Bible Abuse: Romans 13

I wrote this on facebook recently when this particular passage was brought up as a way to show that disobedience to government was wrong. I'd had enough of this passage and its use in argument, so I blitzed it with every fact and idea I could think of and have now thoroughly confused myself on the veracity of scripture. Another day, another dilemma.

1. “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.”
• God established Hitler’s authority, and submission to that authority would have been wrong. The government of our day has done equally egregious things, should we obey it? Support it? No, we should overthrow it.
2. “Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.”
• No human being is capable of bringing judgment on another, God is the only judge. There are others who will try it, but that is not justice, that is enforcement of law. There are several types of law, but the one earthly judges use is man made, not divinely instituted. If one man makes a law for another it is not rebellion against God for the tyrannized to disobey.
3. “For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you.”
• Put this to the test and I’ll bail you out. Since when are good deeds unpunished? The writer was extremely naïve, to prove this just look at how he died.
4. “For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer."
• Rulers do their subjects no good at all. Do you think that the ruled benefit from tyranny? That’s like saying “The Peace of Rome” benefited those whose lives it ended. Rulers are only God’s servants in that we are all his servants; the thrower’s pot has no choice in such matters.
5. “Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience.”
• Conscience does not dictate obedience to artificial, earthly authorities, but to the Laws of Nature and Nature’s God.
6. “This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing.”
• Wrong again. This could have been written by Caesar himself. Or a guilt-tripping pastor concerned with tithing.
• When your human rights are restricted and breaches of them made, are you supposed to believe that the criminal who injured you deserves whatever he takes from you? No, you’re supposed to protect yourself from further abuse. This is why the government is an adversary, not a kindly old ruler whose only thought is your good.
7. “Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.”
• Give everyone what you owe him, sure, but do I owe anything to a tyrant? No taxes, revenue, respect or honor is owed to an enslaving ruler or to any ruler not voluntarily submitted to. This is the heart of the matter: Human Liberty. Anyone who trespasses this right deserves nothing less than the most violent opposition.