Re: a dumb query? pls humor me

[Paul Johnson <baloo@ursine.ca>]

Roberto C. Sanchez wrote:

> On Tue, Mar 06, 2007 at 09:13:06PM -0800, Paul Johnson wrote:
>> Roberto C. Sanchez wrote:
>> 
>> >> > Nice revisionist bit of history there.  If you go back to the Reagan
>> >> > Administration (and less so the first Bush administration), you will
>> >> > see that the Soviets were a much greater threat (short term and long
>> >> > term) than even Hussein and bin Laden.
>> >> 
>> >> Two wrongs don't make a right.
>> > 
>> > Well, why don't employ a little moral relativism, of which the liberals
>> > are so fond?  In light of that, what they did was right *at the time*.
>> 
>> Neoconservatives are so fond of thumping on the Bible, and yet fail to
>> turn
>> the other cheek when presented with the opportunity.  Hardly the pinnacle
>> of morality they claim to be.
>> 
> The instruction by Jesus to turn the other cheek was directed at
> individuals.  Paul lays out the guidelines for government in Romans 13
> and in other places as well.  It is the responsibility of rulers to look
> after their people.  There are many comparisons made with a shepher
> protecting his flock against attacking wolves.  In that case, if the
> shepherd does nothing, he has failed in his duties.

There's a basic concept you're missing here:  That also describes society. 
Government is society's sheppard.