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A Mary T. Hoffman Commentary from All-Creatures.org

 

"Joyful Curmudgeon" An oxymoron?
No! I see all the beauty of God's creation and I'm joyful.  At the same time, I see all the suffering and corruption going on in the world, and feel called to help expose and end it so that we may have true peace and compassion.

 


Rulers – 15 January 2009
By Mary T. Hoffman

In his book Guided by the Faith of Christ: Seeking to Stop Violence and Scapegoating, Stephen R. Kaufman, M.D. says:

Rulers have often found it convenient to convince the public that there are dangers. As long as the public does not hold the leaders responsible for the dangers, the public will tend to support those in power rather than risk the dangers inherent in adopting new social and political arrangements. However, the government can be more dangerous than the threat it purports to control. Samuel warned the ancient Hebrews that, if God granted their request for a king, the king would become a tyrant (1 Samuel 8). Because power corrupts, Jesus encouraged his followers to seek servant-hood rather than power. Jesus taught, “You know that those who are supposed to rule over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you; but whoever would be great among you must be your servant (Mark 10:42-43).

So true! That’s why it is so important for the public to stay informed about what their leaders are doing, and to make sure that they don’t get away with secret deals, among other things.

To read our review of Guided by the Faith of Christ by Stephen R. Kaufman, M.D., visit:
http://www.all-creatures.org/book/r-guided.html  

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