Civil Disobedience

I can afford to refuse allegiance to Massachusetts.... It costs me less in every sense to incur the penalty of disobedience to the State than it would to obey. I should feel as if I were worth less in that case. - Henry David Thoreau, “Civil Disobedience”

Graduated Harvard in 1837

Transcendentalist

Against the war between the U.S. and Mexico because he saw it as a plot by southerners to expand slavery into the Southwest.

He stopped paying taxes in protest against slavery

He was arrested for his tax delinquency in 1846 after publically he publically condemned the U.S. invasion and occupation of Mexico

After one night in jail, Thoreau was released because someone paid his back taxes

These events lead to his writing his essay, “Civil Disobedience”

A Definition

“a public, nonviolent, and conscientious act contrary to law, usually done with the intent to bring about change in the policies or laws of the government” - J. Rawls, “Justification of Civilil Disobedience”

public: distinguishes it from other actions that are contrary to law, e.g., cheating on taxes

nonviolent: distinguishes it from war, insurrection or revolution

conscientious: motivated by matters of conscience and conviction

bring about change: motivated by a desire to draw attention to a state of affairs considered unjust, to raise the moral consciousness of the citizenry and to set in motion the dynamics of social change.

An Important Clarification

The refusal to obey a specific law, statute, rule or command issued by authority is civil disobedience.

The declaration that a regime is illegitimate is more connected to revolution.

Biblical Examples

Exodus 1:15–22 ESV

Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, “When you serve as midwife to the Hebrew women and see them on the birthstool, if it is a son, you shall kill him, but if it is a daughter, she shall live.” But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live. So the king of Egypt called the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this, and let the male children live?” The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them.” So God dealt well with the midwives. And the people multiplied and grew very strong. And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families. Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, “Every son that is born to the Hebrews you shall cast into the Nile, but you shall let every daughter live.”

The Hebrew mid-wives refused to obey the king’s orders

Jeremiah 38:1–6 ESV

Now Shephatiah the son of Mattan, Gedaliah the son of Pashhur, Jucal the son of Shelemiah, and Pashhur the son of Malchiah heard the words that Jeremiah was saying to all the people: “Thus says the Lord: He who stays in this city shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence, but he who goes out to the Chaldeans shall live. He shall have his life as a prize of war, and live. Thus says the Lord: This city shall surely be given into the hand of the army of the king of Babylon and be taken.” Then the officials said to the king, “Let this man be put to death, for he is weakening the hands of the soldiers who are left in this city, and the hands of all the people, by speaking such words to them. For this man is not seeking the welfare of this people, but their harm.” King Zedekiah said, “Behold, he is in your hands, for the king can do nothing against you.” So they took Jeremiah and cast him into the cistern of Malchiah, the king’s son, which was in the court of the guard, letting Jeremiah down by ropes. And there was no water in the cistern, but only mud, and Jeremiah sank in the mud.

Jeremiah’s counsel to the people to surrender to the Chaldeans was contrary to the orders of the king. The people survived but Jeremiah was imprisoned.

Daniel 3:4–6 ESV

And the herald proclaimed aloud, “You are commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, that when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. And whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace.”

Dan 3:17-18

Daniel 3:17–18 ESV

If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refuse to comply with King Nebuchadnezzar’s compulsory state of religion.

Acts 5:29 ESV

But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.

Peter and the apostles refused to obey the order to not preach in the name of Jesus and were beaten as a result.

Clarifying Questions

Does a law call for disobedience to Scripture?

Is a law immoral and unjust according to the standard of God’s righteousness?

Have all legal means been exhausted before disobeying?

Am I willing to accept the consequences of my disobedience?

Revolution

Definition

“an attempt to make a radical change in the system of government, often involving the infringement of prevailing constitutional arrangements and the use of force.” ( Walter Laqueur - “Revolution”)

A biblical example

Judges 2:11–16 ESV

And the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and served the Baals. And they abandoned the Lord, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt. They went after other gods, from among the gods of the peoples who were around them, and bowed down to them. And they provoked the Lord to anger. They abandoned the Lord and served the Baals and the Ashtaroth. So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he gave them over to plunderers, who plundered them. And he sold them into the hand of their surrounding enemies, so that they could no longer withstand their enemies. Whenever they marched out, the hand of the Lord was against them for harm, as the Lord had warned, and as the Lord had sworn to them. And they were in terrible distress. Then the Lord raised up judges, who saved them out of the hand of those who plundered them.

Because the people did what was right in their own eyes, God judged them through His use of foreign oppressors who became governing authorities over them.

God raised up Judges to rescue His people from these oppressors.

The author of Hebrews offers insightful commentary on the role of the judges:

Hebrews 11:32–34 ESV

And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.

Judges such as Gideon, Barak, and Samson were used by God to overthrow Israel’s oppressors

God called the leaders of His people to to use deadly force in the process of liberation

We should be careful to note that the example of the judges is taken from the history of theocratic Israel, and that no such form of government exists today.

Nevertheless, this example demonstrates that the de facto governing authority may not continue to be a legitimate authority in the sight of God.

Clarifying Questions

Who is the legitimate authority in the sight of God?

Is the cause for which revolution is being considered a just one (remember, God’s righteousness is the standard), or to eliminate what is considered burdensome, inconvenient conditions or to preserve a certain way of life that is not guaranteed by God to His people?

Is the existing government in question persistently threatening to kill innocent human life?

Is the call to revolutionary action being issued by lawful means? Relying on the principle present in Judges, the existing authority did not continue to be the legitimate authority in the sight of God. Of course, great care must be given to determine if an existing authority is legitimate in the eyes of God.

Are the leaders of a revolution pursuing a cause that represents the interest of the society as a whole?