Day 39: Huge Mistake Number Two: Revolution
They took up arms to abolish the government.
They overthrew the government by force and violence.


Abolishing tyranny is a good idea. But not with muskets and cannons. Killing a human being created in the Image of God just because that human being is an IRS agent and wants to take some of your money -- this is not a Christian thing to do.

Nothing could be clearer from the teachings of Jesus and the Apostles than that we must not take up arms to overthrow Caesar. Understanding these commandments will require you to make a complete turn-around in your thinking.

Violent revolution is always wrong, but getting out your musket and killing other Christians is even worse.
 
When you enroll in Samuel Adams Coaching, you'll study the Bible and find out that Jesus clearly taught that Christians should not overthrow even the most barbaric, violent, oppressive tyranny in history: the Roman Empire that imposed a military occupation of Israel.
 
Britain in 1776 was certainly more civilized and Christian than the Roman Empire, but Jesus and the Apostles firmly prohibited resisting even the pagan military occupation of Israel and attempting to overthrow Caesar by violent revolution.
 
And this was not for tactical reasons or considerations of prudence or the likelihood of success.
Violent revolution is contrary to Christian ethics even if it can succeed.
Followers of Christ don't kill their enemies.
They convert them. They pray for them.
They preach the Word of God,
     the Spirit bears witness to the Word,
     the hearts of the enemy are changed
     and they repent of socialism, fascism
     military occupation and totalitarianism.
When they repent, they resign their political office.
They end imperial conquest and confiscation.
They end their enslavement and conscription of others.
We preach; they repent.
That's the Christian goal, not blowing their brains out.
 
America would be a very different nation if we had obeyed our duties instead of killing for our “rights.”

The failure to heed these commands has been disastrous, and has cost the lives of hundreds of millions of human beings -- in the 20th century alone.

The willingness of America's Founders to take up arms against a government they didn't like has led to their successors taking up arms against governments they don't like all around the world.

Example:

In 1953, the democratically-elected government of Iran told British and U.S. oil companies that they were going to have to pay more rent for the privilege of drilling for oil under the Iranian soil. The CIA and British intelligence fomented civil unrest and overthrew the government of Iran. The CIA hired gangsters and "anarchists" to stage violent anti-government protests, in which hundreds were killed. After the coup d'état, The U.S.-installed government then rounded up these protesters and tortured or executed them.

Fomenting violent revolution is un-Christian.

Then, following the revolution, the U.S. installed a dictator who was worse than the government overthrown by the CIA. After a quarter of century of loss of freedom and torturing of dissenters in Iran, the people of Iran overthrew the U.S. puppet regime and took U.S. diplomats hostage.

The U.S. government didn't like this, so the U.S. propped up an anti-Iranian regime in Iraq, led by a secular dictator named Saddam Hussein. The U.S. gave Saddam biological weapons of mass destruction. The Muslim government of Iran refused to use these weapons against Muslims in Iraq. Millions died in a decade-long war between Iran and the U.S.-backed Saddam Hussein regime.

The result of the unChristian American Revolution in 1776:  Global Revolution, War, Imperialism, CIA Overthrow, Foreign Policy debacles, Blowback.

The willingness of Americans to ignore the Bible and violently overthrow their government is the likely root for the continued practice by the U.S. of overthrowing governments around the world.
Consider these passages of Scripture:

Romans 12-13

1 Peter 2:13ff

Matthew 5:38ff 

Luke 17:7-10 

Jude 8-10  /  2 Peter 2:10-12

Many Jews in Jesus' day expected the coming Messiah to overthrow the Roman Empire in a great military battle. The "Zealots" were constantly ready to resist the Romans and foment violent revolution. Jesus disappointed them all.

Everybody has heard Jesus' line about going "the second mile." Not one out of a thousand Americans understands its historical context, and can apply it to geo-political affairs today.

Imagine Italy invades Israel. You may have to imagine that some 21st-century Mussolini emerges to rescue Italy from bankruptcy and raise it to an imposing industrial power. Imagine further than Italian soldiers are on every corner in Israel, imposing Italian rule on Israeli citizens. Now imagine that Italian soldiers are authorized to conscript Israelis to carry the soldiers backpacks for up to one mile. You can easily imagine that Israelis would be infuriated by this legal enslavement, to say nothing of the whole military occupation and collection of forced tribute gig.

Now imagine Benjamin Netanyahu telling Israelis not to resist the conscription, but carry the soldiers provisions for an extra mile. How long would Netanyahu remain in office?

But that's exactly what Jesus told His hearers to do. Do not resist armed invasion and occupation, even if it violates human rights and international law.

This one verse completely overthrows modern concepts of war, defense, and national security.


Imperialism vs. City upon a Hill