U.S. Constitution
See other U.S. Constitution Articles
Title: Can a Christian Be a Cop?
Source:
Lew Rockwell
URL Source: https://www.lewrockwell.com/2014/07 ... ance/can-a-christian-be-a-cop/
Published: Jul 8, 2014
Author: Laurence M. Vance
Post Date: 2015-06-01 12:48:24 by Deckard
Keywords: None
Views: 4490
Comments: 31
Can a Christian in good conscience be a cop? Can a libertarian with principles be a cop? Can anyone with respect for individual liberty, private property, and morality be a cop? I have spent many years making the case that Christians have no business “serving” in the U.S. military, including as chaplains who serve two masters and medics who are accomplices to murder. But in addition to questions about military “service,” I have also received many e-mails over the years from Christians, libertarians, and Christian libertarians asking me some question about Christians and/or libertarians “serving” on the police force. I usually refer them to the writings of Will Grigg, who has chronicled in great detail the militarization of the privileged purveyors of state violence we call cops. I don’t see how anyone can read account after account after account of police violence, abuse, aggression, humiliation, theft, intimidation, beatings, shootings, taserings, brutality, and murder and not at least question whether the police have their best interests at heart, are on your side if you do nothing wrong, actually fight crime, or really serve and protect. But other than some private e-mails and a few public references to cops and doughnuts, I have not said much about Christians or libertarians joining the police force. Until now. I am not here to tell anyone that they should not work for their state, county, or city law enforcement agency. That is between an individual and his conscience, an individual and his religion, or an individual and his moral code. I know that there are detectives who investigate crimes, respond to accidents, and analyze fingerprints, blood splatter, and ballistic results and don’t do any of the things I mentioned above. However, not only are there many more cops who do, these things have become so systemic and institutionalized that you can no longer “support your local police.” Therefore, I want to mention seven things I find troubling about “serving” on the police force. 1. The drug war. This is the most obvious and most important reason to not be involved with law enforcement in any way. You will have to help fight the drug war that unnecessarily makes criminals out of otherwise law-abiding Americans, clogs the judicial system with noncrimes, and expands the prison population with nonviolent offenders. A cop cannot ask to be excused from fighting the drug war because he feels it is an attack on individual liberty and private property. But don’t blame cops, people say, they are just following the law. Yea, like they will just be following the law when they arrest your pastor for preaching against homosexuality because it is “hate speech.” Until the drug laws are changed, I don’t see how any libertarian can be a cop unless he is in a small town and is able to simply not enforce drug laws. The drug war should prohibit Christians from being cops as well. If you don’t think so, then please read my article “Should Christians Support the ‘War on Drugs?’” What it all comes down to is this: To be a cop you have to be willing to lock people in cages for possessing a plant or some substance the government doesn’t approve of. 2. Victimless Crimes. In addition to help carry out the war on drugs, cops must likewise wage war on other victimless crimes like prostitution and gambling, which should never be illegal in the first place. To be a cop you must be willing to break up a group of guys gambling illegally, using force if they resist, knowing that others just down the street are gambling legally by purchasing lottery tickets. 3. Speeding tickets. Honest cops will admit that the whole speeding ticket scam is just a legal method of enforced revenue collection. This former Auburn, Alabama, cop admits it. Ticket quotas are regularly assigned to police officers across the country. Nothing makes people more angry than to see a cop hiding at the bottom of a hill just waiting to write a speeding ticket when there is hardly any traffic. As a cop, you will have to issue tickets like this. You can’t just say that you will only write traffic tickets when someone is driving excessively fast or recklessly. And again, please don’t tell me that as a cop you don’t write the laws, you just enforce them. If a law or policy is bad, then it is bad, and shouldn’t be enforced. Morality doesn’t magically change just because you need a job. 4. SWAT teams. The Department of Homeland Security has since 9/11 distributed billions in grants to enable even the police departments of small towns to field their own SWAT teams. Although SWAT teams are called out over 540,000 times a year nationwide, only 7 percent of the ACLU reviewed SWAT raids involved “hostage, barricade, or active shooter scenarios.” Some of these raids are no-knock raids. Can a cop refuse to be part of a SWAT team? I don’t know, but I suspect that he can’t refuse to take part in a raid because he is concerned about violating the Fourth Amendment. 