Does God give leaders "spiritual authority" over others?

1. 59

   bayareagreatthingposted 13 years ago

   Does God give leaders "spiritual authority" over others?
   
   If yes- what does it mean to have spiritual authority over someone? What is the purpose?
   If no- who does have spiritual authority over people?

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2. 60

   Dian'swords4uposted 13 years ago

   I really feel that none of us have any spiritual authority over anyone.  God is the only one who has spiritual authority.  Our spirituality comes from God and not man, therefore God has this power not man.

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3. 60

   MickSposted 13 years ago

   If you are referring to the divine right of the Pope, we got rid of that in England, when Henry VIII, stood up to him, we then got rid of the divine right of Kings by putting that to bed in the English Civil War.
   The claim by leaders that they have divine right is just another lie along with all the other lies tied up with religion to control the population.

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4. 0

   DrDeanCrosbyposted 13 years ago

   Some churches teach that their leaders are absolute authorities over their members in  order to enforce conformity to church beliefs and occasionally to gain acceptance for new  church beliefs.One of the most dramatic  examples of this phenomenon occurred when  the Mormon church decided that African-Americans could finally be accepted into church leadership positions;a complete reversal of their prior doctrine.
   
     Unfortunately the authority of church autocrats is man-given rather than God-given and in fact they are selected through a voting process open to the hierarchy of the church, a process that has produced some thoroughly flawed leaders whose decisions have then been reversed by their successors.
   
   Fortunately Jesus made it clear that God had given Him authority  both in the world as well as in heaven.
   
   Matthew 28:18-19
   
   18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
   
   THANK GOD WE NEED NO OTHER SPIRITUAL AUTHORITY !

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5. 60

   Mark Upshawposted 13 years ago

   Spiritual authority over another is how cults are made and how people lose their own souls.

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6. 41

   Scott_Griggposted 13 years ago

   No. God created all people as equal. Anyone with so called "spiritual authority" over people has it because of something a human did.

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7. 60

   Blessitbeposted 13 years ago

   No, I think the only one that has spiritual authority over you is the Lord. No man has the right to govern you. As Jesus said give to Caesar what is Caesars and give to God what is Gods.

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8. 81

   jimagainposted 13 years ago

   The Roman centurion (Matthew 8:9) as a soldier understood the concept of authority. ("I am a man under authority...") By faith he placed himself under the authority of Christ even though he was a centurion. This is an example as a believer to voluntarily place ourselves under authority to God. Christ, rebuked the fig tree and stilled the storm yet placed hmself under the authority of the Father rather than exert his own.
   
   A leaders 'spiritual authority' is only by example, not a power to subjugate others. No human authority granted supercedes clearly defined Biblical precepts. That's the difference between a shepherd and a king. Read Mark 10: 41 through 45. A person or group claiming 'spiritual authority' that ignores this precedent is unbiblical and groundless.

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9. 70

   cloudy_coolposted 13 years ago

   That's what the 'spiritual leaders' tend to claim!!!!
   
   Yes - Coz in a way, since the common gentry does not have the time to spend on long hours of meditation and clean living etc etc...And the spiritual leaders spend all their time doing yogas, meditation, dhyans etc...and the results they get is some degree of super conciseness that we cannot easily achieve. After years of practice, they seem to master a way to channelize/ tune themselves with the highest power thus creating an upper calm...
   
   Although, I still don't agree with the term 'spiritual authority'...coz all humans are the same and although we live our lives differently, we all have something common, life and death! So does it matter who has the 'authority' or 'leadership' at the end of the day as long as they're able to guide us towards the light perhaps?

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10. 60

    darrenhooperposted 13 years ago

    Spiritual leaders obtained power over people because weak minded people need to follow someone. There are people who are wise to the human race and can give guidance to others, but not because a "God" gave them this power.
    
    Religion is power and was even more powerful back in the day than today. Spiritual leaders figured this out and turned that power to serve their own needs and beliefs. Spiritual leaders scared people into believing certain things and therefore controlled the masses (no pun intended Catholics).
    
    People created religion, not a "God." If someone claimed today that a burning bush spoke to them we would lock them up. Back then nobody knew any better.
    
    Look inside yourself and figure out what makes sense to YOU. Believe in yourself and believe what your heart tells you.

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11. 67

    Thesourceposted 13 years ago

    Great question!.
    
    I don't believe God gives spiritual authority to any human over another human.
    
    History has shown those who have claimed such authority have committed atrocities in the name of God. Several thousands were burned to the stakes and their estates confiscated.
    
    Even today in the Middle East, parts of Africa, Pakistan, Afghanistan and in many other countries such self proclaimed spiritual authorities perform mutilations, beatings and even kill humans cruelly in the name of God.
    
    Anyone who claims he has such authority over another human is a danger to others. At the same time anyone who believes that God gives such authority, then he or she does not know who God is.

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