Heather in Neverland Posted December 27, 2012 Share Posted December 27, 2012 So my oldest ds is studying early American history this year. He has studied colonial times and the revolutionary war in depth. Yesterday he asked me this question: Him: Mom, according to the bible, we are to obey those in authority over us including the government unless the government directs us to do something sinful, right? Me: yes, that's correct Him: so then the colonialists rebelling against the British was unbiblical since the British were in authority over them and they weren't asking them to do anything sinful, right? Me: ummmmm...... Anyone care to give a response from a CHRISTIAN worldview (if you don't believe the bible you are, of course, welcome to respond but this is entirely based on believing the bible's statement about the authority of the government). CLARIFICATION: Were the 13 colonies legally under British rule before the revolution? Did Britain demand that the 13 colonies do something unbiblical? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cathmom Posted December 27, 2012 Share Posted December 27, 2012 My dad always said that the difference between the Revolutionary War and the Civil War was what side you were on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twigs Posted December 27, 2012 Share Posted December 27, 2012 This is what I've heard: Some of the colonists were rebelling against the government (state) church which required them to worship in ways that were unbiblical - unbiblical therefore would be sin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted December 27, 2012 Share Posted December 27, 2012 My dad always said that the difference between the Revolutionary War and the Civil War was what side you were on. That is a fact with any war. the victors always claim that God was on their side. And as the victors are the ones that get to write the history down, they can glorify their battles and how God gave them a hand as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lily_Grace Posted December 27, 2012 Share Posted December 27, 2012 This is a perfect time to turn this into a larger project! Many of the grievances are laid out in the Declaration of Independence, and this line should be of particular interest to your son: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Let him decide for himself, after looking at the evidence, whether they were right in taking a stand or if they should have accepted the course of events unfolding. There is much information out there on any grievance he wishes to know about further. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MercyA Posted December 27, 2012 Share Posted December 27, 2012 Him: so then the colonialists rebelling against the British was unbiblical since the British were in authority over them and they weren't asking them to do anything sinful, right? Biblically speaking, your son is correct. Good for you for raising such a discerning young man! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reya Posted December 28, 2012 Share Posted December 28, 2012 This is what I've heard: Some of the colonists were rebelling against the government (state) church which required them to worship in ways that were unbiblical - unbiblical therefore would be sin. The colonies were each religiously independent. That was not a factor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cathmom Posted December 28, 2012 Share Posted December 28, 2012 That is a fact with any war. the victors always claim that God was on their side. And as the victors are the ones that get to write the history down, they can glorify their battles and how God gave them a hand as well Some posts on this thread are now missing. I had quoted this before and said that it was especially true for these two wars. "We don't want to be a part of your country anymore, so we're going to start our own." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in Neverland Posted December 28, 2012 Author Share Posted December 28, 2012 Some posts on this thread are now missing. I had quoted this before and said that it was especially true for these two wars. Yeah, they ARE missing including one of my own responses. Why is that? I don't recall anyone saying anything out of line?? Did something happen over night while I was sleeping??? Sometimes being in a different time zone is a pain. I miss everything! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJ. Posted December 28, 2012 Share Posted December 28, 2012 Yeah, they ARE missing including one of my own responses. Why is that? I don't recall anyone saying anything out of line?? Did something happen over night while I was sleeping??? Sometimes being in a different time zone is a pain. I miss everything! The site went down and all the posts from this morning are missing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in Neverland Posted December 28, 2012 Author Share Posted December 28, 2012 The site went down and all the posts from this morning are missing. Ugh. That is annoying. There were some really great comments made that I wanted to share with my ds when he woke up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juniper Posted December 28, 2012 Share Posted December 28, 2012 This will be a gross oversimplification, but I would consider the type of taxation and forced support of the East India Trading company (with all of the pots it had it's fingers in) sinful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in Neverland Posted December 28, 2012 Author Share Posted December 28, 2012 This will be a gross oversimplification, but I would consider the type of taxation and forced support of the East India Trading company (with all of the pots it had it's fingers in) sinful. But that is the British government sinning... If you think high taxes are sinful... Not the government forcing the colonists to sin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juniper Posted December 28, 2012 Share Posted December 28, 2012 But that is the British government sinning... If you think high taxes are sinful... Not the government forcing the colonists to sin. Not exactly, if I knew that my taxes were going towards "pet" projects I believed were sinful, and I was forced to buy a certain specific product to pay it, and if I didn't buy it I was forced to quarter soldiers, and I had no ability to peacefully affect change....then I would consider it the government forcing me to pay for sin. Again that is just me. It is a horrible choice; the lesser of two evils, and like I said earlier a gross oversimplification of the issues of that day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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