# Does the Bible maintain order among masses? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [August 21, 2006, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-bible-maintain-order-among-masses/369528 "2006-08-21T01:31:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2006, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-bible-maintain-order-among-masses/369528/41 "2006-08-24T16:18:31Z")
[QUOTE=Sleel] Christianity, the way it developed, became authoritarian and dogmatic. [/QUOTE] Yet I don’t think that authoritarian-ness derived from the Bible, which actually has an anti-authoritarian streak in it. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2006, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-bible-maintain-order-among-masses/369528/42 "2006-08-24T17:59:53Z")
It occurs to me that maybe I should qualify that statement. The Bible does encourage people to be a “good citizen,” obey the secular authorities where possible, etc. So from that point it could be said to promote an orderly society, or “maintain order among masses.” But the religion of the Bible isn’t an authoritarian or hierarchical one, like the Roman Catholic Church became. Jesus (as depicted in the Bible) opposed the religious authorities of his day, and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-bible-maintain-order-among-masses/369528.md?page=2)