Is politics the result of original sin?

Michie

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Having just concluded the 2022 midterm elections, discussions of 2024 presidential candidates feel worse than seeing Christmas decorations for sale in stores before Halloween passes. The electoral exhaustion many Americans feel — or worse still, the rage that overwhelms many of us at the mere mention of this or that politician’s name — leads some to conclude that, surely, a loving God would not have intended this. Politics must be the result of sin.

The question was raised recently at a panel discussion called “The Creation of Politics” at the annual conference hosted by the de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture at the University of Notre Dame. And for me, in my post-midterm-election musings, the conference — and whether or not politics existed in Eden — was the salve I needed.

Our first parents were created in a state of harmony. In “The City of God,” St. Augustine describes Adam and Eve, saying, “Their love to God was unclouded, and their mutual affection was that of faithful and sincere marriage; and from this love flowed a wonderful delight, because they always enjoyed what was loved.” The first state of innocence, before original sin, was marked by equilibrium, balance and peace. In fact, none of the passions disturbed Adam and Eve. St. Augustine says, “Their avoidance of sin was tranquil; and, so long as it was maintained, no other ill at all could invade them and bring sorrow.”

Continued below.
 

parousia70

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Scripture shows the victory and liberty that awaits us whenever our people lead as magistrates (Gen 41:39-44; Daniel 2:46-49) and elect godly leaders (Ex 18:21-25/Deut 1:13-17/Deut 16:18-20). Civil Government is ordained of God (Rom 13:1-7; 1 Pet 2:13-17). It is not evil.
 
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J_B_

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Though closely related, politics and government are not the same thing. My answer depends on what you mean by politics. If you mean it in the pejorative sense of leaders manipulating those they are supposed to be serving, then yes, that comes from sin. If you mean it in the sense of ordering a society and its authority structures through the use of rhetoric, then no. I assume you mean the first.
 
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Diamond7

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Politics must be the result of sin.
In 1Samuel8:6 the people said: "“Give us a king to lead us,” This was not God's plan, this was the way of the heathen.

7 "And the LORD said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in all that they say to you. For it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected Me as their king."

God's plan is for there to be Judges and Priests. Man's law is quite a bit different than the Law in the Bible.

In Ruth 4 we see that Boez went to the gates of the city and gathered ten of the old men who were leaders of the city. This was how he decided the issue of Ruth.
 
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