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Blog - Joyful Curmudgeon - Blog
Rulers – 15 January 2009
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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"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.Blog
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