Mutiny in the Pews

I suppose if we were a seafaring culture we would better appreciate (read: loathe) mutiny. Even now while we are engaged in an unconstitutional 'war' we are mutinous about mutiny. For instance, when you join the miltary you have the option to fight via contientious objector status. To me that's an indescribable irony.

Historically all naval world powers treated mutiny equally. If convicted through a miltary court marital, you were hanged. As follows:

The Royal Navy's Articles of War have changed slightly over the centuries they have been in force, but the 1757 version is representative – except that the death penalty no longer exists – and defines mutiny thus:

Article 19: If any person in or belonging to the fleet shall make or endeavor to make any mutinous assembly upon any pretence whatsoever, every person offending herein, and being convicted thereof by the sentence of the court martial, shall suffer death: and if any person in or belonging to the fleet shall utter any words of sedition or mutiny, he shall suffer death, or such other punishment as a court martial shall deem him to deserve: and if any officer, mariner, or soldier on or belonging to the fleet, shall behave himself with contempt to his superior officer, being in the execution of his office, he shall be punished according to the nature of his offence by the judgment of a court martial.

Article 20: If any person in the fleet shall conceal any traitorous or mutinous practice or design, being convicted thereof by the sentence of a court martial, he shall suffer death, or any other punishment as a court martial shall think fit; and if any person, in or belonging to the fleet, shall conceal any traitorous or mutinous words spoken by any, to the prejudice of His Majesty or government, or any words, practice, or design, tending to the hindrance of the service, and shall not forthwith reveal the same to the commanding officer, or being present at any mutiny or sedition, shall not use his utmost endeavours to suppress the same, he shall be punished as a court martial shall think he deserves.

The United States's Uniform Code of Military Justice defines mutiny thus:

Article 94: Mutiny or Sedition. A member who, with intent to usurp or override lawful military authority, refuses in concert with any other person, to obey orders or otherwise do his or her duty or creates any violence or disturbance, is guilty of mutiny. A person who, with intent to cause the overthrow or destruction of lawful civil authority, creates, in concert with any other person, revolt, violence, or other disturbance against that authority, is guilty of sedition. Furthermore, a member who fails to do his or her utmost to prevent and suppress a mutiny or sedition being committed in his or her presence, or fails to take all reasonable means to inform his or her superior commissioned officer or commanding officer of a mutiny or sedition which he or she knows or has reason to believe is taking place, is guilty of a failure to suppress or report a mutiny or sedition. Violations of this article can be punished by death.

So, then, mutiny could summarily be surmised as contempt of authourity. Heck, even talking about mutiny was chargeable. Obviously Americans are suspicous of authourity at best; it's bred into us. We prove that by saying our entire nation was founded on sedition. Well, that's another post.

Mutiny is generally a nautical term. Order on a ship was paramount and heirarchy was intergral. Much was on the line: men's lives, the respective government's money or territory, etc. High were the emotions: at sea for years couped up with hundreds of men, isolated from everything concrete, the capt as the focal point for inevitable problems (usu beyond his control, eg weather, food, work load) etc. Becuase of the experience of naval officers there were safegaurds in place to prevent or squander such seditious attempts on the open seas. Death upon conviction being the most signifigant.

Mutiny is a two way street though. Petty officers and crews that aren't properly trained will inevitably grumble. They don't know what to expect, are unsure of their duties or don't understand the fluid dependance on each other to perform their respective tasks well, aren't prepared for the hard life of sailing, etc. A sailing vessel must be run in unity and a have a thorough understanding of the importance and function of leadership. The rudder can't say to the mainmast 'I have no need of you'.

If an officer dissagreed with the captain, the ship was not the place to dispute it. Said officer would duly log the greivance in his journal and take action once back on terra firma. This proper form doesn't deny the existing problem, rather it is delt with properly and in the best manner.

Mutiny is essentially a contempt for selected and schooled leadership regardless of our assesment. Governments are in power because they are ordained of God; for there is no power but of God. To despise Government as an authority is to despise God as the ultimate authority.
To look upon your local church membership as little more than a feather in your cap, is incredulous. I think it's time we start having serious trials for Christians who float around from church to church shopping for the best McChurch. Unfortunately we hold our American citizenship in higher regard that our Church membership.