Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: BINDNER@auvm.auvm.edu (Michael Bindner) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Tools of the Antichrist (was `Sola Scriptura') Message-ID: Date: 12 Aug 90 06:49:03 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: The American University - University Computing Center Lines: 11 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu I think the poster misses the point of liberalism. Liberalism in thought and government assumes that, aside from preventing external danger, government shall stay out of morality in both belief, practice and morals (though most governments have not followed this tenant very well). To do otherwise puts the state in the position of forcing moral and religious behavior. Such forced behavior has less merit than a freely chosen belief in God and His Word. Seen in a modern light the work of St. Thomas Aquinas on free will also supports this. The divine right of governments rests with God given free will, not from a superstitious birthright of first born princes or in resorting to a theocracy.