Purifying the Law: The Legal World of "Christian Patriots"

This paper examines the legal subculture of the "Christian patriots," meaning individuals who profess to be Christian but who also believe that their obligations to state & government are conditional upon secular rulings being in accordance with the Bible. They also seem to think that "a secret satanic conspiracy has infiltrated America's major institutions to subvert God's will" (James Aho, 1990) & that they must fight against this conspiracy, even through violence. The relationships of Christian patriots to legal matters are complex & appear to originate from a search for the ultimate source of legal authority. Total rejection of the law is rare, though the Embassy of Heaven Church in Sublimity, OR, asserts that its members withdraw from any state or corporate affiliation & give up even their driver's licenses, Social Security cards, & passports. Other examples of Christian patriot beliefs, practices, & actions are discussed. Adapted from the source document.