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Date Posted: 02:34:26 03/10/05 Thu
Author: Mike K.
Subject: Obedience
In reply to: Caitlin 's message, "Relating to "sinners" in the real world" on 20:48:05 03/09/05 Wed

Caitlin, I think of course the parents want obedient children.
But I think by the same token, parents do not want robots to program that will just do the routine. They want to raise persons, with their own decision making process, drawing their own conclusions etc.

Of course, many times, children don't understand, and as such, should simply do as told.

The problem isn't about when someone is disobedient to something or someone, the problem is about when a person is doing something wrong.
Disobedience is no wrong.

As a Christian, we have a very high moral standard, so high that sometimes, it will only let us choose between disobedience and wrong (such as: there's a redlight between you and that old lady, but someone attacks that lady: you could either disobey traffic laws and help her, or you could obey traffic laws and let the lady get mugged).
Obedience in the adult world comes out of understanding and appreciating the underlying principles behind a law, regulation or order. Without this understanding, one can not reasonably be assumed to obey (unquestioningly).
And with this understanding, one has to weigh whether it is better to violate these underlying principles or whether to violate other principles and/or conscience or whether all principles are harmonic and obedience is no issue of conflict.

The question isn't so easy and straightforward as you may think, but my answer is: disobedience is no sin in itself. Lack of understanding leading to disobedience may cause disobeying to constitute a sin, but lack of understanding leading to obedience may cause obedience to be a sin as well.

Dis-/Obedience can lead to sin, but it isn't one.
I mean, you told your kid not to dial 9-1-1 unless your house burns, but then the neighbour falls down a ladder, wouldn't you be thankful the kid disobeyed and dialed 9-1-1 regardless?

In Christ,
Mike K.

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Replies:

Re: Obedience -- Caitlin, 04:22:43 03/10/05 Thu
- Re: Obedience -- Mike K., 06:05:42 03/10/05 Thu
- Re: Obedience -- human, 13:27:20 03/10/05 Thu