5. Forcible DNA, urine, and blood extractions. The Supreme Court recently ruled in the case of Maryland v. King (2013) that “your DNA can be taken and entered into a national database if you are ever arrested, rightly or wrongly, and for whatever reason.” If you are going to be a cop, be ready to forcibly do a DNA cheek swab. I hope you don’t get your fingers bitten when you try. Oh well, at least that will give you a good excuse to beat someone to a bloody pulp as cops are want to do when someone resists their aggression. And then there are the forced catheterizations and forced blood draws in the pursuit of politically artificial blood alcohol limits to fight “drunk driving”; that is, to create a revenue stream. And don’t bother trying to refuse to do any of these things. Can a cop refuse to do anything? I really doubt it, but welcome opinions to the contrary from those readers who have been or are actually cops. 6. Strip searches. The Supreme Court recently ruled in the case of Florence v. Board of Chosen Freeholders of the County of Burlington (2012) that police can “strip-search individuals who have been arrested for any crime before admitting the individuals to jail, even if there is no reason to suspect that the individual is carrying contraband.” Can a cop refuse to strip-search people because he is concerned about their individuals rights being violated? If you are going to be a cop, are you willing to humiliate people with strip-searches, including, if deemed necessary, body cavity searches? And by the way, it won’t be you who decides if a body cavity search is necessary. 7. Sting Operations. This is otherwise known as working undercover to entice people to commit crimes so you can entrap them. This takes many forms, all involving you pretending to be a terrorist, an arsonist, a hitman, a hacker, a gambler, a spectator, or a drug user while you lie, deceive, allow other crimes to be committed, and possibly commit crimes yourself. All for the greater good, of course, of arresting a particular person for some particular crime. The worst kind of sting operation is when a cop pretends to be an under-age girl or a crack-head mother wanting to prostitute her daughter and talks dirty to some pervert to entice him to have sex with a minor. Are you willing to do this? How can a Christian cop reconcile behavior like this with his Christianity? Do the ends justify the means? And this just in: Seven Reasons Police Brutality Is Systemic, Not Anecdotal 11 Shocking Facts About America’s Militarized Police Forces If the police dismantled their vice squads, stopped writing frivolous tickets, ceased fighting the drug war, and ended their entrapment efforts, local law enforcement agencies could cut their budgets in half, save the taxpayers money, and actually serve and protect. But until then— Should a Christian be a cop? Should a libertarian be a cop? Should anyone be a cop? After all, just as you can’t have a war without soldiers, so you can’t have a police state without police. Just something to think about.
Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest
#1. To: Deckard (#0)
Perhaps if more of the morally conscious Christian types became police officers these abuses of power would decrease.
The dews of grace fall heavily in the night of sorrow. The stars of promise shine forth gloriously amid the darkness of grief. Continue thy service under all changes. (C.H. Spurgeon)
Can an ANARCHIST with a pro drug agenda pass fair and balanced judgement on LE? Obviously, no.
Every society gets the kind of criminal it deserves. What is equally true is that every community gets the kind of law enforcement it insists on. Robert Kennedy
Welcome To International Cops For Christ.
Should Christians Be Cops and Soldiers?
Are some who call themselves Christians really Christians? Shocking footage shows Christian family band attacking cops ...
Pastor facing rape charges And Bob makes 3 more enemies.
Every society gets the kind of criminal it deserves. What is equally true is that every community gets the kind of law enforcement it insists on. Robert Kennedy
Nichols Hills church administrator jailed on child rape complaint .
Every society gets the kind of criminal it deserves. What is equally true is that every community gets the kind of law enforcement it insists on. Robert Kennedy
Pastor kills himself one week before trial for sexual abuse of nine-year-old girl was due to start .
Can a “Christian” be Christian? Church youth leader charged with distributing child porn, lewd acts.
I'd love to speak at Bob's church. I'd read little past tidbits from Bob... tell them how he hates cops. Tell them how he and his buddy Deckard thinks that drug dealers should be able to shoot cops when the cops arrest them and confiscate their heroin, because they hate government and feel the cops are "stealing" their drugs, constitutionally. See if they agree. lol I think his flock (aka sheep) would be interested in Bob's opinions.
