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Old 03-24-2004, 16:32   #17
Solid
Guerrilla Chief
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: NC
Posts: 995
NDD-
I'm assuming that this is what you intended as the answer for your question, if not... I assmed.

Governments used to rule using the support of God. The French govt under Louis 14th, an absolutist monarch, is perhaps the best example of this in the West, but I also believe that Allah granted Arab kings and governments their positions.

The US, being a secular state, had people sign their part of the 'social contract' to the nation, not to a god. I believe that the argument for this form of government legitimacy is that previously, non-secular states had not been democracies. Rulers therefore had to provide the people with a reason to support them: religion. However, the US government is elected by the people- it does not seem unreasonable that because of this, US citizens are not ruled by God via their government.

I believe that's the argument, anyway.

Solid
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