Written by a friend of mine:

The first five verses of Romans 13 (that is, the thirteenth chapter of St. Paul's epistle to the Romans) have bee repeatedly misused throughout history to justify all manner of atrocities condoned by human laws by governments which demand blind obedience in violation of conscience. So it really is not surprise that these lines are so selectively quoted in our own country in these times.  But the problem with selective quotation (or "proof-texting" as it often is called) is that it must ignore all context and those strictures that run contrary to the loudly quoted lines.  St. Paul, only four verses later in Romans 13, makes clear how the prior lines must properly be understood:  "and if there be any commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt lover your neighbor as yourself.  Love worketh no ill to his neighbor:  therefore love is the fulfilling of the law." (Roman 13:9-10)

As long as we are having Bible lessons:

 You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.

Leviticus 19:34

And this illustrates well why the founding fathers wanted so badly to separate religion from government. They knew that a religiously inspired government would abuse its power with scripture.

Forgive me for wishing ill on someone, but it is something I very rarely do. The fact that this is in the Psalms makes me think there is an appropriate time for a bad person to suffer.

Psalm 109

Tom_Reingold said:
And this illustrates well why the founding fathers wanted so badly to separate religion from government. They knew that a religiously inspired government would abuse its power with scripture.
Forgive me for wishing ill on someone, but it is something I very rarely do. The fact that this is in the Psalms makes me think there is an appropriate time for a bad person to suffer.
Psalm 109

 Back to Sunday School (of many many years ago),  I believe that Psalm 109 is colloquially known as the "Judas Psalm."

RealityForAll said:
 Back to Sunday School (of many many years ago),  I believe that Psalm 109 is colloquially known as the "Judas Psalm."

That's interesting. I  just read about it in wikipedia, thanks to you.

Judas Iscariot

Psalm 109 (wikipedia)

"A lament notable for the length and vehemence of its prayer against evildoers (Ps 109:6–20); the cry to God (Ps 109:1) and the complaint (Ps 109:22–25) are brief in comparison. The psalmist is apparently the victim of a slander campaign, potentially devastating in a society where reputation and honor are paramount. In the emotional perspective of the Psalm, there are only two types of people: the wicked and their poor victims. The psalmist is a poor victim (Ps 109:22, 31) and by that fact a friend of God and enemy of the wicked. The psalmist seeks vindication not on the basis of personal virtue but because of God’s promise to protect the poor."

[Emphasis added]

http://www.usccb.org/bible/psalms/109

Tom, at the end of that Wiki article it points that read the psalm on Shabbat Zachor, i.e  the Shabbat for Holocaust remembrance. Kind of fitting in that context, as it builds the sense of social justice rather than revenge. (I thought it felt familiar, just didn’t know the number)

Thank you, @joanne!

Tom_Reingold said:
And this illustrates well why the founding fathers wanted so badly to separate religion from government. They knew that a religiously inspired government would abuse its power with scripture.

 Never heard that explanation before. I always thought it was to ensure Freedom of Religion and protect Religions from Government as well as the reverse.

LOST said:

Tom_Reingold said:
And this illustrates well why the founding fathers wanted so badly to separate religion from government. They knew that a religiously inspired government would abuse its power with scripture.

 Never heard that explanation before. I always thought it was to ensure Freedom of Religion and protect Religions from Government as well as the reverse.

Maybe I'm inarticulate, but that's what I'm trying to say.

Place your own caption. 

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