After watching some disturbing videos on how Romans 13 could be used and it has been brought up in other videos this video is very interesting. Was reading that Paul spoke Koine Greek & it is not close enough to modern Greek to easily understand since the vocabulary, verb forms, and grammer have changed significally. Plus any translation is a translation of which words to use to pick and thats why we have a Concordance to search through but still.. I believe Paul would like us to be good citizens in some form and aspects but what exactly does that look like in just looking at his life as an example to us & Scripture in general. Interesting..

Romans 13, The True Meaning the Tyrants Don't Want You to Know

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4yM1nvXTZ8

Of all the Apostles Paul seems to be the most controversial one these days but we must never forget he was called and choosen by God. Was Paul willing to remain silent? No.
He asserted his rights as a Roman citizen in Acts 22:25
plus Acts 16:37.
as a free born citizen of Roman. Acts 22:28
The Jewish Leaders and Roman leaders wanted him to stop preaching and ministering but he did not obey their orders he continued on with his preaching and ministering.
Why did Paul spend so much time in Prison it's because he taught people contrary to the law. Acts 18:13,21:28
He also had women teaching and laboring contrary to what the rulers wanted in Romans 16:12. also in other places in Pauls writtings Dorcus , Phoebe, Priscilla etc... All this was contrary to being subject to the rulers in that day. None of them remained silent they continued on. It was said that Paul was martyed because of his refusal to the authorites to stop his ministry his refusal to be silent.

Rethinking Romans 13

http://www.wnd.com/2001/04/8841/

In the video on the top thread what was highly disturbing is that they mentioned that Hitler in Nazi Germany used Romans 13 to silence dissent. So... should Romans 13 be used in such a manner such as that? That seems to be the question.
Then in Acts 5:29 it says:
Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
Then you read about all those in Scripture who violated the principle of submission to authority from Daniel to Elijah to Moses to David and then the three Hebrew children plus John the Baptist when he publicly scolded Herod & Simon Peter and on and on and so.. In reading about all of this when does government the rulers get bad enough where you can violate this principle as it seems that many have at times in Scripture.
I still believe we are called to be subject as citizens of a nation but we the people in this nation is the government by the constitution though we do elect our leaders. But I do see the importance in the debate of where lines are to be drawn.
I do see thier concerns and questions.

God still has many people in this world too that do speak out and it's never popular to do so. Was it popular for Paul to do so in his generation back then. For the Apostles or any of them to do so?