Every society gets the kind of criminal it deserves. What is equally true is that every community gets the kind of law enforcement it insists on. Robert Kennedy
Bob doesn't have a church, at least what is commonly known as a chruch...a brick and mortar structure. Bob is an online pastor with an "Internet church." Bob is a "wannabe."
Good piece from John Piper. Thanks.
The dews of grace fall heavily in the night of sorrow. The stars of promise shine forth gloriously amid the darkness of grief. Continue thy service under all changes. (C.H. Spurgeon)
I can post another 50, 100 and even far more stories about these slimey bastards. When you can show me Christians act like Christians....then, and only then, can I be concerned that Cops act like Christians.
I think they should be able to shoot any half-witted, bleating fool who is so ignorant they spell heroin with an"e" at the end. On a good day you're a half-wit. I'd suggest getting a refund on your GED - it hasn't helped.
Bob is a "wannabe." Ah... That explains it. So his flock doesn't know he's a David Koresh... and a closet "Jim Jones". Gatlin, is it wrong to think every time a religious person acts a little criminal, should we condemn the whole religion... by saying, and the Christian's make 3 more enemies? Is that the "religious" thing to do? lol
Every society gets the kind of criminal it deserves. What is equally true is that every community gets the kind of law enforcement it insists on. Robert Kennedy
I especially liked it when I got to this point:
Why is it that religion doesn't police itself? They just move the perverts to another church. Why is it that two self proclaimed religious online warriors like Deckard and Bob won't form a group like "Father Ben Dover Block"... and record all the improprieties of religious figures? Why are they so quiet about that?
Every society gets the kind of criminal it deserves. What is equally true is that every community gets the kind of law enforcement it insists on. Robert Kennedy
I think that it would be wrong to condemn every religious person because some are bad. Just the same as I think it is wrong to go on a rampage and condemn all cops because a few are bad. It makes we wonder just how religious a person is who does such a thing... There are some people here who express strong opinions about the ole pastor.
I don't think so. The police protect the abortionist. the police protect the pornographer. The police protect the politicians and masters of the oligarchy. In other words the police protect the evil of this world. They have become evil and I for one, do not believe a man can be both a Born Again Christian and a cop. No Col, I don't think so. I would go so far as to say that if a cop gives his life to Christ, he must leave the force of evil. Way back a long, long time ago I wrote a thought about Christian men joining the military and Christian women becoming school teachers, I am close to pulling it off the net and making it a thought only for researchers and those who wish the trace my Christian walk. But here it is. Three hundred years ago. I would not suggest either any longer. I have not suggested police work to a Christian in over 25 years. Monday August 12th, 2002 Well, we are back, praise God, safely from our annual trip to Kentucky, Maryland, and other points south and west of Maine. And as the weeks go on, I will be telling you many an interesting thing that happened on this journey. But for today let it suffice for me to say only that this was the best, most successful of any of our last 6 yearly trips. And, thanks be to Jesus, we, my wife Cecily and I, had the opportunity to meet with Steve and Janice for an hour that extended into three and was even then a life time too short. Now, many times in the past, I have said that the thought was to mature for kids and therefore should be read by adults only or by kids with their parents there. At other times I have made it clear that the thought was directed to either Dads or Moms. Well todays thought is for Home Schooled kids. Oh, that is not to say that others can not or should not read it, but, it is directed towards young gentleman and ladies who either recently graduated Home Schoolers or are in their last couple of years of being home schooled before heading off to college or work. But now, let us focus on today's daily thought. Three hundred years ago. So, what was going on three hundred years ago that was so important? Well, first, there were only two versions of the Holy Word of God available at that time, the Geneva and the King James. The other thing was that people took the Word of God seriously. They didn't look to it to justify their sins or to find loop holes, they read it, took it literally and obeyed it. Not everyone, that's for sure, but some. And it is a few of those who did, that we will look at today, and then move on to how Home Schooled Gentlemen and Ladies can be there counterparts in the 21st century. Three hundred years ago, there was a group of men in England, who read these verses: And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matthew 28:18-20) And: Afterward He appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen Him after He was risen. And He said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In My name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. (Mark 16:14-18) So, what did these guys do three hundred years ago? And what has that got to do with you today? Three hundred years ago, free and well off men, who believed in the Word of