The twelfth day of the fifth month in the 2729th year of our dispersion.

When someone in a position of ultimate authority abuses that authority, it is ultimately יהוה's responsibility to see that justice is done. But to what extent can we try to remedy the situation? For example, a king has authority to tax the people. But what can be done about an oppressive king who takes all the possessions of his people? Is it even unjust? Joseph helped Pharaoh appropriate the property of the Egyptians during the seven years of famine. Can we make a moral judgment on his actions? All I can think of is that a king of Israel is not supposed to accumulate wealth for himself, at least not certain kinds of wealth. Either way it seems to run contrary to the spirit of Torah, which is to use your resources to actively love others, not solely for self-improvement.

What of a father who mistreats his children? Who will act on their behalf? In my experience, fundamental Christians and Messianics tend to act like the father cannot make wrong choices when it comes to his children. They wouldn't say it outright... but with the exceptions of sexual and physical abuse, I have always gotten the impression that we are supposed to believe that a father can make any ruling he deems appropriate regarding his child. But even slaves according to the Torah must be set free if they are mistreated. So what about children, who are above slaves? It doesn't seem like we should ignore someone who is doing a piss-poor job of raising his children. It seems like it would cause too many problems in the long run, because the whole society is going to have to deal with the fallout of the child who was improperly raised.

On a similar note, I am sorely grieved by the tendency in the Christian world to lift up women while demeaning men, especially in the marraige relationship. My own pastor falls into this trap sometimes. It permeates American culture to a huge extent and the modern church has swallowed it up. Passages like Ephesians 5:22-24 and 1 Peter 3:1-6 are glossed over at best and reinterpreted at worst, while passages like Galatians 3:28 are used to support the view that authority in the household does not rest squarely on the shoulders of the patriarch. Usually it is argued that our culture is different from that of the ancient near east, so our rules should reflect the customs of our nation. This is an anti-Torah view. It destroys God's chain of command. It's a totally mindless hermeneutic. It causes confusion, distress, and a lack of initiative on the part of men. I have no doubt that this retarded mindset is also contributing to the rise of violence toward women, especially in pornographic fantasies. If men were given their proper place as the rulers of their households, I don't think the desire would have to be suppressed and twisted into something sick.

Lastly, there is a difference between authority and control. It is impossible to control another human being completely. Authority entails responsibility more than anything else. Those in authority are not put there for their own benefit, but for the benefit of those under their authority, to watch over their souls, to protect them and to teach them. All three paragraphs above would never have to be written or discussed if people in authority would recognize that they are not supposed to be the benefactor of the authority that has been delegated to them. People seek to turn authority into power and control. It is our fallen nature to do so. The solution? We must learn to be humble leaders who do not seek our own desires. We must learn to love. Why is it so hard? I see so very little love. Everywhere I look there is utilitarianism, pragmatism and materialism. Even in the church. Our hearts are getting so cold. Most of us have totally missed the whole point. We must learn to love. The vast majority of people I have met do not even know what love is. But without it there is no point in having a church, or claming to be a child of light, or in living at all. We must learn to love.