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Q1. One Person Acting for the Group


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Q1. What kinds of circumstances in modern life can you think of where a single person acts for an entire group? In what ways are members of the group tied to this person?

The most obvious example today of one person acting for an entire group would be in the field of politics. Presidents and prime ministers commit whole countries to their personal vision of how they'd like the world to be. On a broader scale we have political parties which make decisions totally independently of their constituents! They make important decisions then have to hard sell them to the people who voted them into office. Once elected, a member of congress or parliament has to toe the party line or they won't be re-endorsed at the next election. There's no longer any room for one person's opinion in the government. The people behind the throne, so to speak, run the country. This makes a farce out of the whole democratic system.

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I think the strongest example of this in our culture is the military, where the leaders make decisions for the entire group. Also the president and other elected officials make decisions that affect everyone in the country and sometimes in other countries, but even there the decisions are supposed to reflect the consensus of the people who elected them. Also in business the owners and top management make decisins which affect everyone in the company and everyone in the company must go along with the decisions. Parents make decisions for there families also. In our society we are democratic and often rebell at the idea of one person making a decision for others. We want to have our say and beleive our input counts. :rolleyes:

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I think Pastors decisions affect a large group of people. I attend an Assemblies of God Church where the Pastor makes decisions along with a board. Ultimately The pastor makes the final decision and this affect the congregants, Ministry and therefore the entire church.

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Q1. What kinds of circumstances in modern life can you think of where a single person acts for an entire group? In what ways are members of the group tied to this person?

We can not allow the actions of our leaders to sway us from the truths we know. We can not rebel against our worldly leaders [govt, church, family,...] since God put them there for a reason. We must accept responsibility in our position in the pyramid of life and society.

Obama can sign legislation into reality for the USA, causing money to be allocated, and people to act upon it. We must pray for their wisdom and abide by the law of our government, and protest if desired by legal process. We must pray for heaven to help us in all matters dealt with by our leaders.

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In our society or way of life anyone of authority has control. Even in business the decisions of one person can affect the entire organization. Even me being a father affects my childrens lives by the decisions that I make. When you stand back and really look at that it is pretty powerful and scary at the same time.

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Q1. What kinds of circumstances in modern life can you think of where a single person acts for an entire group? In what ways are members of the group tied to this person?

When a man makes decisions for his family.

He marries a woman, and children are born to the union. At that point, the man is responsible for providing for wife and children. His decisions affect the family.

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Q1. What kinds of circumstances in modern life can you think of where a single person acts for an entire group? In what ways are members of the group tied to this person?

Wherever decisions are made on behalf of others: parents, teachers, bosses, politicians, government, lawmakers, judges.

These people have power over us, and also a responsibility to us and accountability to us and God to lesser or greater degrees.

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A manager, parent, a teacher, a government leader, or union leader can act for an entire group of people.

These people have authority over the ones they are acting on behalf of. A union leader, for example, speaks for the ones he/she is leading. A parent stands on behalf of his/her child(ren).

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There are so many times in our lives when one person had great influence and speaks for the entire group. Some that come to mind are:

  • Principal of a school
  • Pastor of a church
  • Father in a family
  • President of a club or organization
  • Captain of a team

These people have a big responsibility to represent their group fairly and to make good, moral decisons and as Christians, to show Christian love.

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Q1. What kinds of circumstances in modern life can you think of where a single person acts for an entire group? In what ways are members of the group tied to this person?

This could happen in the family where the head of the family(the father) makes a decision that will affect the entire family(group). For example if he decides to take up a job in another district/state/country, the whole family will have to relocate and 're-start' their lives.

It can also happen if the leader of a country decides to go to war where every citizen has to bear the consequences.

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Q1. What kinds of circumstances in modern life can you think of where a single person acts for an entire group? In what ways are members of the group tied to this person?

While I agree with the previous posts I need to admit that the first thing that comes to my mind is a cult leader. The members are tied to their leader through various techniques, etc...and become active participants.

If I am going off in the wrong direction I pray somebody actually reads this and will help me to better understand this. Again, I do agree with previous posts I have read stating politics, etc....but wanted to add this perspective :)

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I can think of many circumstances. A teacher and thier students, a pastor and the church goers, a wife or husband and thier children, and of course a President and the residents of the country. There are many more I can think of.

