Christianity and Government

I feel thoroughly unqualified as a 19-year old college student to even begin to do this topic justice. But I'm not a professional writer. My job is to stimulate discussion. And this discussion will focus on what a Christian should do about politics.
First of all, what is required of us as Christians in this area? Well, for starters, there is always the controversial Romans 13. We are told to be subject unto the higher powers because there is no power but of God, and the powers that be are ordained of God. Verse 2 states that whoever resists the power receives damnation. But what did Paul actually mean? We know that he was obviously disobedient to the authorities, leading to persecution and eventual martyrdom, taking Peter's advice that we ought to obey God rather than men (Acts 5:29). Romans 13 didn't save the German concentration camp guards from being hanged. Another quandary we have observed is that some rulers are a terror to good works, the rejection of donations by Walmart during Hurricane Katrina being just one example, and they are not always a terror to the evil, but often protect them or employ them. Do all rulers minister good for God and deserve honour? Verse 6 tells us to be subject for conscience's sake. But what happens when the conscience God gave us tells us not to obey our rulers? In that case, we should look to Acts 5:29 and also Romans 13:8-9. We are told to owe no man anything except to love one another, which fulfills the law. Paul names off some basic commandments such as not stealing, killing, bearing false witness, or coveting, which he also summarizes by reminding us that these commandments are commandments to love our neighbor as ourself. These of course, are the things that respect the life, liberty, and property of others. Given that this is what is truly what is required of us, as confirmed by the Lord (Matthew 22:37-40), I would argue then that our obedience to rulers is conditional upon whether or not their commands respect the life, liberty, and property of others, since God is no respecter of persons and the ruler must also respect the rights of others. Remember also that when we bid an evildoer Godspeed, we are a partaker in his evil deeds
(1 John 1:11). I would also argue then, that the answer to evil rulers is peaceful resistance after the example of our Lord and Savior. And although it is our responsibility not to aid evil rulers, Jesus showed that it's OK to pay them taxes. He understands our situation and the reality that you cannot completely escape the system. At some point, the responsibility falls on the evildoers themselves, because the One who searches the heart and mind (Romans 8:27) will know what is truly in our hearts. So follow your conscience. You have no duty to participate in government or the selection thereof; if your conscience feels contaminated by doing so, then feel free to abstain. The Quakers or Amish live admirable and respectable lives, and feel no guilt over the crimes of government.
What is important for us is to love our neighbor as ourself, which is to respect their life, liberty, and property, and to possibly be charitable and merciful. Now there is no reason why an innocent Iraqi is not our neighbor. The blood of tens of thousands of Iraqis is on the heads of our leaders who voted to invade their country and impose "freedom" on them. It also lies with those who bid the killers Godspeed. Jesus wasn't kidding when he said "blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God." It is unconscionable for a Christian to condone or support death and destruction of innocent people, whose only crime is resisting foreign invaders. The tens of thousands dead are tens of thousands who can never be reached for Jesus. The other Muslims see this and become hostile to Christianity and persecute their Christian countrymen. But the overwhelming support of Christians for war, which destroys the life, liberty, and property of the victims, and thus hating their neighbor, is a sign of a much larger problem. That problem is an allegiance to the State that is stronger than the allegiance to God and his word.
This reminds me of the recent fight over the pledge of allegiance. Why should we even bother to pledge allegiance to a State, which is run by fallible and often sinful men? The pledge was invented by socialist Francis Bellamy, probably for that very purpose, to secure primary allegiance to the State and not God or His laws. So I completely agree with anyone who feels they should not pledge allegiance to the State. After a couple years of thinking about this issue, I have decided that I will no longer pledge allegiance to the flag, a piece of cloth. I will not give my approval to murder and destruction or anything else that God's word and my conscience tell me are wrong. I pledge to respect the life, liberty, and property of my fellow man. And what about this flag-burning amendment that Jay Sekulow of the ACLJ and other Christians support? Don't they understand property rights? Don't they understand that this life and this earth and this nation are temporary? One day, this empire will crumble as the Roman Empire did, but God is eternal. Who is their God? The State or El-Shaddai?
This probably isn't the last thing I'll say on this issue. My conscience bothers me and I do not like taking the heat that statist, warmongering Christians bring upon the rest of us. For much more, and better articles on this issue, I urge you to read Laurence Vance's articles at LewRockwell.com. Until next time, may God open our eyes to see and our ears to hear.