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<\/a>Fundamental Christians often tell me that whether I believe in God or not, I will have to respect his authority. Of course, I inform them that even if their God does exist (and I am reasonably certain he doesn\u2019t), I still see the God as portrayed in the Bible as immoral and would not follow such a deity. As such, I don\u2019t recognize God\u2019s Authority.<\/p>\n
This is where the police argument comes in. The Christian usually argues, \u201cJust because you don\u2019t recognize God\u2019s authority doesn\u2019t mean you can ignore dealing with it. I could say I do not recognize the local police\u2019s authority and break the speed laws or rob people\u2019s houses.\u00a0 The fact that \u2018I don\u2019t recognize\u2019 the police\u2019s authority doesn\u2019t mean I will not have to deal with it once I am apprehended.\u201d<\/p>\n
I actually love it when a Christian uses this type of argument because it shows just how bronze-aged the Christian God actually is. You see, humans learn stuff and we progress socially, politically, and morally. God doesn\u2019t learn. God doesn\u2019t progress. While the Bible has certainly changed over the years, the crappy character of God has changed very little if at all. The God of the Bible was written in a bronze-aged time by bronze-aged people.<\/p>\n
Getting back to the argument, the police are not the authority. We the people are the authority. The police just enforce our authority. America has an entire political system for creating laws, trying particular cases, and redressing grievances. If I don\u2019t like the speeding laws, I can contact my representatives in government and lay out my arguments. If the law was enforced unfairly, I can take the issue up with the courts. Even if I am found guilty, I still have the right to appeal and I can still be paroled or given a reprieve. While there is no guarantee that I will win at any point in the process and there is of course corruption, there is still a system in place for people who do not respect the authority of the people.<\/p>\n
God doesn\u2019t even have that. In other words, our obviously flawed legal system is better than God\u2019s perfect justice system. Our legal system sentences people differently depending on the wrong-doing, but God sends everyone to be tortured for all eternity for the smallest sin to the biggest. Whether you work on Saturday or murder 6 million people, you are going to Hell forever\u2026 except if you ask Jesus for forgiveness. Then of course you are free to go because according to the story, God drank Jesus\u2019s blood or something.<\/p>\n
To summarize, I don\u2019t have to respect the authority of the police. The police can arrest me, but then I get the opportunity to make my case. The court system does their best to pick jurors who don\u2019t assume that the police are always right. The Judge does his best to make sure both sides are treated fairly and the lawyers do their best to represent their side. If you cannot afford a lawyer to help defend your position, the court will appoint one to you. The character of God has no such process and among other reasons (like his non-existence) is why I don\u2019t respect his authority.
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