Can Christians Justify Civil Disobedience?

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Can Christians Justify

Civil Disobedience?

Civil disobedience is the refusal to obey certain laws that the protesters believe to be unfair or unjust. This method does not require physical violence and is usually one of the primary tactics of non-violent resistance.

Civil disobedience, (also known as ahimsa or satyagraha) has been used in many well known non-violent resistance movements in India (Gandhi’s social welfare campaigns), in South Africa and in the American Civil Rights Movement. These are just a few cases where civil disobedience has been used to try and change the laws that leaders such as Gandhi feel unfair or morally wrong.
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The answer to the question posed by this essay is not a simple one; in the bible it preaches that ‘all lawful authority come from God and must be respected’. But, when Jesus is asked the question, “Should Jews pay taxes to the Roman authority?” He replies, “Provided duty to God is not infringed, my followers must obey lawful authority.” In the first statement, it says emphatically that the law should be obeyed. However in the Jesus’ reply to the question to the second passage, we see the clear statement, “provided duty to God is not infringed”. This ...

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