God and wanted to serve Him, sold themselves into slavery so that they could preach the Word to those who were enslaved in the new world. Just as the easiest way to preach in a prison or hospital is to be either a prisoner in the prison or a patient in the hospital, so it was back then in getting the Good News of the Gospel of Christ Jesus to the slaves. Much of our annual trip focuses on visiting a Christian man in a prison in Kentucky, he is Saved and preaching within those walls. Because he is inside, he is not limited by time constraints as I am and as others who go to the prisons to preach. And like him, those who sold themselves into slavery, had time and opportunity to preach to the salves. Was their life easy? No! Did they get special treatment? No! But, were they abiding by the teachings and instructions of God? Yes! Were they doing His will? Yes! And they led many to a saving knowledge of the Lord, Christ Jesus! Just as that man in prison in Kentucky is today. But, what has that got to do with you who are Home Schooled and in the 16-20 bracket? What if I was to tell you that I know of a mission assignment right here in the USA that pays very well, has excellent benefits, the potential for retirement with full benefits in twenty years and will make you every bit the missionary that those men who sold themselves into slavery three hundred years ago were? Interested? Young ladies, go to school to be teachers in the public school system. There is no greater missionary need in the world than the public school system of the USA. And you will have access to some of the most needy kids in the world. But, if you read and understand the verse above, you'll understand that, as long as you are doing the Lords work, they will be unable to stop you. For He said: "And these signs shall follow them that believe; In My name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. " Don't join the NEA, but, pray for your class, and use His Holy Bible in your everyday teaching. Do not shy away from preaching to your classmates while in college and do not shy away from preaching His word to you class once you start teaching. For the bolder you are, the more the Lord will protect you. Gentlemen, go to Bob Jones University or Liberty University, or any other sold Christ based college and then join the military as an officer. As a 0-1, you will earn excellent first year dollars, the benefit package is second to none and the missionary field is wide open, for the Chaplin Corp of the US Military is nothing short of satanistic. Think of the good you can do and the captive audience you would have as an Ensign aboard a nuclear submarine. Or as an officer in any of the other branches. The bolder you are, the faster you'll be promoted and the more protection the Lord will give you. Remember, if they discipline you for preaching God's Word, you have nothing to worry about, for His word teaches us: But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost. (Mark 13:11) Now, while you contemplate what I have suggested, I want you to think forward a bit if you can. I would like you to take just a minute and think of the good you could do as either a missionary in the US Public School System or the US Military over a twenty year period. And then think this, at the end of twenty years, you will have full retirement benefits and more important, a ton of crowns to drop at the feet of the Lord. Now it is time to invite your dad and mom to read this and to talk it over with them. And then, if it is something you would like to do, you need to talk to the Lord, getting both His permission and His blessing. For if you are to do it, you will be working directly for the Lord Jesus, the Christ, God Himself, and He must both approve of your application and hire you. You go to Him and He will let you know if you're hired or not. Start by going to Him humbly and on bended knees, asking Him for the opportunity to work for Him. The Lord our God, Messiah Yeshua be with you all and may He find you acceptable for His army of missionaries here in the USA, fighting the good fight, running the good race for Him and against the forces of the evil one, his minions and his ilk and those who serve him knowingly and unknowingly. You will notice that I have not suggested that young ladies join the military of men join the ranks of public school teachers. Nor have a suggested a career as a police officer or politician. The reasons are simple, but are best left to a phone call. To send snail mail:
Let's see now. Didn't a Great Person once say "Physician Heal Thyself" or something like that....and would not that Great Person want these people who call themselves Christians correct their own faults before finding fault with others? I think so...and my pappy, the Assembly of God preacher, would would definitely call for that were he alive today.
I can't speak for Bob, but I'd say most of us would wear any condemnation by a bunch of neocons from Freak Republic as a badge of honor.
I call "'bullshit" on that lie "Major".
Of course most do police up their own. Christ and the apostles commanded Christians to 'clean house.' 1 Corinthians 5:12-13 12 For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? 13 But those who are outside God judges. Therefore “put away from yourselves the evil person.”
The dews of grace fall heavily in the night of sorrow. The stars of promise shine forth gloriously amid the darkness of grief. Continue thy service under all changes. (C.H. Spurgeon)
You can call it "bullshit" ...
