No.

I’ve found that living at peace with the government whenever possible is a good start, and ignoring it as much as possible generally works well. Resistance is required when abuses occur that do not allow either option under conscience.

None of the governments that I’ve lived under (4 different nations, various local) have been terribly commendable, but in some cases it’s been better than the plausible immediate alternatives…which is a shame.

I’m definitely intrigued by people attempting to build social groups in new, less contorted or abusive ways, but no one method stands out as an obvious replacement as yet.

American national politics honestly seem surreal, and the disconnect between form and content is striking.

Government is ineffective, unjust, and corrupt. These truths have been shown throughout history in every attempt man has made in trying to organize themselves. From Babel to the United States, government has consistently failed in its endeavors to provide peace and justice to its subjects. However, government is necessary and can be beneficial. Consider the recent earthquake in Haiti. The government in Haiti was extremely weak and corrupt before the quake and has been proven ineffective. However, other government s stepped in and aided the people in Haiti and are restoring order to this torn nation. So government, while it may be bad most of the time, is necessary in times of crisis.

I have never seen a politician (city, state, national) with the moral backbone and guts to back-up and really selflessly fight for the greater good. Governments certainly don’t attract the Jimmy Stewarts of the world, if they ever existed outside the movie theatre.

But if the right people are elected – who seek the greater good – I think they could do truly great things on a “huge” national level, even with our current system. I can’t count on this hope, however; as far as politics go, I can vote and shout as loud as I can at abuse of power. Perhaps in local, smaller communities, we the people can make a difference in the infrastructure. But here, as on the national level, deep reform requires selfless commitment. You don’t find that by waiting around.

(David, I should have warned you – never expect very deep thoughts on a comment thread, at least not from this reader.)

all my sentiments are summed up pretty well by this essay:

http://www.fs.fed.us/eco/eco-watch/ew910219

“Global thinking can only be statistical. Its shallowness is exposed by the least intention to do something. Unless one is willing to be destructive on a very large scale, one cannot do something except locally, in a small place. Global thinking can only do to the globe what a space satellite does to it: reduce it, make a bauble of it. Look at one of those photographs of half the earth taken from outer space, and see if you recognize your neighborhood. If you want to see where you are, you will have to get out of your space vehicle, out of your car, off your horse, and walk over the ground. On foot you will find that the earth is still satisfyingly large, and full of beguiling nooks and crannies.”

sorry to quote someone else, but if it’s said so well, why not quote it. from my own gut i would say that decisions should be placed in the hands of those who can make them most adequately. i tend to be suspicious of federal power for many of the reasons explained in this berry essay.

My current thinking on this question has two main points: don’t expect too much and don’t be too critical.

Government, due to its size and the highly volatile nature of its function, is terribly clumsy. I think this is true of most forms of government, but it applies particularly to the modern democratic or republican experiment. Bureaucracy has practically become a synonym for inefficiency. The government is not going to fix your life, let alone change the world. We as a society spend altogether too much time deciding what government should do and then complaining when it doesn’t get done. Don’t expect too much.

Government is also very complex. As people standing on the outside, it’s good to remember that we don’t understand all the compromises politicians have to make in order to accomplish anything. Everything looks simple when you’re not the one doing it. I find I have more respect now for politicians than I did a few years ago. They have a tough job. Sure, some of them are scoundrels, but there are scoundrels in every profession. Don’t be too critical.

I don’t believe in Government. I pay my taxes and expect the government to maintain a reasonably safe and orderly national environment, resolve disputes equitably, and refrain from tampering with the economy. That’s as far as it goes.

Federal government should be eliminated in favor of a decentralized authority.

As consumerism (what we call “capitalism”) does not regulate itself, production, with government, needs to be decentralized. As Micah quotes a certain political philosopher, only on a small scale can things be done effectively and without harm. We pretend like mass production has no effect while it has resulted in widespread deforestation, erosion, and pollution. This is not a self-regulating system, and the only way to regulate it is to make it small enough to be manageable.

Either the nation has to go, or something else has to emerge above it. This is where I’d disagree with Micah’s quote. That which is local is truly global and that which is truly global is local. The two are identical. If each community is looking to manufacture its own goods, defend itself and provide for its needs, this will create a better global atmosphere. Anything done will be done in a local place, but cosmic thinking is the fear of the political thinker quoted and is what is endorsed by Christ. Are we allowed to talk about Jesus? Micah already broke the rule about political philosophers!

I like the Amish idea. Stay out of politics, live an honest, hardworking life, take care of yourself and your neighbors, live at peace. It works great for them, even to the point of receiving exemption from some government programs and regulations.

Unfortunately, with the Amish, the state is replaced by an authoritarian combination of tradition and the church. It seems we humans must always submit to something.

believe, like hate, is a strong word.

But yeah, I think that Government has a vital role and have seen it perform positively in that role. More than that, my time spent in Iraq has shown me that a government like ours is a beautiful thing, and while we may complain about it’s annoying features, these same features protect us from a barrage of violence and destruction at the hand of those who would otherwise be running things.

I think at least some people go into government with a real desire to change the world for the better. Then they fall prey to “get this blasted piece of paper off my desk” syndrome after getting lost in the endless bureaucracy loops and butting heads with people of the opposite party one too many times. Even if government was a perfect system, the tendency to take the easy way out just to get something DONE is still there because it is a human trait. The realities of interparty compromise, budget constraints, and competing ideologies nearly always prevent a government’s goals from being realized in their entirety no matter how good they are. I think the government can clear the land, but it’s up to the governed to build the city.

A conservative’s biblical case against extreme libertarianism, or “Leave-Us-Alonism”:

http://www.credenda.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=152:the-sun-king&catid=97:politics&Itemid=122

I don’t distrust all government because I think Romans 13 pretty well forbids that. There will be bad governments (which will ultimately fail) and good ones (which will receive honor).

@Cray: I’m libertarian. Why should I read that article?

I think it is possible to honor government without believing in it. I agree there are “good” and “bad” governments, as long as we are clear that it is an entirely secular institution.

@Aaron: You should read it if you’re interested in exposition of Scripture that places value on godly governing. If you are libertarian and see govt. as entirely secular, though, you may reject it from the get-go.

If secular means apathetic or completely neutral in relation to religion, we’re not on the same page. If by secular you mean outside of the Church’s jurisdiction, then we are.