Brother Richard,
You said: Sister Dora's suggestion that spies report suspected adultery is not the issue. I was only giving an illustration as to how such things can get out of hand when our government is given too much authority over our lives, and how such things are reported, whether true or not. Again, look at the communist countries, everyone turned against his neighbor.
If we want to get to the root of so very much of our trouble, IMHO, we would attack the entertainment industry, but that won't happen, for there is too much money involved. I won't even go into all the ways, but most of the world (even "Christians,") invites filth into their homes every day, and thinks nothing about it, exposing the small children to the most horrific crimes, all kinds of sexual acts, and words that almost sear the ears off a Christian's head, it would seem. I am sure you don't allow this in your home, and I do not believe anyone on this board allows it, for I see us as a committed family in Christ.
My friend went to CA to visit her family, and she was telling me how shocking it was to see her 9 year old grandchild playing on the floor, with the TV blasting out obscenities. Now, I could believe it would be good to stop these things, but would that be removing "freedoms of speech?" There is such a fine line.
Yet, how many of us would be willing to allow the government to come and tell us what kind of electronics we can have in our home? What we watch, what we listen to? That is where it all begins, with our eyes, with our thoughts, before it becomes behaviours. Can those things be legislated?
I want laws in place to restrict behaviours, but we do have them, thankfully.
And, as much as I don't believe homosexuality is right, I don't want someone beaten to death and hung over a fence, and the law blink their eyes at it. Not only do I care about that being wrong, but soon it will be that "if you are different, in any way, such as going to church on 'the wrong day' you may be thought to deserve bad treatment."
I won't even get into "behaviour management and morality," there definitely is a difference. But, yes, I do want dangerous people locked up, I do want laws against drunk driving, and on...and, again, if I were going to attack morality through management by the state..I think I would start with the entertainment industry. But, again, that is not going to happen.
Have I made myself clear at all? Each time, I think "I just won't post on this topic again, for I cannot get across what I mean, and don't understand why I can't." Yet, I keep trying.....