re: http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/mar2008/tjp320.htm

Dear tjp,
I agree with you that "The concept of "Left" / "Right" should not exist with a Christian" and yes, there are basically 3 elements with which governments attempt to control the masses: politics, money, and religion. But, my understanding of what you seem to be saying is that we should allow the corrupt controllers of these elements to subjugate or destroy us in the name of "love your neighbor as you love yourself". In other words - kill us all and let God sort us out.

With respect, by your reasoning Colonial America should have continued to accept England's yoke, the USA should have voluntarily split itself into two nations, and later still should have excused part or all of itself from defending Europe from its madmen neighbors in WWII. Of course, there would have been no Cold War to fight because Americans and their friends would be living under fascism or communisim and there would not have been a State of Israel because all the Jews would be either dead or in Stalin's gulags. On the other side of the world, all Koreans should have accepted starvation together and the Vietnamese should have loved their neighbors enough to willingly allow themselves to be slaughtered like the Cambodians. This scenario sounds like self-hate and not self-love. I would not love myself if I did nothing to keep my "neighbor" from robbing or murdering me even though he has seized from being my neighbor and has defined himself as my enemy. 

My Declaration says that I have an unalienable right given to me by my Creator to life and liberty. To me, that defines what "love yourself" means. I love my neighbor as myself by extending this same love to him - assuming he adheres to the same definition. If he does not and so becomes my enemy, as a Christian loving my self, I will still love him but, while I am praying for his salvation,  it is my duty to protect myself and my neighbors from his actions against me: 

The Constitution of the United States of America:
We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

Perhaps I have misunderstood your post. Please clarify.

Blessings

Marie Komar