Ever since the US election in November, it seems the Elmer Fudds on the left are all up in the air about our nation turning into some ominous theocracy, where “those religious whackos” will shove their morality down everyone else’s unwilling throats.
Certainly there are whackos who would use the coercive power of the State (big S) to do just that.
Shhhhh! Be vewy vewy quiet. They’re not really just over there on the right. They’re over on the other hand, too.
(Wemember, “God is not a Wepublican. Or a Democwat.” Which being translated means, “But if you really listen to us, you’ll see that we don’t necessarily believe that to be equally true.”)
But I digress…
Today, I found this repost of an excellent article that first appeared in 2001, and it is just as true today as it was then. Maybe even more so.
Check some snips from the article…
What is the threat of having committed Christians in public life? The usual answer is that they will sneakily attempt to impose a theocracy. That’s absurd. The dominant political concern among Christians is not to impose their world view on others but to stop having the government’s world view imposed on them.
…
What would be the effect of having more committed Christians in public office?
Based on the history of the faith and what l know about the underlying rationale behind current religious activism, the result would be precisely the opposite of what we are being told: We would not have more value imposition by government but less not more government involvement in religion but less; not more rules that impact on our consciences but ever fewer.
Christians seeks to propose their values, not impose them.
The long-term effect of more Christianity in public life would be to more strictly define the proper role of government, which isn’t to manage society as if the state were omniscient and omnipotent, but to permit greater freedoms for individuals, families and civic institutions to flourish without unnecessary restraint from secular authority.
Make sure you get that part…
The long-term effect of more Christianity in public life would be to more strictly define the proper role of government, which isn’t to manage society as if the state were omniscient and omnipotent, but to permit greater freedoms for individuals, families and civic institutions to flourish without unnecessary restraint from secular authority.
The State-dominated culture in which we live is in no danger of being too saturated with believers who live out their faith. It may be in danger of being way too bland. Maybe a few more healthy pinches would get the flavor just about right.
