Andy my reason for using Romans 13 was to show plainly and clearly that the state is justified in using the sword.
breezing through a few pages of this thread i read thus far of your post powwow and .... i didn't feel i needed to read any further... sounds to me like you said yourself is that blinding truth of proving anything with statistics...... that statement just proves you want to justify a position coming from a deeper place and hey presto, bingo! (innglish game of chance ) your position is found ... are you seriously suggesting that Paul didn't reallly give up his cheerleaders role after his moment at Damascus...? if you have any evidence for any acts of violence or any cheerleading on Paul's part then perlease let's be havin them..... Acts of the Apostles is a bit thin on that aspect...
Paul did say somewhere 'the word kills the Spirit breathes life' me i like that about GOD
GOD BLESS!
Peace and Love,