Where do we go from here?

This recent election was surely one for the history books. It was a time of reevaluation, and if you will forgive the over-used catchphrase, “change.” The lack of a strong Republican candidate forced my wife and I into a time of intense discussion and research. As we listened to both sides it became clear there were things we were not comfortable with on the Christian right.

I have become convicted that as a Christian I do not owe my allegiance to any one government group, but that I should live out my civic duties in the way that best represents Jesus. Because of how complicated issues are I realized that going with a hard-line stance on each one was not always right or productive. To keep the posts short I will divide the topics in a series of posts. I am writing from a Christian point of view but trying to also work out what is good for a morally minded citizen

Morality

It is important for a society to maintain a level of morality or it will end up tearing itself apart. The question is, whose morality? Is a citizen’s democratic sense of duty and respect for the law enough or does there need to be more? Who in a society outlines the morality and how far can law go before it begins to take away individual freedoms? Those are some of the questions that create lines and are a matter of intense debate.

I believe Christians are right to desire a moral society but wrong in demanding a fully Christian one. Christians are defined by a faith in Jesus not by obeying a mandate of the law. Some of the morals outlines of the bible are clearly for followers of Jesus. If I was not a Christian keeping some of them would be no profit to me at all. It makes me really sad when I see Christian holding signs and aggressively crusading against “sinners.” Where did we ever see that modeled for us in the Bible? The New Testament outrage against sin is always focused at that which is in the Church or at sin in a Christian’s personal life. If those who are following Jesus still struggle with sin, how can the world hope to hold the burden of our laws unless they first have Jesus?

I do not propose that we stop attempting to bring morality, but only that we be more loving and selective as we remember that we are engaging society and not a church. And regarding the Church we might want to start there before preaching at society.

Socialism

Christianity in its biblical form has more in common with socialism than I think most Republicans realize…

Ok, now that I have your attention I will say that I was only half joking. I am not a socialist and I agree with the arguments against it. The flaws in human nature mean true full-on socialism will never work. Even with a strong idealistic beginning, greed and corruption anywhere in the system would end the utopia. If the utopia wants to keep its citizens in line they will inevitably end up with a police state and again end the utopia as they are forced into dealing with citizens who are beyond rehabilitation.

However, the principles of an individual’s responsibility to the community are a Christian concept. We do have an obligation to the poor and needy. We are responsible for social justice causes. We should be leaders in desegregation. We should be a mixed community where all races, the poor, the rich, the educated and non-educated are all equal. We are not those things. We have failed. Our churches are segregated and we do not speak out against racism that is still exists within our Culture.

We want the government to be small and frugal but I would ask Republicans this: Will the churches help pay for health care? Will the church help the countless babies and mothers they hope to save? Will the church reach into the communities of poverty and help pull the youth out of the generational cycles? The cycles of crime and educational gaps that define those areas. Will the church stand up against the racism within its own walls? Some do, but not enough. Do not think that Christianity is only about a Sunday Bible study. There is also a practical responsibility to your fellow man. I myself am convicted in this.

I will end this post by pointing out that the two party governments we now have has the two extremes; Conservative and Liberal. I believe that the parties hold each other in balance. At their extreme both concepts go very wrong, but in their balanced states they bring social and fiscal responsibility. Debate is good but we cannot afford to label all alternate views as unpatriotic. That cheapens freedom of speech.