If I said the cops do the same... would ya believe it?
Every society gets the kind of criminal it deserves. What is equally true is that every community gets the kind of law enforcement it insists on. Robert Kennedy
nutso
It is why I put gatlin in bozo. one gatlin, aka mrwhite, is more than enough. his. it's her, insults are truly a badge of honor for me, for it is not me they hate is Christ within me.
I don’t see how anyone can read account after account after account of police violence, abuse, aggression, humiliation, theft, intimidation, beatings, shootings, taserings, brutality, and murder and not at least question whether the police have their best interests at heart, are on your side if you do nothing wrong, actually fight crime, or really serve and protect.
#2. To: All (#0)
Can a Christian in good conscience be a cop? Can a libertarian with principles be a cop? Can anyone with respect for individual liberty, private property, and morality be a cop?
#3. To: Deckard (#0)
#4. To: Deckard (#3)
Cops, Christians, And The "Badge"
#5. To: Deckard (#4)
#6. To: Deckard (#0)
Can a Christian Be a Cop?
#7. To: All (#6)
Can a "Christain" be Christian?
#8. To: Gatlin (#7)
#9. To: GrandIsland (#8)
Can a “Christian” be Christian?
#10. To: Gatlin (#9)
#11. To: Deckard (#9)
Can a “Christian” be Christian?
#12. To: Deckard (#11)
(Edited)
#13. To: Gatlin (#9)
(Edited)
Can a “Christian” be Christian?
#14. To: Deckard (#12)
Can a “Christian” be Christian?
#15. To: GrandIsland (#13)
I'd love to speak at Bob's church.
#16. To: Gatlin (#5)
#17. To: Deckard (#15)
#18. To: GrandIsland (#13)
...drug dealers should be able to shoot cops when the cops arrest them and confiscate their heroine
“Truth is treason in the empire of lies.” - Ron Paul
Americans who have no experience with, or knowledge of, tyranny believe that only terrorists will experience the unchecked power of the state. They will believe this until it happens to them, or their children, or their friends.
Paul Craig Roberts
#19. To: Gatlin (#15)
Bob is an online pastor with an "Internet church."
#20. To: redleghunter (#16)
Good piece from John Piper. Thanks.
"And so my answer to the question: Do those texts prevent a person from being a policeman or soldier? Is no."
#21. To: Gatlin (#17)
(Edited)
When you can show me Christians act like Christians....then, and only then, can I be concerned that Cops act like Christians.
#22. To: GrandIsland (#19)
Gatlin, is it wrong to think every time a religious person acts a little criminal, should we condemn the whole religion... by saying, and the Christian's make 3 more enemies? Is that the "religious" thing to do? lol
#23. To: redleghunter (#1)
Perhaps if more of the morally conscious Christian types became police officers these abuses of power would decrease.
Church for the American Christian Patriot
34 Duck Pond Road
Harrison, Maine, USA
04040
#24. To: GrandIsland (#21)
#25. To: Gatlin, BobCeleste (#22)
There are some people here who express strong opinions about the ole pastor.
“Truth is treason in the empire of lies.” - Ron Paul
Americans who have no experience with, or knowledge of, tyranny believe that only terrorists will experience the unchecked power of the state. They will believe this until it happens to them, or their children, or their friends.
Paul Craig Roberts
#26. To: Gatlin (#24)
...my pappy, the Assembly of God preacher
“Truth is treason in the empire of lies.” - Ron Paul
Americans who have no experience with, or knowledge of, tyranny believe that only terrorists will experience the unchecked power of the state. They will believe this until it happens to them, or their children, or their friends.
Paul Craig Roberts
#27. To: GrandIsland (#21)
Why is it that religion doesn't police itself? They just move the perverts to another church.
#28. To: Deckard (#26)
#29. To: redleghunter (#27)
Of course most do police up their own. Christ and the apostles commanded Christians to 'clean house.'
#30. To: Deckard (#0)
medics who are accomplices to murder.
#31. To: Deckard (#25)
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest
[Home] [Headlines] [Latest Articles] [Latest Comments] [Post] [Mail] [Sign-in] [Setup] [Help] [Register]