I also think it’s wrong to equate being a good Christian with obeying authority blindly; after all, Jesus was a revolutionary Jew and if we wanted to be unthinkingly submissive we could turn to Islam (which I’m sure you know means submission).

Surely the message of Jesus is to live peaceful lives while constantly questioning and challenging society’s attitudes towards ostracised minority groups (in his time for instance prostitutes, in our time perhaps gays), because God alone can judge, and God loves every sinner equally.

And the ‘failure’ of past youth movements is also debatable. If the 60s flower power generation hadn’t questioned oldfashioned attitudes towards sexuality, lots of young women would probably still be dying for trying to perform abortions with wire clothes hangers. And I don’t just mean ‘promiscuous’ girls who had premarital sex; even married women would sometimes do this because they simply couldn’t afford having another child without starving.The contraceptive pill has done much to remedy this.

If young people hadn’t questioned and challenged authority, women would still be staying at home and wearing skirts, and men would be unable to admit they love spending time with their children more than they the office.

The world changes, and we need to change with it. This does not mean we can’t at the same time be good Christians. Being a bad Christian to me means unquestioningly clinging onto archaic notions of what is right and wrong, and putting ourselves in the place of God by constantly judging other people who are different than us.

I don’t have time to respond to your other comments, but for the sake of our readers I must say that I disagree with most of them — especially your interpretation of the message of Jesus and the allegedly positive consequences of the youth rebellion in the 1960’s.

Your examples of progress seem markedly “clichéd.” Purposeful or not you sound like you view many of these issues through a liberal lense.

I agree with several of your premises, but cannot say the same of your conclusions. For instance, I agree that we cannot simply accept everything without question. However, I entirely disagree with your “positive” examples of young people doing so.

Your contribution to the discussion is respected. However, I would ask that you refrain from even implied insults. For instance, if I were to say, “Being a bad Christian to me means unquestioningly clinging to modern liberal notions of what is progress, and putting ourselves in the place of God by constantly judging other people who are different than us,” you would most likely be offended. Please treat us with the same consideration.

As long as the discussion stays civil, disagreement can be healthy. If you are willing, and if any of our readers would like to (civilly) take up this discussion, that’s fine. With the exceptions of the “official response” posited above, Alex and I must bow out.

In the case of the Rebelution, you have the blessings and support of those elders whom you respect, so in that sense, you are not rebelling against the authority which matters. I think that is important. But if the governing authority is corrupt, then is it not right to rebel?