The Reign of Calvin

Ann pointed out this article in the KC Star that reports on the 500th anniversary of the birth of influential theologian John Calvin. In it the article reports:
Among other reforms, Calvin drew up an extensive catalog of austere rules of morality. These ranged from bans on swearing, gambling and fornication to a strict no to dancing, even at weddings. Unexcused absence from worship service was penalized. Adultery and homosexuality could draw severe sentences, even death.
Curious guy that I am I did a some checking around and found that Calvin was very influential in mid-sixteenth century Geneva Switzerland. Here are three clips from a book titled "John Calvin : his life, letters, and work" written by Hugh Y Reyburn:




From what I can tell Geneva was a pretty immoral city when Calvin arrived there. Initially the city rejected his influence but eventually the city leaders thought his ideas had merit and passed them into law. I think that his influence was good but maybe it went a bit too far.. much like the Puritans did in early America.

I find this story to be such an interesting one because I think that many modern day religious people would like to have someone like Calvin influencing the laws of civil governments. I wonder how much of Calvin's morality would be truly embraced by them.

I for one am not interested in belonging to a theocracy.. governments such as these usually tend to be somewhat overbearing and controlling. One need not look any further than the role of religion in middle east countries to see how far religious people can go when they are in control.

What do you think? Do you feel that religious leaders should have this kind of influence?

11 comments:

  1. I think there are good reasons on both the side of religion and government to stick with the notion of "separation of church and state". I want my country to operate under moral principals, but although I consider myself to be a religious person, I don't think we should allow a particular religion to impose its views on the nation as a whole. Should Islam or Buddhism or the Amish church become the faith embraced by the majority of my countrymen, I don't want my own religious freedom threatened because it is then the minority view. Nor, although I love my faith, do I think it would be right to impose my own religious values on "people of good faith" whose faith doesn't coincide with mine.

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  2. I think there are good reasons on both the side of religion and government to stick with the notion of "separation of church and state". I want my country to operate under moral principals, but although I consider myself to be a religious person, I don't think we should allow a particular religion to impose its views on the nation as a whole. Should Islam or Buddhism or the Amish church become the faith embraced by the majority of my countrymen, I don't want my own religious freedom threatened because it is then the minority view. Nor, although I love my faith, do I think it would be right to impose my own religious values on "people of good faith" whose faith doesn't coincide with mine.

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  3. Although it would be my preference that our leader(s) be godly men and women, I have no desire to live in a theocracy. I've been reading a lot lately on William Penn and the history of Philadelphia. I am grateful for the influence of these things in our constitution.

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  4. Good point Sue.. the religious person in charge may not be one of our choosing :)

    Great reminder Missy.. religious people like Penn and many others have had a great impact on our country.

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  5. Heck, Bob, its not as if our secular government isn't controlling and overbearing.

    They take almost 40 per cent of our income, if you count city, state, federal and property tax.

    Not to mention sales tax and all the hidden taxes.

    God only wanted 10 per cent.

    And those Jews has something like 600 laws, didn't they?

    Wow!

    Thats nuttin!

    There are over 6,000 state, city and federal regulations governing YOUR life...and if you run afoul of them you could even get a couple of years in the ass pounding joint!

    If you think this secular society is free, you haven't been paying attention!

    The Legal Eagle

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  6. Heck, Bob, its not as if our secular government isn't controlling and overbearing.

    They take almost 40 per cent of our income, if you count city, state, federal and property tax.

    Not to mention sales tax and all the hidden taxes.

    God only wanted 10 per cent.

    And those Jews has something like 600 laws, didn't they?

    Wow!

    Thats nuttin!

    There are over 6,000 state, city and federal regulations governing YOUR life...and if you run afoul of them you could even get a couple of years in the ass pounding joint!

    If you think this secular society is free, you haven't been paying attention!

    The Legal Eagle

    ReplyDelete
  7. Heck, Bob, its not as if our secular government isn't controlling and overbearing.

    They take almost 40 per cent of our income, if you count city, state, federal and property tax.

    Not to mention sales tax and all the hidden taxes.

    God only wanted 10 per cent.

    And those Jews has something like 600 laws, didn't they?

    Wow!

    Thats nuttin!

    There are over 6,000 state, city and federal regulations governing YOUR life...and if you run afoul of them you could even get a couple of years in the ass pounding joint!

    If you think this secular society is free, you haven't been paying attention!

    The Legal Eagle

    ReplyDelete
  8. Heck, Bob, its not as if our secular government isn't controlling and overbearing.

    They take almost 40 per cent of our income, if you count city, state, federal and property tax.

    Not to mention sales tax and all the hidden taxes.

    God only wanted 10 per cent.

    And those Jews has something like 600 laws, didn't they?

    Wow!

    Thats nuttin!

    There are over 6,000 state, city and federal regulations governing YOUR life...and if you run afoul of them you could even get a couple of years in the ass pounding joint!

    If you think this secular society is free, you haven't been paying attention!

    The Legal Eagle

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hey there Legal Eagle.. thanks for stopping by. If you like OT laws (like stoning kids for disobedience ala Deuteronomy 21:18-21) I suggest that you try one of those middle east countries I mentioned in the post :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. No, I don't like those, but I do like the laws Kansas has allowing you to tear apart a viable fetus in the womb.

    And the laws allowing you to let a baby born alive after a botched abortion die in a sink. (Obama sure wouldn't approve something like that! No sirree Bob!)

    And all those Federal Death Penalty Laws for drugs and the like...not currently enforced, but still there.

    And Military Laws that allow for
    "collateral damage" as long as you did your best not to hit schools and hospitals.

    Yep. We are really superior to those darn Jews and their theocracy.

    Who ya kiddin, Kansas Bob?

    Goldstein's Stooge.

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  11. Hey there Anon.. you seem a bit angry.. was there something in my post or my comments that upset you? Didn't mean to make you mad.

    For the record I think that you and I both agree that Kansas and the rest of the country have some really bad laws.. that said I am not in favor of a theocratic rule. Are you? If so why?

    Thx again for commenting.. appreciate the response.

    ReplyDelete

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