay your damn taxes. That is all it means.

This is what is meant.