We are tied to these "leaders" in so many ways. We look to them for direction, guidence, and even decision making, and much more. We trust them. We share our lives with them daily.

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Democracy is government by the people, and power is vested by the elected agents under the free will to vote. We are tied to the elected agent, or person we elect by individual voting combined into a group in favor of that official. Elected agents often act for an entire group of people, whether their decisions are godly or ungodly. Rom. 13:1 states to honor authority, and Acts 5:29 states that Peter thought to do as God asked , and was willing to suffer the consequences for civil disobedience.

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Q1. What kinds of circumstances in modern life can you think of where a single person acts for an entire group? In what ways are members of the group tied to this person?

Jesus is the first person who comes to mind, He is our King and Leader, all Christians are grouped together by the common bond of Love for our Lord.Christian leaders acts for an entire group (Christians). Individual church denominations act as leader e.g. Catholics, Baptist, Methodist, etc. Other groups which are not Christian such a Wicca acts as leaders of a group. A Political party acts for an entire group. Union leaders act for the whole group.. there are to many examples that come to mind.In a family the parents represent their children. ALL are tied to the leader (s) by a common bond which they share.

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Leaders of all nations, whether it be presidents, prime ministers or sovereigns. All these can make decisions that affect the whole nation. For good or bad. On a smaller scale, the head of the family who maintains responsibilty for it, makes day to day decisions that other members must abide by.

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I think of Tony Blair where he committed the young men of the Uk along with the president of USA who committed his young men to go to war to fight the evil in the various countries. He committed them to make the ultimate sacrifice in paying with their lives

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Q1. What kinds of circumstances in modern life can you think of where a single person acts for an entire group? In what ways are members of the group tied to this person?

 

 

Answer

Examples of persons acting for an entire group, presidents and dictators of nations speak for the people of the nation who are united as one nation. Another example would be a pastor of a church he’s the head of the congregation and he speaks for the congregation and church, there tied together like a family, like a father is the head of a family household.

 

 

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Q1. What kinds of circumstances in modern life can you think of where a single person acts for an entire group? In what ways are members of the group tied to this person?

In modern life today one can persons actions or decisions can effect the whole nation. As in the middle east one rulers hatred of Israel will cause the whole nation and its people to focus their hatred on Israel, usually to destroy them from the face of the earth.

Just as in a group, the leader and his belief and actions affect the whole group. As in Charles Manson, whose followers murdered other people for him. Also as in a religious sect or cult, the leader can influence the others to even take their own lives for his beliefs and ideals. 

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Q1. What kinds of circumstances in modern life can you think of where a single person acts for an entire group? In what ways are members of the group tied to this person?

 

When the chairperson of a cabinet speaks for the cabinet that one than speaks for the whole cabinet. As well the concept of cabinet solidarity implies that the whole cabinet acts as one. If someone disagrees than they are honor bound to resign from cabinet. They are not to speak about cabinet issues outside of cabinet- they stand or fall together.

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The first example is a man as head of his family. He would bear the responsibility for decisions made, good or bad, for his wife and children and sometimes even his parents.

The second example I can think of is a pastor leading his church. Even if he has a council or deacon body that consults with him he is ultimately the one that God has put in charge of leading His sheep. The congregants will normally follow his lead or suggestions.

The third example is our president who has authority to do many things even with a congress to check and balance his power. His will can be conveyed to the people of the country to rally support (or not) and his will can utterly destroy or enhance the populace.

A fourth example is a company with employees that are affected by one person's decision. I work for a man who is the sole owner of his company and he alone makes all financial decisions. It has greatly affected his employees sometimes for the better and sometimes not.

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Anyone who is in a leadership role from our fathers/mothers to the presidents/rulers of the nations. We have to live by their rules even though we don't agree with them.

Leaders in the church have great influence over their congregations based on their denominations and their own personal beliefs.

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Every group has a leader (even if this is not realized by the group) and although members of the group may or may not agree with their leaders decisions, they are influenced by them. However, they do have the freedom of choice  as to how they react to these decisions. This same principle exists in individual relationships. It all depends on a persons "ego" as to how they will react.

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