The Thirst for Freedom

A reader made a comment on the About page of this site:

Honestly, religion and politics should never mix. Government is there to provide services for the people not to convert people to Christianity. I hope politicians will never be voted into office based on their faith rather than their morals or goals.

Here is my response:

Hello Austin, welcome to The Thirst for Freedom!

You made a pretty strong, dogmatic, and absolute statement (or series of statements) without providing any reasoning. I would like to hear your reasons for your assertions.

Your currently undefended statements (with my responses/questions):

1. “Religion and Politics should never mix.” Why do you say that? What do you mean by “religion” and what do you mean by “politics?”
2. “Government is there to provide services for people.” What do you base that assertion on?
3. “Government is there … not to convert people to Christianity.” Well, I agree with that one. I don’t know anyone and haven’t heard of anyone in contemporary times who believes that “government” is for the purpose of converting people to anything.
4. [By Implication] “politicians [should not be] voted into office based on their faith rather than their morals or goals.” How is it possible to have morals outside of a religious worldview? Where do the morals come from? Is it possible to NOT have a religious worldview of some kind? Even atheists choose a religious worldview. They sometimes choose a system of beliefs based on naturalism that is in every way “religious” and then don’t allow their worldview to be analyzed “religiously” by insisting that their religious belief system is not “religious” because they do not believe in God.

Some thoughts: When you say “religion and politics should never mix” you imply that any ideas about God/Truth/Worldview/Etc. should not be included in our reasonings about how to implement a civil government. This is IMPOSSIBLE. I think if you say “government does not exist to force people to believe in a certain religious system” we can agree, but it is impossible for a religious worldview to not influence what principles of civil government we live out.

One reason that we do NOT want your view of government but instead would prefer a Christian system of government is this: In a Biblical Christian Worldview civil government exists to defend life, liberty and property by punishing those who would violate these things. The result is a system where men are free to pursue there own destinies. Ironically, an Atheist or a Muslim or a Jew, or any other kind of belief would be more free under a Christian system of government!

Now just to clarify, by “Christian system of government” I do NOT mean a system of government run by a church organization or by “religious authorities.” I mean a system of government based on Christian principles as revealed in the Bible.

Finally, your attempt to separate “faith” from “morals and goals” is futile. Everyone derives their morals and goals based on their core worldview beliefs. Everyone’s core worldview beliefs are derived from “religion” or whatever it is they choose to believe about God. While I would agree with the idea that it is an over simplification to decide who to vote for based on what faith they profess or what religion they identify with, to deny those things as real factors in “what makes the man” would be unwise.

So, hopefully Austin, you will come back and offer some reasons for your bold and dogmatic assertions. They are very empty without some explanation.

I just read this article at CNN.com:

My daughter and her partner were married in 2004 and I couldn’t ask for a better spouse for my daughter, or daughter-in-law for me. However, my attitude traveling to the wedding was far different from my attitude on the trip home. God attends gay weddings. Who knew?

People have debated scriptures over the issues of gay marriage and homosexuality until they are red in the face—red because both sides are so angry.

When I asked a wise friend how she reconciled the scriptures with her daughter’s homosexuality, she said, “I can’t. So I just let God sort it out.” I took her advice and I learned things about God I would never have known if I were still telling Him what His scriptures mean.

If we spent as much time obeying God’s two greatest commandments, which are that we love Him and love our neighbors as ourselves, and less time policing everyone who is different from us, imagine what a world it would be.

[Read More]

Here is the response that I posted:

(Article Continued Below)

“When I hear terms like ‘God’s design’ and ‘Biblical marriage’ I have to wonder who decides these things.”

That is the heart of the question isn’t it. WHO decides these things?

I have often heard this argument: “there are so many different interpretations of the Bible” with an implied “therefore we should not try and interpret it rightly.”

Here is the basic traditional Protestant Christian Doctrine: The Bible is the standard of truth and ethics. We may struggle to understand it. We may debate what it means, but in the end it ACTUALLY MEANS SOMETHING whether we come to the right conclusion or not!

The Bible is the standard, not man’s interpretation of the Bible.

Who decides these things? God does, and he puts instructions in the Bible for us to understand. We can do our best to study but we have to start with the assumption that God is the judge of what is and is not true.

The first account of marriage in the Bible is about how a man leaves his mother and father and cleaves to his wife. One man. One woman. Family unit. Produces children. Vehicle for multiplication and dominion.

This was all in the context of “it is not good for a man to be alone.”

In other words: A one man, one woman family producing and training up children is the fundamental basic building block of society as God designed it!

We mess with this at our peril.

It is not love to say “no problem” to someone who rejects this and tries to replace it with a “same-sex” marriage. In fact, this is very practically a whole lot more like hate.

It is not love to tell someone who is destroying their own life and the lives of others and their potential in God that nothing is wrong.

Love says “God designed you – follow His design!”

Same-sex “marriage” cannot be love. In fact, it cannot be marriage. Even if we “legalize” it as a society. To say “same-sex marriage” is like saying “non-marriage marriage.”

This is what happens when we depart from Jesus Christ and His Word (The Bible) as the standard for truth and life – we become insane and speak nonsense and call it love.

I don’t know whether or not Herman Cain has ever been involved with “sexual harassment.” I don’t know if he had an affair with someone other than his wife.

I do know that neither charge has been proven. I haven’t even seen compelling or interesting evidence.

If indeed this has been a “political assassination” it is a very sad day.

Why are people so willing to believe the worst?

(Article Continues Below)

If some have worked to bear false witness against this man, we know that there is a Judge ruling the universe who makes right judgments every time. All involved will face their crimes one day.

Herman Cain was not my choice for President, but this is not how I wanted to see that come about.

Herman Cain announced Saturday that he is suspending his campaign for president, telling a crowd of supporters in his home state that the allegations of sexual harassment and infidelity had become too big a burden on his family.
His wife Gloria standing by his side in a rare public appearance, Cain decried the sustained accusations as false and declared he is “at peace” with his wife and with himself. But he said the claims have “sidetracked and distracted” from his ability to present a new vision for the country, to the point that he must call off the campaign.

[Read More]